In light of last week's stadium dedication to Corona High School Class of 1925 graduate, Jess Hill, please see his bio below that was read prior to kick off. Thank you once again to the Corona History Association (
https://www.facebook.com/Corona-History-Association-231716633533296/) for their support in this endeavor. We thank the Jess Hill family for making the effort to join us from three different states (Oregon, Massachusetts, and Maryland) for this event.
"Fans if I could please direct your attention to the 50 yard line for a special presentation…
Tonight we would like to recognize Corona Alumnus Jess Hill from the class of 1925. While at Corona HS Jess earned 10 varsity letters in football, basketball, baseball, track and tennis. He was a member of CSF for 4 years, was ASB vice-president, senior class president and was class Salutatorian. After high school Jess attended Riverside Community College and later the University of Southern California. While at USC Jess played baseball, ran track and played football where he won a Rose Bowl. Jess was also the first person from Corona to play Major League baseball playing on the Yankees, Senators and Athletics.
Jess would later teach at and Coach and Corona HS before fighting in WW II in the Navy. When he returned home he went back to USC as the Track coach where his teams went undefeated winning 2 National Championships. Jess would later become the head football coach at USC going 45-17-1 and winning the 1953 Rose Bowl against Wisconsin. He became the first person at USC to win a Rose Bowl as both a player and a coach. Jess then became the Athletic Director at USC where over a 14 year span his teams won 45 Conference Titles and 29 NCAA Championships. After his years at USC Jess became the first commissioner of the PAC 12, was a member of the NCAA executive committee and was on the United States Track and Field Board of Directors.
Jess was also a Champion of civil rights during his time. As the head football coach at USC he took his team to play the Texas Longhorns. The hotel would not allow his black players to stay. Jess told his team to get back on the bus and head home refusing to play if they did not allow all his players to stay in the team hotel. Management gave in allowing them to stay and the next night for only the second time in history, black players took the field against white players in a college football game in Texas. USC won the game!
Representing Jess Hill tonight is his son Jess Hill Jr and his wife Barbara. Grandson Bob Carter. Granddaughter Jennie Hill and her 3 sons Nicolas, Jonathan and Samuel. Grandson Doug Hill and his fiancée Rachel. Let’s please give them a round of applause. The Corona Norco Unified School District Board of Education, along with the Corona High School Administration and the Corona History Association would like to immortalize the immense contributions Jess Hill has bestowed on the city of Corona. In Honor of this remarkable man “Panther Stadium” will forever be known as Jess Hill Stadium!
Panther Nation, for the first time in the history of Corona High School I would like to make this announcement, 'Welcome to the campus of Corona High School and Jess Hill Stadium.'"
