13 Apr Sports Legends Hall of Fame Preserves Antioch’s Athletic Prowess

The letter jackets of Deer Valley and Antioch high schools, respectively, are on display at the Antioch Sports Legends Hall of Fame. Inductees must have graduated from one of those schools, from which 24 athletes have gone on to play professionally.

Story and photos by Joe Porrello

The Antioch Sports Legends Hall of Fame goes above and beyond to highlight the city’s rich athletics history. Yet many residents are unaware of its existence, according to program coordinator and board treasurer Kris Del Monte.

Located at 1500 W. 4th Street, the Hall of Fame sits nestled below the Antioch Historical Museum — about 100 yards off the street inside what was once Riverview High School — with an entrance behind the building. It is not visible from the street.

And as a nonprofit organization relying on donations to operate, potential visitors have just two small windows from 1-4 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays to visit the Hall of Fame. But it is worth the planning for those interested, as the whole museum is thoughtfully organized and beautifully detailed while featuring more than a fair share of local athletic prowess.

Upon entering, guests can immediately smell the scent of game-used memorabilia and hear band fight songs playing from speakers — a combination that could spark nostalgia in any athlete.

A hallway showcases 24 athletes from Antioch and Deer Valley high schools who have gone on to play professionally. Televisions throughout the space run highlight reels of these athletes, such as Geno Marchetti playing for the Baltimore Colts at San Francisco’s Kezar Stadium in the 1960s.

 

With more than 200 players and coaches, along with 16 teams, the Hall of Fame celebrates Antioch’s sports history across multiple eras and disciplines. Displays honor not only local athletes’ achievements in high school sports but also remarkable feats outside of high school, such as perfect games or significant college and professional accomplishments.

Del Monte has been with the Hall of Fame since it inducted its inaugural class in 2007 and says, “There’s nothing like it in Northern California.“

A Labor of Love 

Lifelong Antioch resident Tom Menasco spearheaded the creation of the Hall of Fame to preserve the legacy of the city’s athletes. In 2005, Menasco pitched the idea and formed a Founders Facility Committee of five highly respected Antioch residents.

“The founders’ mission was to create something that preserves the sports history of a small little town on the delta that was extremely close-knit,” said Gary Bras, Board of Directors secretary and member of the 2016 most outstanding team — his 1979 track squad.

After Menasco told community members his plan and secured about 100 volunteers to start, what began as a collection of discarded items in a small meeting room, transformed into a 3,000-square-foot space teeming with the city’s sports history— and even custom merchandise for sale.

“Every child can come in here and see what the athletes of Antioch have done before them, and hopefully it encourages them to do the same,” said Del Monte. “They can come here and say, “I want to be on that wall or in that case.’” 

Honoring the Best of the Best

The Hall of Fame presents annual awards across 11 individual athlete categories, as well as one each for a community leader, outstanding coach and outstanding team. There are also awards for the top male and female all-around athletes. 

To be considered for the Hall of Fame, nominees must far surpass the minimum requirements of heavily detailed selection criteria. Individual athletes must have graduated from Antioch or Deer Valley high schools at least 15 years ago and must have earned at least second-team all-league recognition or demonstrated significant college sports accomplishments. All-around athletes must have been second-team all-league in multiple sports.

 “All the athletes here are the best of the best,” said Bras. “It’s a great opportunity for people to bring their families and show their children to say, ‘We want to show you how good Grandpa was.’ ”

With a maximum of eight players selected every year since 2007 — other than 2020 due to COVID-19 —  Bras says over 2,400 athletes meet the basic criteria.

A research and recognition committee that meets monthly reviews nomination applications submitted through their website before sending ballots to eligible voters in April. Winners are notified by phone the following month and asked to tell as few people as possible while the Hall of Fame starts collecting memorabilia for their displays.

In early October, Antioch Sports Legends hosts its largest fundraiser: a golf charity event for alumni from both Antioch and Deer Valley high schools. New inductees and their families are honored with a breakfast and the unveiling of their exhibits before heading to Lone Tree Golf Course for a black-tie gala, which sells out every year and announces the newest inductees. 

“It’s just a night of camaraderie where you feel like you’re in a bubble because you’re transported back in time — some people there graduated in the fifties,” said Del Monte. “Antioch gets such a bad rap, but that night, you realize there’s so much good here.”

Celebrating a Wide Range of Sports

The Hall of Fame recognizes all sports, and each inductee joins a prestigious group of athletes, coaches and teams. Notable members include Marchetti, the NFL Hall of Fame defensive lineman; football star George “Bus” Ackerman (Antioch’s first All-American in 1929); Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris; U.S. Olympic gold medalist in softball Michelle Gromacki; Major League Baseball players Gene “Butch” Rounsaville and Aaron Miles; and NFL veterans Sterling Moore and Taiwan Jones.

 

A special corner is dedicated to Mercado’s Barber Shop, a community sports hub from 1947 to 2016 run by “Mr. Panther,” a.k.a. Bill Mercado, and his brother Frank. The tribute features the shop’s original barber’s pole and chair and memorabilia. It is a reincarnation of a place residents got their hair cut, bought tickets to local games, and had spirited high school sports debates.

 

A Legacy Built on Passion and Community

Bras says in the shop’s early days, Antioch was a very blue collar industrial town when the paper mills were still in business. And since there was only one high school, sports — especially football — were something cheap and fun the community gravitated to for leisure, be it playing or watching.

Even long before Mercado’s, Antioch High was fielding football teams in the 1920s and baseball teams in the 1890s — as seen in photographs hanging in the Hall of Fame.

 

The city’s rich athletic history, according to Bras, came courtesy of their well-coached youth sports programs with passionate and dedicated players. He recalled the intra-city rivalry of Antioch and Park junior high schools, which frequently finished Nos. 1 and 2 in their league. 

Mike Shaw, a former football player from those junior high teams, said he didn’t know if he was correctly recalling the crowds of about 3,000 people at 3:30 p.m. on a Thursday until he saw video footage of their games years later. Shaw’s father, Worth, is in the Hall of Fame for his long long line of high school and college athletic achievements. Worth Shaw, who died in 2012, also played shortstop for the Army while stationed in Yokohama, Japan, and has multiple Antioch sports complexes named after him.

These junior high teams fed into Antioch High, contributing to the school’s competitive success and its notable NFL alumni (15 players).

Concerns for Youth Sports

Del Monte, however, is concerned about the future of youth sports in the city. After having plenty of success in Little League and Babe Ruth baseball, Antioch has had neither for almost a decade — and now has no youth football teams, according to Del Monte. She attributes this decline to a mix of misusing funds, a lack of volunteers, and kids not wanting to play.

A deserted field nearby, marked by an “Antioch Babe Ruth” sign, serves as a stark reminder of the decline in local youth sports.

“They knocked down the scoreboards — everything,” said Del Monte. “We’re trying to work with the school district and recreation department to see what we can do to help rebuild some of these programs back to what they were.” 

Despite these challenges, Antioch Sports Legends is looking to expand its program with more displays and interested boosters.

Those looking to donate or volunteer can send money or apply on the Hall of Fame website.