There were administrators past and present, classroom teachers and members of the Los Gatos community.

But most of all, there were former athletes—some good ones and some who may have just been average. And they were all there for the same reason ... to honor the best of the best.

The event was the first ever Los Gatos Athletic Hall of Fame banquet. And 14 of the finest Wildcats of all time made up the first class of inductees.

In all, more than 280 members of the Los Gatos community past and present turned out at the La Rinconada Country Club on May 1 to help kick-off the event that figures to become an annual fixture in town.

"I think it was a real positive start to the Hall of Fame," said Los Gatos football coach Butch Cattolico, who served as the master of ceremonies for the banquet. "Most of the people I talked to seemed to enjoy themselves and said it was a great night of reminiscing."

"I think it was a phenomenal start to this thing," he added. "For the first time out, it was remarkable."

But not only was the event remarkable, so were the athletes who made up the list of inductees for the evening.

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 (class of 1935), Bob Chambers (class of '44), Ken Spagnola ('54), Hugh Campbell ('59), Chris von Saltza Olmstead ('61), Bill Fairband ('63), Bob Brannen ('64), Eddie Siracusa ('69), Gary Lynn ('74), Holden Smith ('76), Suzy Meckenstock Seandel ('82), Dave Bearden ('82), Todd Mayo ('85) and Heidee Ruiz ('88).

Eleven of the 14 athletes were present for the ceremonies, coming in from as far away as Canada and Colorado. Anderson and Brannen were presented their awards posthumously, and Smith was unable to attend because of a previous commitment at his home in Nice, France.

Anderson's son Jeb accepted the award for his late father, sharing a moving story about how when his grandparents died, a caring Los Gatos community took in a family of school-aged children to allow them to remain in town together.

Larry Matthews—one of the five former Los Gatos head football coaches at the event, along with Pete Denevi, Bob Skuse, Charlie Wedemeyer and Cattolico—presented and also accepted the award for Brannen. His speech was also moving, referring to the recent death of former football coach Paul Juhl and indicating that Juhl and Brannen are now reunited and watching out for one another.

Smith sent a letter of appreciation that Cattolico read to the crowd, then Shirley Smith accepted the award for her son.

Both Chambers and Spagnola were moved to tears during their acceptance speeches.

Campbell and von Saltza were clearly the two most highly decorated of the athletes earning induction—Campbell as a college football All-American at Washington State and a professional player, coach and executive in Canada, and von Saltza as an Olympic gold medalist and a member of a number of Halls of Fame. Still, both were visibly touched and humbled at the thought of being recognized by their high school.

It was a similar theme for the night, as all of the athletes thanked their teammates, their coaches and the community for making it possible for them to be so honored.