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Other North State Sports Notables
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Note: If you have some additional names of noteworthy current or past North State athletes or events, please write and tell us. Our definition of "North State" includes the counties of Butte, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama and Trinity.
Bev Anderson Abbs (Red Bluff): Top ranked USTA Ultra Runner. 2007 Runner of the Year. (Masters)
Mark Acre (Corning): MLB baseball pitcher with Oakland A's 1994-97.
Ace Adams (Willows): Played MLB 1941-46; Won 41 games; 1943 All-Star.
Toby Adams (Red Bluff): Former PRCA National Finals Rodeo saddle bronc rider.
Kathy Arendsen (Chico St.): 13 time ASA All-American. National Softball HOF
Isaac Austin (Gridley): Played 8 seasons in NBA.
Jeb Allen: Moved to Redding after winning 3 world championships as a top fuel drag racer.
Larry Allen (Butte College): Six-time Pro Bowl guard with the Dallas Cowboys.
Hardin Barry (Susanville): Played 3 games for Philadelphia A's in 1912.
Joe Baumgartner (Red Bluff): Fourteen-time(14) PRCA National Finals and Thirteen-time(13) PBR Finals bullfighter.
Dave Bennett (Yreka): Pitched one season with Philadelphia Phillies. Dennis Bennett is his brother.
Erik Bennett (Yreka): Pitched one season with Minnesota Twins. Dave Bennett is his father.
Nelson Briles (Dorris): Pitched 14 MLB seasons winning 129 games plus 3 World Series wins.
Kevin D. Brown (Oroville): 1990-1992 in Major Leagues winning 3 games.
Jim Campbell (Oroville): Pitched one season for the Kansas City Royals.
Elta Cartwright (Eureka): Won 100m U.S. Olympic Trials in 1928. Competed in Olympics but was ill.
Chuck Cecil (Red Bluff): Former hard-hitting NFL Cornerback.
Kayte Christensen (Alturas): Played five (5) seasons primarily with WNBA Phoenix Mercury.
Pat Clements (McCloud): Pitched for eight MLB seasons 1985-92 for several teams.
Ray Coleman (Dunsmuir): Played five MLB seasons primarily with St. Louis Browns (now Orioles).
Haley Cope (Chico): Champion Swimmer & World record holder; Silver Medalist 2004 Olympics.
Patrick Cottini (Quincy): 1996 Paralympic Bronze medallist in 5000m and Marathon.
Clay Dalrymple (Dairyville/Chico): Outstanding catcher for 12 MLB season 1960-71.
Jim Davis (Red Bluff): 1954-57 with Cubs. 24-26 Won/loss record.
John Doeg: Lived in Redding after career. Inducted into International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1962.
Frank Ernaga (Susanville): Played 29 games for the 1957 & 58 Chicago Cubs.
Jack Ellena (Susanville): OG/LB with NFL Los Angeles Rams in 1955 & 56.
Jason Ellison (Born in Quincy): 2003-2007 with San Francisco Giants and Mariners.
Leslie Deniz (Gridley): Silver medallist in Discus at 1984 Olympics.
Doug Dressler (Chico St.): Six seasons as a running back for NFL Cincinnati Bengals.
Nick Eddy (Dunsmuir): 1966 All-American RB at Notre Dame, 2nd in Heisman voting. 5 years in NFL.
Gale Gilbert (Red Bluff): Backup NFL QB participated in 5 straight losing SuperBowls (Bills & Chargers).
Bob Grim (Red Bluff): NFL wide receiver 1967-77 for Giants and Vikings playing in 1971 Pro Bowl.
Lee Grissom (Red Bluff): Eight MLB seasons 1934-41 with a pitching record of 29 wins and 48 losses.
Marv Grissom (Red Bluff): 10 MLB seasons. Star reliever for Giants 1953-58 winning game 1 in 1954 WS.
Warren Harding: Lived in Anderson last 15 years of his life. A pioneer of American rock climbing.
Dan Hawkins (Born in Fall River Mills): University of Colorado head football coach. Graduated Big Valley High (Beiber)
Gabe Jennings (Forks of Salmon) 2000 NCAA 1500m Champ; 2000 Olympic Team
Roy "Pop" Joiner (Red Bluff): Pitched three Major League seasons, beginning in 1934 w/Cubs.
Mort Kaer (Red Bluff): USC football great. Placed 4th in the pentathlon at 1924 Olympic games.
Brian Keyser (Chico): Pitched two seasons for MLB Chicago White Sox in 1995 and 96.
Kyle Lohse (Hamilton City): MLB pitcher - Minnesota Twins and Cincinnati Reds.
George Maderos (Chico St.): "Athlete of the Century" at Chico St. DB with NFL 49ers in 1956 & 57.
Alice Marble (Beckwourth.): International Tennis Hall of Fame
Vance McHenry (Chico): 1981 & 82 with Seattle Mariners playing shortstop.
Gary Nolan (Herlong): Pitched 10 MLB seasons winning 110 games and 2 World Series rings with Reds.
Nathan Parks (Durham): Three seasons as OG/OT for NFL Chiefs and Raiders.
Danny Payne (Chico St.): Played for Atlanta in North American Soccer League (NASL) in 1981 & 82.
George Quellich (Johnsonville): 1931 Season as an Outfielder with Detroit Tigers.
"Swede" Risberg: (Moved to Red Bluff after career): Banished from baseball for 1919 Black Sox scandal.
Aaron Rodgers (Chico): QB with Green Bay Packers; Their #1 Draft pick in 2005.
Will Sherman (Weed): Outstanding NFL DB primarily with L. A. Rams 1954-62.
Mike Sherrard (Chico): Nine seasons as wide receiver in NFL with several teams.
Ron Stone (Corning): 5 years MLB. Outfielder with A's and Phillies.
Jeff Stover (Corning): Starting defensive end with NFL 49ers 1982-88 earning 3 Super Bowl rings.
Mike Skinner (Susanville): A former NASCAR Winston Cup driver. 1995 & 96 Super Truck Champion.
Aaron Thomas (Weed): Tight end for 8 seasons with NFL New York Giants. 1 Pro Bowl appearance.
Chris Verhulst (Chico St.): TE with NFL Houston Oilers in 1988 & 99, and Denver Broncos in 1990.
Deanne Vochatzer (Chico St.): Head coach of the U.S. Women's 1996 Olympic Track & Field team.
Ward Walsh (Paradise): Running back with NFL Oilers and Green Bay Packers in 1971 & 72.
Kurt Wastell: (Born in Redding): Former top competitor in slopestyle Snowboard.
Wally Westlake (Gridley): 1947-56 in Major League; Outfielder with six teams; 1951 All-Star.
Notable Events
BABE RUTH PLAYS BASEBALL IN DUNSMUIR
On October 22, 1924, Babe Ruth played an exhibition game in Dunsmuir against players from Mount Shasta and Dunsmuir. As part of Ruth's nationwide barnstorming tour, Yankee teammate Bob Meusel and Manager Christy Walsh joined the "Bambino". Ruth's team won that day with the "Sultan of Swat" hitting two homeruns. Before the game started Ruth instructed the pitcher to throw the ball over the plate. Ruth said, "the people didn't come here to watch me walk". The game was sponsored by the Dunsmuir Lions Club and drew over 900 people to the game.
RED BLUFF ALL-STARS PLAY FOR 1974 LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES TITLE
In 1974 Red Bluff All-Stars met the team from Taiwan to play for the Little League World Series Championship. The game was televised by ABC-TV and Baseball Hall of Famer Carlton Fisk served as commentator. Red Bluff beat Venezuela 4-3 to reach the finals; however, Taiwan stomped the All-Stars 12-1 in the championship game. Mark Keluche, a Wintu Indian who weighed 240 pounds and stood 5'8" as a 12-year old, was the star pitcher on the team. Boyd Hedden was the talented #2 pitcher. Other Red Bluff team members included Greg Shoff ,1B; Jeff Gleason, 2B; Don Howard, SS; Mark Cox, CF; Scott Hatfield, RF; Rocky Ponciano, 3B; Gale Gilbert, C; Paul Adams, Jerry Baer, Ken Benefield, Scott Diehl and Cevin Dietz. Jack Gleason was the Manager and Milon Howard served as Coach.
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