James Burns: Atwater's version of Kids in the Hall

ATWATER -- Dave Honey can remember the glory days down to the grizzly, spartan details, from the gnarly, twisted noses to the bare-bones equipment sheds.

Honey graduated from Manteca High in 1964, when "cutting edge" was a tool used to chop hay not a phrase coined to describe the Valley's prep athletic scene.

There were odd-sized pools and lane lines with only one buoy. Football helmets with one bar for a face mask and leather cleats as tough as a two-dollar steak.

And the baseball mitts...

"They had four fingers like Mickey Mouse gloves," said Honey, a former Atwater High athletic director and current Winton School District assistant superintendent. "Nowadays, they've got a web that you could catch a small child with."

It's hard for people to remember things that went on 50 years ago, much less 50 minutes ago.

But not for Dave.

"I always thought we should have something to honor our athletes," he said. "We should honor those outside of athletics too, but we've had so many outstanding people go through Atwater High. I think it's neat to go back and recognize the people."

Atwater will do just that, celebrating its rich past with a high school hall of fame believed to be the first of its kind in Merced County.

Its inaugural class is an eclectic bunch of 45 former student-athletes, including NFL player Bernard Berrian (Minnesota Vikings), Olympic silver medalist Jamill Kelly, golfer Matt Hansen and softball player Jill Robinson, one of the most sought-after athletes in the country during her prep career.

The class will be inducted during a banquet on Saturday, March 27, at Atwater Pentecost Club. The evening begins with a dinner at 6 p.m., followed by a banquet and social hour.

Limited seating is available.

Tickets are $25.

Dinner will be nothing short of a lineman's dream: meat, meat, meat.

Tri-tip. Chicken. Pork.

"There might be some greens laying around somewhere," Atwater athletic director Roddy Svendsen said jokingly.

Peas and carrots might be scarce, but there'll be no shortage of star power and Remember Whens.

In fact, Atwater High initially compiled a list of 200 worthy candidates from all five decades.

"We could have been up there all night reading from that list," Atwater High athletic director Roddy Svendsen said.

Instead, Svendsen, former ADs Honey, Ray Guerrero, Craig Chavez and Don Davis, and a panel of coaches chose to keep the inaugural class to 45.

A select 45.

Their criteria: those that were local, those that they could get a hold of and those that could make it.

"We've spent a year and a half putting together a list of nominees. From that list we've been able to get a hold of 45 that will be inducted this year," Svendsen said.

"It's not like this group is stronger than those that will be inducted later on. These were guys we could get a hold of. Hey, we had to start somewhere."

In compiling the initial list, Svendsen discovered a few interesting facts about Atwater High athletics:

Thirteen former student-athletes have played professional baseball.

Four have played in the NFL. Berrian is the only current player.

And Robinson received 32 full-ride Division I scholarships offers as a senior.

"It's something long overdue at our school," said Svendsen, who plans to honor the inductees by placing their names on wall in the new gymnasium. "We've been talking about it and talking about it for years. We didn't want to do it the wrong way.

"Finally, we decided we had to get after it. It's going to be an organization that we hope will be a good thing for Atwater athletics over the years."

News of the event is buzzing through campus, cropping up in lunchtime chat circles. Junior point guard Eriq Belt, one of the area's leading scorers this past winter, has already reserved his seat.

Berrian is a close family friend and inspiration.

"Nobody realizes how many good athletes have come out of Atwater," Belt said. "I think this a good idea. A really good idea, especially for the future. We have a lot of good athletes here now."

Indeed, then and now.

And with one initiative, Atwater High will give the Honeys and Belts -- the Mickey Mouse gloves and FieldTurfs of Atwater athletic lore -- one metaphorical roof to gather under.

The Hall on the Wall, home to the glory days. All 50 years worth.

James Burns is managing editor/sports editor of the Sun-Star. He can be reached at jburns@mercedsun-star.com.