The game, in fact the season, would come down to one play. It was Thanksgiving Day, 1962, and Los Gatos trailed Campbell in the final moments of the annual Turkey Day Game.

But when all seemed lost, quarterback Eric Poole directed a spiral into the reliable hands of Bill Fairband. The speedy receiver hauled in that pass and carried the football into the end zone for a touchdown, a victory and a league championship for the Wildcats.

It was a defining moment for Los Gatos football, and it was an appropriate end to a sensational high school football career for Fairband.

Forty years later, Fairband is remembered for that play, and for that outstanding career. As he and the class of 1963 approach their 40-year reunion, Fairband becomes a part of his high school's history—he is one of 14 inductees into the Los Gatos High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

The list of inductees in the first-ever Hall of Fame class reads like a Who's Who of Los Gatos High School sports—Dave Anderson, Bob Chambers, Ken Spagnola, Hugh Campbell, Chris von Saltza, Bob Brannen, Fairband, Eddie Siracusa, Holden Smith, Gary Lynn, Todd Mayo, Suzy Meckenstock, Dave Bearden and Heidee Ruiz.

"It's way past due," said Los Gatos football coach Butch Cattolico about the formation of the school's sports hall of fame. And it all came about after he and Los Gatos athletic director Mark Magagna were discussing the concept at a high school event.

"Mark and I were helping the Lions Club in the snack shack one day during a track meet, and we started to talk to Bill Frey and Joe Zanardi about it," said Cattolico.

At the time, longtime sports aficionado John Baggerly was in failing health, and Cattolico suggested to the others that they should broach the idea with the man who was a walking Los Gatos sports encyclopedia.

Unfortunately, Baggerly died before the idea came to fruition. But the group decided to move ahead with the idea anyway, and a committee was selected to come up with the initial list of inductees.

"It was one of those things that just needed to be done by somebody," said Cattolico.

So began the task of looking at nearly a century of Los Gatos High School athletes, and then picking the dozen or so that would be inducted in the first year.

Athletes were selected from five categories representing periods in Los Gatos sports history: pre-1950, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Athletes from graduating classes in the 1990s and later are not yet eligible for induction.

The 14 athletes selected for the honor will be officially inducted at a dinner slated for May 1 at the La Rinconada Country Club. Tickets for the event are priced at $75 apiece and are available through the Los Gatos Athletic Association (408.354.2002), or by calling Doug Ramezane or Magagna (408.354.2730) at the high school.

Athletes have been notified of their induction and invited to the dinner. Two of the awards will be presented posthumously—to Anderson and Brannen. Committee members have been unsuccessful in attempts to reach family members of the two fallen sports heroes. Anyone who can provide contact information for the families of either Anderson or Brannen are urged to call this newspaper at 408.354.3110, ext. 31, or Cattolico at 408.354.2730.