HALL OF FAME
Athletes, Coaches and Community Heroes
LaVerne Corbin
LaVerne Corbin
PHS Class of 1925
The state player of the year for basketball as a senior at Piedmont, Corbin went on to become Cal's first star in the sport. He played on the Golden Bears' 1927 and '29 Pacific Coast Conference championship teams, led the league in scoring as a junior and senior, and became Cal's first basketball AII-America player. The Bears were 39-13 his three seasons, including 13-0 in 1927.
Jack Dana
Jack Dana
PHS Class of 1939
Dana was a standout basketball and football player at Piedmont High, who went on to play collegiately for Stanford University. He was a reserve on Stanford's 1942 national championship team, but in the championship game, starting forward Jim Pollard had the flu and was unable to play. Dana started in Pollard's place, played all 40 minutes, and scored 14 points, one point behind high scorer Howie Dallmar.
Robert Kurkjian
Robert Kurkjian
PHS Class of 1941
As a member of both the football & basketball teams while at Piedmont High School, Robert Kurkjian won the Optimo (MVP) for both sports. He was also President of his junior class. As a member of the 1941 ACAL football championship team that was ranked #1 in the country, he was named to the All-League and All-County teams, as well as the All-County basketball team. The Piedmont High School football program annually awards the Kurkjian Award, which is named in honor of Robert. He was killed in 1945 while serving our country in Okinawa Japan. Robert received both the Bronze Star and Silver Star for gallantry in action.
More photos:
Piedmont Football’s Kurkjian Award (click photos to expand).
The Kurkjian family provided this photo of Robert while stationed in Hawaii in 1944.
Leo McCaffrey
Leo McCaffrey
PHS Class of 1939
Leo was a student body president and star basketball player for the Highlanders. He was the Optimo Award winner for Piedmont’s 1937 ACAL Basketball Championship team. Leo later played on the 1942 Stanford team that won the NCAA Championship.
In 1942 Leo enlisted in the Marine Corps and was with the Marines in the pacific from 1944 to 1946 and took part in several campaigns, including Saipan and Okinawa, and then spent tour months in Japan.
Links:
Chicago Tribune - Stanford’s magical title run of 1942
Leo’s Obituary - San Francisco Chronicle 2005
Jim Peters
Jim Peters
PHS Class of 1966
Jim Peters was a successful member of the Piedmont High School football and track teams. He was named to the All-League, All-East Bay and All-Northern California teams as a linebacker in 1965. That particular team was undefeated in the FAL. On the track team, he participated in the shot put and discus events where he currently holds the Piedmont High School record for discus at 189 feet. He was ranked number one in the state of California for his discus throwing success during his senior year. He also won the State Championship meet that year. During his college career, he participated in the track & field team at UCLA.
Jim Peters passed away on December 20, 2022. Read his obituary here.
Nancy Romweber
Nancy Romweber
Class of 1989
Unquestionably one of the finest athletes, male or female, in the history of Piedmont High School. She competed in volleyball, soccer, softball, swimming and track. Varsity soccer and softball as a Freshman; MVP and All-League swimmer as a Sophomore; All-League volleyball and softball as a junior; All-League volleyball as senior. Varsity Track as a senior, she set records in the triple jump; 400 meters; 100 hurdles; went to State meet in 300 hurdles and long jump; still holds school records for long jump, 200 meter hurdles, 300 hurdles.
George Williamson
George Williamson
PHS Class of 1967
George Williamson graduated from Piedmont High School in 1967. A gifted two-sport athlete, he excelled as a sprinter in Track and earned the nickname “Mr. Touchdown” in Football. He was also a standout student and leader throughout his three years at PHS.
Track
George earned three Block Ps in Track and was a major contributor to the Varsity team all three years. He was part of an exceptionally fast group of sprinters in 1966, when it was not unusual for Piedmont to sweep the 100-yard dash and nearly as common to sweep the 200-yard dash. George led off the PHS 440-yard relay team, and Piedmont routinely took the lead after his first leg, setting up the relay victory. His speed added many points to the team’s total and helped win many dual meets. His best time in the 100-yard dash was 10.1 seconds.
Football
George was a one-year starter on the 1964 JV team and a two-year starter on Varsity, and he is regarded as one of the best backs Piedmont High School ever had. He put up strong numbers immediately as a junior. The 1965 season was one to remember: the Varsity team went undefeated and won the Foothill Athletic League (FAL) pennant, with George playing both ways as an Offensive Back and a Defensive Back. He wore number 33 as a junior and switched to number 44 as a senior.
His statistics tell the story. In his senior year, Coach Muenter wanted to spare him unnecessary physical punishment, and George played only one fourth quarter all season. There is no telling how much more he might have achieved had he played every game in full. At the end of the 1966 season, Coach Muenter retired George’s jersey, number 44, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Piedmont Football.
1965 Season
All-FAL First Team
Member of the FAL Champion Football Team
1966 Season
Team Co-Captain
Team Optimo Award
All-FAL First Team, Offense ('66 and '67)
East Bay Prep of the Week ('67) for scoring 5 touchdowns
All-East Bay ('67)
All-Metropolitan ('67)
FAL Top Scoring Leader (1967) - 27 Total Touchdowns
O’Hara Trophy
Doggie Dinner Sportsman Trophy
Jersey #44 retired
** Rushing included 26 touchdowns, the most by anyone in the State that season. George also threw one touchdown pass on a halfback option.
Scholastic Achievements and Leadership
George was exceptional in the classroom and as a leader. He finished Piedmont High School with an overall grade point average of 3.89 and was offered an athletic scholarship to Stanford, but chose an academic scholarship to Harvard instead.
He was also very active in student government and extracurricular activities:
Sophomore year: Spring Class Officer
1966: Fall House of Representatives
California Scholarship Federation (Fall)
1967: Fall Senate
Spring: Alpha Clan President, chosen for scholastic work as well as school activities
Voted “Most Athletic” by his peers
Class President (more than once)
George was known for his great campaign speeches at school-wide auditorium gatherings.
After Piedmont
George graduated from Harvard College on a scholastic scholarship and went on to earn an MBA from Harvard Business School. He enjoyed a successful career in business. He passed away in 2010 after a long battle with cancer.
