It’s that time of year again when Aaron Pai announces the newest inductees to the surfing Hall of Fame, fashioned after the Grauman’s Chinese Hall of Fame in Hollywood. Surfers’ Hall of Fame 2009 will pay tribute to 3 generations of surfers with the induction of Jeff Hakman, Bruce Brown and Pat O’Connell. This year’s big three include a Pipeline Masters champion and Quiksilver USA co-founder, Jeff Hakman. Co-star of Endless Summer II and former World Tour champ Pat O’Connell; and documentary film director and early pioneer of surf films Bruce Brown were chosen to have their hand and footprints, plus their signatures put into the red clay tiles in front of the big Duke statue at the HSS store on PCH & Main.
The 12th annual Surfers’ Hall of Fame ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 24 in front of Huntington Surf & Sport (corner of PCH and Main).
Super-stoked is how Aaron Pai feels. He’s the owner of Huntington Surf & Sport. He surfs, his kids are award-winning surfers, and he supports many surf teams through sponsorship. Aaron represents the heart and sould of surfing as much as any dude. He looks for major influence on the Sport of Surfing when selecting honorees.
An estimated million plus people walk past the Surfers’ Hall of Fame in downtown Surf City, HB. Legends commemorated include: Robert August, Greg Noll, Jericho Poppler, Kelly Slater, Lisa Andersen, Laird Hamilton, Mike Doyle, Jack O’Neill, Shaun Tomson, Rob Machado and many more. Founded in 1997, Surfers’ Hall of Fame celebrated its first induction inside of specialty retailer Huntington Surf & Sport where several slabs remain. Four years later a bronze statue of Duke Kahanamoku served as the backdrop for a ceremony outdoors overlooking Huntington Beach Pier, site of the U.S. Open of Surfing. Surfers’ Hall of Fame is a permanent public showcase for the achievements of those who have shaped and revolutionized the sport.
March 17th, 2009 at 11:55 am Hey, you forgot to mention the achievements of the inductees. Jeff “Mr. Sunset” Hakman was born in 1948 in the South Bay (Southern California). At the age of 11 Hakman established himself at North Shore Hawaii and by the age of 17 was pitted against 23 world class surfers. He won Duke Kahanamoku Classic at Sunset Beach. For 6 years he won the most major surfing titles of anyone in the world. His mastery of and fearless approach to Sunset Beach (Hawiia) won him the Mr. Sunset name.
March 17th, 2009 at 11:58 am Pat O’Connell was Chicago native, landlocked in the Midwest for 12 years of his early life. Born in 71, his family finally moved to Newport Beach, he quickly became a top flight surfer, and was recruited for the part in Endless Summer II, Bruce Brown’s remake of the classic surf film. Pat gained celebrity status across the globe, and participated in World Championship Tour. He launched his own clothing line, then joined Hurley in the international marketing department.
March 17th, 2009 at 12:02 pm Who hasn’t heard of Bruce Brown? He is the Endless Summer personified. In 1964, the filmmaker followed a couple surfers around the world in search of a perfect wave. What a gig! With only $50,000 budgeted for the film he successfully captued the essence of surfing. As a surfer himself, his passion led to the creation of many surf genre films. Titles such as Slippery When Wet, Surf Crazy and Waterlogged all pre-dated Endless Summer. He renewed the spirt in a remake film, Endless Summer II. A camera from the film can be seen at the Huntington Beach Surfing Museum.