On Monday evening I was fortunate to attend the 64th Annual Salute to the Champions presented by the Robert & Lillie Breitbard Foundation. The event is held annually by the Hall of Champions and the San Diego Sports Commission, which serves as the cornerstone for all sports and sports-related activities within San Diego. If you have ever attended in San Diego the USA Rugby Sevens, World Baseball Classic, NCAA Basketball Tourney, Super Bowl, etc, you have the SDSC to thank.

The star-studded event at the Town and Country Resort Hotel included presentation of awards to San Diego’s greatest athletes. The event included the induction of 5 new members to the Breitbard Hall of Fame at the San Diego hall of Champions:

• Bob Larsen

• David Grayson

• JJ Fetter

• Greg Louganis

• David Wells

Legendary running coach Bob Larsen, NFL Linebacker David Grayson and Olympic Sailing Gold Medalist JJ Fetter all made impassioned and gracious speeches. David Wells was his typical jolly and entertaining self as he shared stories about growing up in Ocean Beach with a mom that dated a Hell’s Angel member, and professional baseball even going as far as recognizing New York Yankee Owner George Steinbrenner as a “Great man, who is willing to spend whatever it takes to win….maybe something the Padres should consider doing.” (to much laughter and applause from the audience).

However, the moment most will remember was the emotional speech from Greg Louganis. Louganis shared his desire to shed the many labels he has: 4-Time Olympic Gold Medalist, Gay Man, HIV Positive, etc. Louganis, who was elected over a decade ago but only chose to accept the induction now “in memory of his mom” (he has previously stated that he doesn’t pay much attention to his selection for accolades), took the opportunity to tell those in attendance his story of persecution, and the need for equal rights in society. Louganis grew up in El Cajon, an area of San Diego that most in attendance knew was not an ideal location in the 60’s and 70’s to be “different”. As he learned of his own homosexuality, he was constantly tormented, beat up and ridiculed by those around him. In 1996, Louganis effectively came out to the public as an HIV-positive gay man in his best selling book Breaking the Surface. The crescendo for the evening was when a tearful Louganis shared a quote that was posted on his Facebook page on Sunday evening from a man who was hours away from committing suicide in 1996, until he received a signed book on the same day. The man credited Louganis for giving him the will to live, and to admit his homosexuality to others. Throughout the speech, Louganis reminded the audience “this is why I am here.”

Other local athletes recognized included...

Professional Stars of the Year

• Philip Rivers

• Antonio Gates

• Shaun Phillips

• Phil Mickelson

•Meb Keflezighi

• Charde Houston

• Adrian Gonzalez

• Luke Walton

• Jimmie Johnson

Amateur Stars of the Year

• Rita Hanscom

• Kelly Rulon

• Paris Johnson

• Stephen Strasburg

• Ali Troost

• James Meador

• Sam Cyr

Lifetime Achievement Award

• Dorothy “Dodo” Cheney

Community Champion

• John Shacklett

Challenged Athlete

• Oscar Sanchez

Significant International Achievement

• Park View Little League

Ernest H Wright Sr. Humanitarian Award

• Phil & Amy Mickelson

Read more at SDNN.com