NORTH BEND — The eighth-annual North Bend High School Hall of Fame ceremony on Friday featured alumni from as far back as 1949 and as recent as 1997.

Inductees are nominated by members of the community and voted on by a nine-person committee.

To be elected, a nominee must have a two-thirds majority and there are only five new members each year.

“The school is 100 years old,” Hall of Fame committee member Nancy Resheske said. “So we have so many deserving people that could be given this honor in the future.”

The Hall of Fame honors those Bulldog athletes who, according to Master of Ceremonies Rick Stevens, “bring recognition to North Bend High School through their accomplishments on the field and/or court, motivate other younger generations to follow their example and bring pride to their school and community.”

The honorees this year included Dan Gebhardt, class of 1962, who was returning for to the school for the first time in 45 years.

“I was surprised and delighted by the honor,” Gebhardt said shortly before the induction ceremony. “I recognize a lot of the names and faces on the wall in the lobby and it’s a real honor to now be among them.”

Gebhardt was an outstanding athlete and leader during his years at the school, lettering in football, basketball and track.

In his senior year he was named the outstanding player on the Bulldog basketball team, receiving the Dean Crowell Memorial Award.

Where he really shined was in track and field where he was a standout distance runner, twice winning the county championship in the mile run.

After graduating, he went on to compete as a distance runner at the University of Portland for four years.

He served as class president both his freshman and sophomore years in school, student body vice president his junior year and student body president his senior year.

After receiving his degree in 1966 from UOP, he attended the University of Oregon, receiving his Doctrine in Medicine in 1970.

He practiced medicine in White Sulphur Springs, Mt. for 40 years, retiring in 2006.

In his acceptance speech, Gebhardt paid homage to the teachers, coaches and school administrators who guided him through his years at North Bend.

“It’s because of their lessons and guidance, along with the support of my family that I got to this point,” Gebhardt said.

John Ripper, a classmate of Gebhardt in the class of 1962 also was inducted.

“Oh, this is very much an honor and quite a surprise,” Ripper said. “I have to admit that I didn’t even know the school had a Hall of Fame. But I’m glad they do and I’m excited to be part of it.”

 Ripper, an outstanding three-sport athlete lettered in football, wrestling and track.

In football he was a halfback on the district Co-championship team and received all-district and all-state honors and was selected to play in the Shrine All-star game.

He was also recognized as the Associated Press Player of the Week and received honorable mention as a high school All-American.

Like Gebhardt, Ripper also excelled in track where he was an outstanding 440-yard runner, capturing both the county and district titles in 1960 and 1962 and placing third in state in 1960 and second in state in 1962. He also received the Bryant Cup for outstanding male athlete in 1962. Ripper attended the University of Oregon on a football scholarship, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1966 and a Masters degree in Fine Arts in 1972.

He served in Military Intelligence during the Vietnam War before going into film production.

Tom Graham, from the class of 1949, played varsity basketball for three years and lettered in football and track his junior and senior year.

Born, raised and still living in North Bend, Graham always attended the Hall of Fame inductions in the past, but never dreamed he’d be accorded this honor.

“Oh sure, I used to look at the wall out there and think it’d be great to be included,” Graham said. “

In his senior year, Graham took home the Bryant Cup for all-around athletes. He also played American Legion baseball for three years.

After graduating from North Bend, he attended OSU before going to work for Weyerhaeuser Timber Co.

He was also involved in community politics serving 16 years on the North Bend City Council, including being council president for eight of those years.

For Graham, North Bend High School was also where he met his sweetheart and wife for all these years, Wanda Boynton.

“So, as you can see. I’m North Bend forever,” Graham said with a smile.

Ron Guenther, Class of 1955, was born in North Bend and was one of the Bulldogs’ all time great tennis players.

“I guess I was pretty good back in those days, but if I played today, I don’t think I’d even make the girls’ team,” Guenther joked.

During his senior year, the boy’s tennis team led by Guenther and his brother, Bob, beat Roseburg High School to end the Indians’ record-breaking winning streak.

The Bulldog boy’s tennis team also beat the freshman OSU tennis team.

After graduation Guenther went on to attend OSU, completing his BA in mathematics in 1959, while playing on the OSU tennis team for four years and receiving recognition for high academic and athletic achievement.

Guenther’s graduate studies began at the University of Hamburg in Germany.

He has traveled all over the world teaching and doing research becoming a key member of the team that developed the CAT Scan.

Guenther said that when he graduated from St. Monica’s School he was told that North Bend excelled in both academics and athletics.

“They were right,” Guenther said in his speech. “And it still holds true today.”

The youngster in the group of inductees, Pam Fields, graduated from North Bend High School in 1997.

“I didn’t even know there was a Hall of Fame and when I was told I was being inducted, I thought I hadn’t been out of North Bend long enough to be given such an honor,” Fields said. “But it’s nice and I’m thankful to the committee for electing me.”

Besides serving as senior class president, Fields excelled in athletics, which earned her a college scholarship at the University of Oregon.

While at the U of O, Fields competed in cross-country and was a member of the track team participating in the 3000m, 1500m and the high jump.

Fields holds the school records at NBHS in both the 3000m and the high jump.

Her name still remains on several all-time top ten lists in other track and field events. In 1996 Pam placed second in the state track championships in the high jump and in 1995 and 1997 placed third in the 1,500m and 3,000-meter races.

Fields was also a four-time Midwestern League district champion in cross-country, and won the 1996 state championship.

Fields ran in several Prefontaine 10K runs and was an age group winner in that event, besides being a starter on NBHS girls basketball team in 1996 and 1997.

Both of those teams qualified for the state tournament, placing fourth at state in 1996.

Since her graduation from college, she has been a personal trainer, teacher and coach. She is currently the cross-country coach and assistant basketball and track coach at Bend High School.

“The lessons I learned at North Bend were ones that I wasn’t aware of until I became a coach myself,” Fields, who is married with a six-month-old daughter Reese, told the audience. “It’s now obvious to me that almost all of those lessons applied to life and I’ve never hesitated to pass those lessons onto my own athletes.”

After the reception and induction ceremony, the new Hall of Famers were feted during the festivities of the homecoming game.

“We always try to make the Hall of Fame events part of homecoming,” Resheske said. “A lot of people travel from out of town and we like to give them a big weekend to enjoy their North Bend traditions.’