GENE AUTRY (WIkipedia).
The creation of an Orange County Hall of Fame has been announced and the initial 10 selected by the Board of Supervisors.
Before I get into why it’s such a lame list, here’s the lineup: Kobe Bryant, Tiger Woods, Gwen Stefani, Greg Louganis, Amanda Beard, Bill Medley, Frank Jao, William Lyon and Henry Segerstrom and Walt Disney.
How could any such a list leave Gene Autry off, the man who made Anaheim and the OC “big league” with the Angels? There would be no Anaheim Ducks, no Angel Stadium or Honda Center if not for him.
In the entertainment field, neglected was the multi-talented Steve Martin, winner of five Grammy’s, two Tony’s, an Emmy and an honorary Academy Award.
Also ignored from the entertainment field are Jackson Browne and Diane Keaton, among others.
The most stunning omission was that of John Wayne, the film icon, who has become the subject of post-mortem criticism for some remarks he made about Native Americans (and others).
And who was the second American to orbit the Earth, following John Glenn? Scott Carpenter, who lived in Garden Grove.
The list could go on and on and perhaps some of those I mentioned will make the “second cut.”
But, as the saying goes, “sic transit gloria mundi,” meaning “thus passes the worldly glory.” That’s known more commonly known as “what have you done for me lately?”