Jay Zuanich joins his buddies from the 1962 San Pedro Little League World Series as they are honored during the 2024 Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony on the Battleship USS Iowa in San Pedro on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. ..(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Coach Ernie Martinez speaks during the 2024 Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony on the Battleship USS Iowa in San Pedro on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. ..(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Basketball player Cardte Hicks speaks after being honored during the 2024 Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony on the Battleship USS Iowa on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. ..(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Baseball player Jason Brown joins his family after being honored during the 2024 Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony on the Battleship USS Iowa in San Pedro on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. ..(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Coach Ernie Martinez speaks during the 2024 Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony on the Battleship USS Iowa in San Pedro on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. ..(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Coach Ernie Martinez speaks during the 2024 Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony on the Battleship USS Iowa in San Pedro on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. ..(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Tim Ursich and Shawn Blakeman pose with the cap Ursich wore in the 1962 San Pedro Little League World Series, as their team is honored during the 2024 Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony on the Battleship USS Iowa in San Pedro on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. ..(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Jay Zuanich joins his buddies from the 1962 San Pedro Little League World Series as they are honored during the 2024 Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony on the Battleship USS Iowa in San Pedro on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. ..(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Tim Ursich holds the cap he wore in the 1962 San Pedro Little League World Series, as his team is honored during the 2024 Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony on the Battleship USS Iowa in San Pedro on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. ..(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Coach Gary Kimbrell is honored during the 2024 Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony on the Battleship USS Iowa in San Pedro on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. ..(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Los Angeles City Councilmember Tim McOsker and former council member Joe Buscaino attend the 2024 Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony on the Battleship USS Iowa in San Pedro on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. ..(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
San Pedro presents its 2024 Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony on the Battleship USS Iowa, honoring the men and women who have reached the pinnacle of success in sports and life on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. ..(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
San Pedro presents its 2024 Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony on the Battleship USS Iowa, honoring the men and women who have reached the pinnacle of success in sports and life on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. ..(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
San Pedro presents its 2024 Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony on the Battleship USS Iowa, honoring the men and women who have reached the pinnacle of success in sports and life on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. ..(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Petros Papadakis introduces coach Ernie Martinez during the 2024 Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony on the Battleship USS Iowa in San Pedro on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. ..(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Jay Zuanich holds an article about the 1962 San Pedro Little League World Series, as his team is honored during the 2024 Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony on the Battleship USS Iowa in San Pedro on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. ..(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Augie Castagnola performs the National Anthem during the 2024 Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony on the Battleship USS Iowa in San Pedro on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. ..(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
John and Petros Papadakis, right, and Gerald Peeke hang out as San Pedro presents its 2024 Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony on the Battleship USS Iowa, honoring the men and women who have reached the pinnacle of success in sports and life on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. ..(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Baseball player Jason Brown speaks after being honored during the 2024 Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony on the Battleship USS Iowa in San Pedro on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. ..(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Petros Papadakis introduces the inductees during the 2024 Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony on the Battleship USS Iowa in San Pedro on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. ..(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Coach Gary Kimbrell is surrounded by a few of his former players during the 2024 Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony on the Battleship USS Iowa in San Pedro on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. ..(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Los Angeles City Councilmember Tim McOsker attends the 2024 Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony on the Battleship USS Iowa in San Pedro, honoring the men and women who have reached the pinnacle of success in sports and life on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. ..(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Waterpolo player Peter Peyton speaks after being honored during the 2024 Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony on the Battleship USS Iowa on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. ..(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
San Pedro presents its 2024 Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony on the Battleship USS Iowa, honoring the men and women who have reached the pinnacle of success in sports and life on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. ..(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Los Angeles City Councilmember Tim McOsker attends the 2024 Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony on the Battleship USS Iowa in San Pedro, honoring the men and women who have reached the pinnacle of success in sports and life on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. ..(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Jerry Garcia poses with a photo from the 1962 San Pedro Little League World Series, as his team is honored during the 2024 Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony on the Battleship USS Iowa in San Pedro on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. ..(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Augie Castagnola performs the National Anthem during the 2024 Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony on the Battleship USS Iowa in San Pedro on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. ..(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Los Angeles City Councilmember Tim McOsker joins the honorees of the 2024 Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony on the Battleship USS Iowa in San Pedro on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. ..(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The Wilmington VFW Color Guard presents the colors during the 2024 Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony on the Battleship USS Iowa in San Pedro on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. ..(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Petros Papadakis introduces the inductees during the 2024 Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony on the Battleship USS Iowa in San Pedro on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. ..(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Baseball player Jason Brown speaks after being honored during the 2024 Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony on the Battleship USS Iowa in San Pedro on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. ..(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Petros Papadakis introduces coach Ernie Martinez during the 2024 Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony on the Battleship USS Iowa in San Pedro on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. ..(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
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Jay Zuanich joins his buddies from the 1962 San Pedro Little League World Series as they are honored during the 2024 Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony on the Battleship USS Iowa in San Pedro on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. ..(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Crowds gathered on the Battleship USS Iowa on Monday, Oct. 14, to celebrate the honorees during the Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame ceremony — continuing a tradition that began in 1978.
The popular gathering, which began as the San Pedro Sportswalk of Fame, honors sports teams and figures at all levels in the port town’s downtown. Plaques for all those honored each year have been embedded in the sidewalks around San Pedro’s shopping and dining district.
More than 150 honorees have been inducted into the Sportswalk since it began.
There were a few breaks in the action when the event wasn’t held — from 1998 to 2004, and again from 2020 to 2022 because of the pandemic. But since returning most recently in 2023, the sports-loving hometown celebration has quickly regained its popularity.
On Monday, a lunch was served amid the speeches and accolades on the deck of the Iowa battleship docked along San Pedro’s waterfront.
This year’s honorees were:
Peter Peyton: Water polo/swimming (Fermin Lasuen/Mira Costa/UCLA).
Gary Kimbrell: (Trani Award).
Jason Brown: Baseball (Peninsula High School/USC/LA Dodgers/Tampa Bay Rays/Florida Marlins, Pittsburg Pirates/Montreal Expos/New York Yankees).
1962 San Pedro Southern League Little League World Series Team.
Cardie Hicks: Basketball (San Pedro High School/Cal State Long Beach/Cal State Northridge/Women’s Professional Basketball League).
Ernie Martinez: (Lifetime Achievement Award).
Kimbrell and Martinez are local high school coaches who led many young men to later become college and professional players.
The mission of the Sportswalk is to honor the men and women “who have reached the pinnacle of success in sports and life,” organizers said.
The plaques will continue to be placed, expanding out to the waterfront district that is undergoing redevelopment.
San Pedro’s answer to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Sportswalk features plaques that list the name of each honoree and a symbol representing the sport for which that person is known.
