But then, Siracusa didn't have to go looking for trophies, they seemed to go looking for him. The Los Gatos High School three-sport sensation of the late 1960s collected more hardware during his four-year reign on the school's football field, basketball court and baseball diamond than True Value.

And he's about to pick up even more.

Eddie Siracusa has been selected among the first 14 athletes to be recognized with induction into the Los Gatos High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Induction ceremonies will be held May 1 at the LaRinconada Country Club when he will add even more hardware to his collection.

Of course, another trophy is the last thing he needs. He picked up plenty of them when he climbed the ranks of the Los Gatos Little League and Pony League, through high school and into professional baseball with the Kansas City Royals organization.

Siracusa started his playing career as a 9-year-old in the Los Gatos Little League major division, a rare feat in a division generally dominated by players ages 11 and 12. He starred for the Elks, then went on to star for the Giants in the newly formed Los Gatos Pony League.

But it was as a high school athlete where Siracusa's star truly started to shine. For four years, he was a three-sport athlete, playing football, basketball and baseball for the Wildcats. That in itself was pretty typical of the time—the way he played the three sports, however, was far from typical.

Siracusa won all-league honors in all three sports and was selected his team's Most Valuable Player in each one.

He was a fine basketball player, putting up big numbers as a power forward who could dominate the boards and muscle up points inside while also possessing a shooting touch from outside.

But it was in football and baseball where Siracusa really shined.

He was a talented running back and defensive back for the Wildcats in the 1967 and '68 football seasons, winning all-league honors in the secondary each year. He scored five touchdowns in a win over Prospect, returned a kick-off 79 yards for a TD in a 7-3 win over Leigh, scored on a 74-yard run in a 7-0 victory over Del Mar and ran for 104 yards in a 10-4 triumph against Blackford. He also ran and passed for touchdowns when Los Gatos lost 19-17 to St. Louis of Honolulu in a 1968 visit to the Islands.

Still, as good as he was in football, baseball was his sport. He led the Wildcats in batting average in back-to-back seasons, hitting .363 in '68 and .301 in '69. He hit six home runs in his senior season when he led the Wildcats to a league championship. That single-season home run record still stands today at the school.

The two-time Los Gatos MVP and all-leaguer signed with the Kansas City Royals out of high school and was assigned for a season to the San Jose Bees. A wrist injury ended his hopes of making the big league club.

But while his professional baseball career may have ended prematurely because of injury, the memories of his great high school accomplishments will go on forever.

Eddie Siracusa's athletic efforts earned him many accolades and awards at the high school level. And like it or not, his induction into the Los Gatos High School Athletic Hall of Fame this year means that there will be one more trophy for one of the greatest Wildcats ever.

Los Gatos High School Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremonies will on May 1 at the LaRinconada Country Club in Los Gatos. Tickets for the Hall of Fame dinner are priced at $75, and those attending the dinner will have the opportunity to nominate former Los Gatos athletes for induction in 2005. For ticket information, call the Los Gatos Athletic Association at 408.354.2002, Doug Ramezane at 408.354.2730, ext. 213, or Mark Magagna at 408.354.2730, ext. 320.