The Bob Elias Kern County Sports Hall of Fame held its 43rd annual awards banquet on Feb. 19 at the Marriott Hotel on Truxtun Avenue. The four inductees this year were track and field athlete Jesse Bradford, official Clint Osthimer, the late professional boxer Mike Quarry and pole-vaulter Doug Wicks. Mayor Harvey Hall, Congressman Kevin McCarthy and Supervisor Mike Maggard were in attendance at the event.
The ceremonies began with an invocation by Pastor Michael Osthimer, son of inductee Clint Osthimer. After the room said “amen,” welcomes and introductions were done by “the voice of the Bob Elias Sports Hall of Fame,” Greg Kerr of KBAK TV 29.
“We (Kern County) have a very strong history when it comes to athletics and a very strong history of achievement,” Congressman McCarthy, first cousin to inductee Doug Wicks, told the crowd.
Jesse Bradford, who coached track at Bakersfield College for 25 years, thanked colleagues, friends, family and coaches. Bradford set the national high school 180-yard low hurdle record in 1957. Bradford was short in his acceptance speech, keeping to the “five Bs of public speaking – be brief, brother, be brief.”
After each speech from the inductees, the audience gave a standing ovation. The inductees were also awarded a special recognition on behalf of the U.S. Congress.
“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for my fellow officials, coworkers, friends, family and even my critics,” Clint Osthimer said prior to accepting his induction.
“I’ve been very fortunate and very lucky,” Wicks said. “In an individual sport.you don’t do it alone. You really need to be surrounded by people who encourage and guide you.and that is exactly what I had.”
Bobby Quarry, younger brother of the late Mike Quarry, accepted the induction on behalf of his brother, who had died of pugilistic dementia in 2006. The younger Quarry reminisced about his deceased brother, his voice quivering as he said: “He had to work hard for everything.he never got anything easy.”
A video of each of the inductee’s accomplishments and lives were played before they made they spoke to the crowd. “I was happy to see that my cohorts were so nice to me,” Osthimer said. “Thanks gentlemen, you could have told them the true story.”