[BHS etree] SPORTS: BHS Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee Bios

[bhs at idiom.com]

contact: MK Murlas  510-866-9050  murlas at sbcglobal.net

The Berkeley Athletic Fund and the BHS Athletic 
Department are very excited to share the 
biographies of the Inaugural Hall of Fame 
Inductees.  The Hall of Fame Celebration is 
Saturday, June 2nd from 3 - 6:30 in Donahue Gym. 
It includes an induction ceremony, 
walk-around-tasting and silent auction.  More 
details at www.BerkeleyAthleticFund.org.

Here are 5 of our inductees- Chidi Ahanotu, John 
Allen, Don Barksdale, Phillip Chenier, Peter 
Domoto

Chidi Ahanotu - 1988, Football
Chidi Ahnanotu came from a family of academics 
and had medical school in his sights once his 
college football career ended.  However, it 
didn’t end, and he was drafted into professional 
football.  Chidi attended Jefferson and Franklin 
Elementary schools, Martin Luther King, Jr. 
Middle School and Berkeley High.  He was not 
heavily recruited by the colleges and decided to 
go to Cal.  He had a very distinguished football 
career at Cal and as a senior was selected to 
play in the Japan Bowl.  Chidi was drafted by the 
Tampa Bay Buccaneers where he played eight 
seasons.  Subsequently he played for the St. 
Louis Rams, the Buffalo Bills and the San 
Francisco 49ers.  He had a great reputation in 
the NFL as a solid, consistent player.

John Allen - 1936, Football
John Allen was one of the most extraordinary 
athletes to ever attend Berkeley High School 
where he lettered in four sports.  He attended 
San Jose State College, breaking the “color 
barrier” in baseball, football, and basketball. 
In 1947 he joined the Oakland Larks, a Negro 
Baseball League team, but after two years, it 
folded for lack of funds.  John then began his 
long career with the U.S. Postal Service.  John 
Allen would have been the perfect choice to break 
the color barrier in major league baseball 
because of his demeanor, great skills, and 
competitiveness.  He passed away in 1996.

Don Barksdale - 1940, Basketball
Don Barksdale played track and football at 
Berkeley High, but didn’t make the basketball 
team because the team “already had one black 
player”.  He ended up at UCLA where he was named 
the first black All-American in basketball.  In 
1948, he was the only black player on the U.S. 
Olympic basketball team, which won the gold 
medal.  Only the third black player in the NBA, 
Don played professionally for the Baltimore 
Bullets and the Boston Celtics.  After retiring 
from professional sports, Don worked as a disc 
jockey for KDIA radio.  He passed away in 1993, 
leaving a legacy of courage, strength, and 
dedication.

Phillip Chenier - 1968, Basketball
Phil Chenier was a basketball sensation, making 
the Berkeley High varsity team as a sophomore. 
He also played baseball, but set his sights on 
becoming a professional basketball player. 
Heavily recruited out of high school, Phil 
decided to attend UC Berkeley.  He played for Cal 
for two years, but then joined the NBA to play 
for the Baltimore Bullets.  He had a long and 
illustrious career with the Bullets, playing on 
three NBA All-Star teams.  Since retiring, he has 
been Director of Student Activities for Howard 
Community College and is the “Color Analyst” on 
television for the Bullets basketball games.

Peter Domoto - 1956, Football, basketball, baseball
While at Berkeley High, Pete Domoto was active in 
student government and athletics, particularly 
football and baseball.  While a student at UC 
Berkeley, he was voted the football team’s most 
valuable lineman in 1958 and was a starter in the 
1959 Rose Bowl Team.  He attended the UC School 
of Dentistry in San Francisco where he was 
recognized as the outstanding graduating dental 
student.  He has been a full-time faculty member 
and chairman of the Department of Pediatric 
Dentistry at the University of Washington since 
1973.  Dr. Domoto is an internationally known 
teacher and scholar in Pediatric Dentistry.