And it wasn't even his best sport.

Brannen was a track and field champion for the Los Gatos in the early 1960s, starring as a sprinter in the weight events for coach Fred Nieman's Wildcats. Forty years after his final track season in 1964, he still has marks in three events that rank among the top 10 in the school's history.

In the two schools years that spanned 1962­1964 at Los Gatos High School, he was a man among boys.

Fittingly, Bob Brannen will be among the first 14 athletes recognized with induction into the newly created Athletic Hall of Fame at the high school during ceremonies to be held May 1 at the LaRinconada Country Club.

Unfortunately, Brannen will be one of two of the 14 Los Gatos inductees who will be presented his award posthumously. Brannen died during the decade of the 1990s, and the Hall of Fame committee at the high school is still looking for a family member to accept his away at the ceremony in May.

The football and track star certainly won his share awards during his time as an athlete at Los Gatos, especially in his junior and senior seasons.

Brannen starred on the football field for coach Larry Matthews in the 1962 and '63 seasons. And the veteran coach remembers his well.

"He was a top rated fullback at Los Gatos," recalls Matthews. "He was easily in the top five in school history."

But while Brannen's place in Los Gatos football history is secure, so is his position in track and field history.

It's been 40 years since he last ran on the track and pitched the weights for the Wildcats, but his marks remain among the best in school history.

His 63-9 mark in the shot put is second only to Bret Mannon's 63-11.5 effort in 1972. Brannen won the Central Coast Section and state titles in the shot put in the spring of 1964 and he finished third in the nation. A year earlier, he was fourth in the state with a toss of 59-9.

He also boasts a best in the discus of 174-0 that remains third on the all-time Los Gatos list. He finished fourth in the state in the event in the '63 season.

But Brannen was more than just a powerful weightman for the Wildcats. He had the speed of a sprinter.

Brannen ran 9.9 in the 100-yard dash as a senior, a time that converts to 10.8 in the 100 meters. With that effort, he shares fourth on the all-time track list at the high school.

But while track and field may have been his best sport, don't get the idea that he wasn't an outstanding football player. The two-year varsity starter was an all-league fullback in 1964 after he led the West Valley Athletic League in yards gained and in scoring.

"He had tremendous speed along with power," said Matthews. "He was never caught from behind when clearing the line of scrimmage."

The coach remembers Brannen as being more than just a fine runner.

"He was an excellent receiver out of the backfield," added Matthews, "and he was an excellent blocker."

Bob Brannen excelled in both football and track and field at Los Gatos High School, and he's a fitting member of the school's Athletic Hall of Fame. It's just too bad he can't be there on May 1 to accept the award he so richly deserves.

Tickets going fast

There are only a limited number of tickets available for the Los Gatos High School Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremonies that will be held on May 1 at the LaRinconada Country Club in Los Gatos.

Only 300 seats are available for the dinner, and those interested in attending the first-ever induction event are advised to act quickly because only few tickets remain.

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 408.395.2002, Doug Ramezane at 408.354.2730, ext. 213, or Mark Magagna at 408.354.2730, ext. 320.

This event promises to sell out well before the night of the dinner, so former Wildcats and Los Gatos supporters are urged to buy their tickets now.