Sports
Column: The Orange County Hall of Fame is a silly idea. Here's how to do it right
Los Angeles doesn’t have a municipal Hall of Fame celebrating notable natives and residents. Nor does New York. Nor Chicago. Nor any of the largest cities and counties in the United States …
except Orange County!
Established last year by the Board of Supervisors, the Orange County Hall of Fame seeks to “honor the brilliant minds, influential leaders, and remarkable talents that have shaped the cultural, economic, and social fabric” of O.C.
Each of the county’s five supervisors nominates five people and sends them to an ad hoc committee that makes the final picks. There will be a ceremony in the coming months for the newest batch of Hall of Famers, and perhaps a permanent display in some county building or other.
Halls of Fame at their best — whether the baseball one in Cooperstown, the California Museum in Sacramento dedicated to Golden State luminaries or the National Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame (which is actually in Euclid, Ohio) — choose people that exemplify the profession, place or era being honored. They don’t just honor the obvious pioneers and greats of yore: They uplift the overlooked, deal with the controversial and show a knowledge of the world to present to, well, the world.
The Orange County Hall of Fame is none of that.
It comes off as goober posturing, not worthy of the sixth-most populous county in the nation. Then again, I’m giving my beloved homeland too much credit. For decades, the powers that be have told a very specific narrative about us: triumphalist and trite, self-congratulatory and sappy, while staying far away from our difficult parts.
The Orange County Hall of Fame continues this sad tradition. It comes off, so far, as nodding to political favorites, fanboy posturing and history done via Google and Wikipedia searches.
Seven of the 10 inaugural inductees were entertainers or athletes, for chrissakes, while the three others were developers.
The 2024 class is better than the first, but most members aren’t that influential in the overall Orange County story. Nick Berardino was the longtime head of the Orange County Employees Assn., the largest public employee union in the county. Carl Karcher founded Carl’s Jr., the once-good burger chain that knocked down its longtime Anaheim headquarters last year after moving all operations to Tennessee. Richard Nixon — who was born in Yorba Linda, attended Fullerton High, had his first law office in La Habra and summered in San Clemente during his presidency — might seem like an obvious choice. But that was the extent of his Orange County living, and there are Republicans far more important in creating O.C.’s peculiar brand of conservatism.
Wing Lam? His Wahoo’s Fish Tacos chain isn’t bad and his philanthropy is great, but Glen Bell, the founder of Irvine-based Taco Bell, had far more influence on Mexican food in O.C. and beyond. Michelle Pfeiffer, who grew up in unincorporated Midway City? Great performer, but please — the choice should’ve been John Wayne, thought so essential to who we are by a previous generation of Orange Countians that our airport bears his name.
Gwen Stefani attends a ceremony honoring her with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2023. The Anaheim native was inducted into the Orange County Hall of Fame last year as well.
(Chris Pizzello / Invision/AP)
The Orange County Hall of Fame shouldn’t exist at all, honestly. But since it’s probably not going anywhere, it should at least try to do better — and that’s not hard.
Take that inaugural class of 2023. Kobe Bryant lived most of his adult life in Newport Coast, but his worldwide fame happened representing Los Angeles as a Laker. The late William Lyon was a prominent developer, yes, but far more fundamental to Orange County is his contemporary, Don Bren, whose Irvine Co. spans the county’s eras, from rancho days to master-planned suburbs. His idea of what O.C. should look like is mimicked worldwide, for better or worse.
Or consider Greg Louganis, perhaps the greatest Olympic diver ever, who learned his craft across the county. You know who’d be a better choice? His coach, Sammy Lee, a two-time gold medalist and Korean War veteran. Lee made national headlines in 1954 when he tried to buy a home in Garden Grove, only to be refused on account of being Korean American. He settled in Santa Ana instead and had a decades-long career as a beloved community doctor as well as elite diving coach.
I don’t mean to come off as a hater. As a native who never plans to leave — unlike 2023 Hall of Famers Gwen Stefani and Tiger Woods — I have made O.C. history a central part of my adult life. I’ve authored a book on the subject, co-wrote another, teach a course on Latino O.C. at Chapman University and have covered it through my journalism career. I’ve learned that knowing about your hometown’s past, and the stories of the people who made it happen, allows communities to better confront their present and future.
I’m not the only Orange County Hall of Fame skeptic, either. Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento — who as mayor of Santa Ana prompted the city to formally apologize for its role in burning its Chinatown in 1906 — didn’t bother to submit any names last year.
“I thought, ‘Is this something that warrants our time and attention?’” he told me.
Sylvia Mendez visits students in 2022 at Mendez Intermediate School, which is named after her parents, Felicita and Gonzales Mendez, who were part of a landmark school desegregation case. Sylvia was announced as an Orange County Hall of Fame inductee this month.
(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
But the supervisor made nominations for the 2024 class once he realized most of his colleagues were sticking with it. He decided to pick O.C. residents who offer “a different story from a different perspective.”
“If done well, this could show the evolution of where we came from,” he said.
One of his picks was Sylvia Mendez, who has spent decades publicizing the landmark 1940s school desegregation case that bears her family’s name. The ad hoc committee — this year composed of Supervisors Don Wagner and Doug Chaffee — accepted Mendez but rejected the four other Latino families who were co-plaintiffs.
The committee also passed on Dorothy Mulkey, a Santa Ana resident who in 1967 won a Supreme Court case over a California proposition allowing landlords to discriminate against renters.
“I’m going to resubmit next year, and every year, until she’s in,” Sarmiento said of Mulkey. “Those are the types of people I’d like to see celebrated and recognized.”
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The Las Vegas Raiders and the Baltimore Ravens made a blockbuster trade ahead of the start of NFL free agency.
Las Vegas is trading five-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Maxx Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens, per multiple reports.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium on Aug. 23, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)
The Raiders will receive two first-round picks from the Ravens, including the No. 14 overall pick in next month’s NFL draft, one report said.
The 28-year-old Crosby had 10 sacks last season and has reached double digits four times in his seven seasons.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Jonah Laulu (96) and defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) celebrate during the second half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans in Houston, Texas, on Dec. 21, 2025. (Ashley Landis/AP Photo)
The Raiders last appeared in the playoffs back in 2021 but have gone 7-27 over the past two seasons. They have the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft, which is expected to land them Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
The Ravens, meanwhile, are entering a new era, after firing longtime head coach John Harbaugh and replacing him with former Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter.
Maxx Crosby of the Las Vegas Raiders sniffs smelling salts during an NFL game between the Las Vegas Raiders and Denver Broncos at Empower Field At Mile High on November 20, 2022 in Denver, Colorado. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Two top City Section baseball teams, El Camino Real and San Fernando, faced off Friday in a pitcher’s duel that went eight innings.
Senior Ray Pelayo of San Fernando kept throwing strikes, keeping El Camino Real off balance for 7⅔ scoreless innings with eight strikeouts and one walk. But then came a balk that scored the winning run in El Camino Real’s 1-0 victory.
Hudson December threw six scoreless innings for El Camino Real and Andrew Katzman struck out three in two scoreless innings.
South Torrance 4, El Segundo 3: In a battle of unbeaten Pioneer League teams, South Torrance (6-0) received a walk-off single from Owen Rhodes in the bottom of the seventh. El Segundo tied it 3-3 in the top of the seventh on a two-out, three-run home run by Chase Mattoon. Issac Orozco struck out nine in five innings and also homered for the Spartans.
Crespi 3, Saugus 2: Justin Kim had two RBIs for the Celts.
Sylmar 7, Legacy 1: Rickee Luevano threw a two-hitter with nine strikeouts.
Sierra Canyon 12, West Ranch 1: Isaias Tirado hit a three-run home run and four pitchers combined to give up five hits.
Mater Dei 15, Rockwall-Heath (Texas) 1: Ezekiel Lara had three hits and five RBIs in Texas. Earlier, the Monarchs gave up seven runs in the third inning of an 8-1 loss to Rockwall-Heath.
St. John Bosco 1, Gahr 0: Star closer Jack Champlin got a strikeout to end the game, finishing two shutout innings of relief. Champlin drove in the game’s only run with an RBI double in the sixth inning. Julian Garcia struck out six with no walks in five innings for St. John Bosco.
San Juan Hills 11, Cypress 0: Garrett Gandolfo threw five scoreless innings with seven strikeouts and Clay Riggs contributed three RBIs for San Juan Hills.
Santa Margarita 1, Damien 0: Warren Gravely IV had the only RBI in the Eagles’ win. Tyler Unter struck out six in five shutout innings.
Garfield 9, Cleveland 7: Omar Martinez had three hits and Victor Alvarez drove in three runs for Garfield. Joshua Pearlstein finished with three hits for Cleveland.
Palos Verdes 8, West Torrance 0: Kai Van Scoyoc struck out nine in five innings and Asher Friedman had a home run and a double for Palos Verdes.
Valencia 12, Chatsworth 0: An eight-run second inning helped lead the Vikings to a five-inning win.
Bishop Amat 13, Gardena Serra 2: Joaquin Ortiz finished with three hits and four RBIs.
Corona Centennial 19, Eastvale Roosevelt 3: Devin Bishop and Emiliano Castaneda each hit home runs for Centennial.
Servite 6, Anaheim Canyon 1: Mickey Cabral went three for four and Cole Grothues struck out three in 2⅓ innings of scoreless relief.
Corona Santiago 5, Crean Lutheran 4: Jonathan Thorton delivered three hits and two RBIs for the Sharks.
Fullerton 1, Chaparral 0: Garrett Wrightman threw four innings of scoreless relief and Caleb Brown had an RBI double in the third inning for Fullerton.
Edison 11, Tesoro 7: Ben Wilson hit a grand slam and finished with five RBIs for Edison.
El Dorado 10, Granada Hills 4: Lorenzo Favela hit a three-run home run to lead El Dorado.
Ayala 7, San Dimas 1: Caleb Trugman struck out nine with zero walks in a complete game.
Loyola 14, Venice 1: Wyatt Clougherty had three hits and Luca Marucci contributed three RBIs for Loyola.
Softball
Norco 5, Torrance 0: Coral Williams struck out 10 in six innings. Leighton Gray and Rae Logue hit home runs.
Garden Grove Pacifica 4, Anaheim Canyon 2: Natalia Amezquita had a two-run single for Pacifica.
Orange Lutheran 7, Perry 1: Mia Scott had four RBIs for the Lancers.
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 15, Culver City 0: Ellayne Tellez-Perez had three hits and five RBIs.
Sports
Chargers’ Justin Herbert gushes over Madison Beer in heartfelt birthday tribute: ‘Changed my life forever’
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Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert gushed over 27-year-old singer Madison Beer in a heartfelt birthday tribute on social media, offering fans a rare glimpse into the couple’s relationship.
The two-time Pro Bowl quarterback, who normally shies away from the public eye, posted a series of photos to his Instagram Stories on Thursday.
Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers warms up prior to a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at SoFi Stadium on Dec. 8, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
“Happy birthday to my favorite person of all time,” Herbert wrote in a post that showed the couple on the sidelines of one of his NFL games. “I love you so much. You’ve changed my life forever.”
In another photo appearing to show the couple out to dinner, Herbert wrote, “I am the luckiest guy alive…”
Herbert, who turns 28 later this month, shared another photo of the “Make You Mine” artist petting goats and captioned the photo, “My goats.”
The couple was first linked together in August when they were spotted together on the set of one of Beer’s music videos in Los Angeles. Herbert and Beer were photographed in October on the sidelines of a Chargers game at SoFi Stadium, seemingly confirming the dating rumors.
Quarterback Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers and singer Madison Beer attend an NBA game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, on Oct. 24, 2025. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
The same month, Herbert went viral after blocking a rogue basketball from hitting Beer when the two sat courtside at a Los Angeles Lakers game.
Herbert signed a five-year, $262.5 million extension with the Chargers in July 2023. Despite proving himself to be one of the elite young quarterbacks in the NFL, Los Angeles’ offensive struggles have seen the team fall short in back-to-back playoff appearances.
Quarterback Justin Herbert (10) of the Los Angeles Chargers blocks a basketball from hitting Madison Beer as they attend a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, on Oct. 24, 2025. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
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The team’s offensive coordinator, Greg Roman, was fired in January and replaced with former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, who is regarded as one of the top offensive minds in football.
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