NOTEBOOK : Jefferson Loses Famed Alumnus Strode

Jefferson High lost one of its most famous alumni when actor Woody Strode died in his sleep Dec. 31 at Foothill Presbyterian Hospital in Glendora.

Strode was 80. The cause of death was unknown, but he had been found to have lung cancer, according to family members.

The former UCLA football star, who also played for the Los Angeles Rams in the 1940s, grew up in Los Angeles near the Coliseum.

He became a football and track star while attending Jefferson in South-Central and earned a scholarship to UCLA, where he played with Jackie Robinson and his future Rams teammate, Kenny Washington.

Strode became an accomplished actor in several spectacular Hollywood movies (“Spartacus,” “The Ten Commandments,” “Demetrius and the Gladiators”), in which his athleticism and physique served him well. He was also noted for his character roles.

He made a second successful career as an actor in Europe. His last role in an American film came in “The Quick and the Dead,” starring Gene Hackman and Sharon Stone, which has not been released.

Strode is survived by his wife, Tina, a son, Kalai, and a daughter, Junelehua Argelander.

Funeral plans for the World War II Army Air Corps veteran called for burial with full military honors at Riverside Cemetery.

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Recruiting news--Eboni Wilson, Jefferson’s all-everything defensive tackle, is being highly recruited by some of the top Division 1 schools.

The 6-foot-3, 240-pound athlete, who can bench-press 410 pounds and squat 620 pounds, has taken trips to USC, Washington State and Kansas and plans on visiting Oregon and Hawaii before making a decision by the February signing period.

Wilson’s teammate, running back Issac Hatley, is being recruited by Central Michigan, San Diego State and the University of New Mexico.

Hatley has not made a commitment, but the multitalented athlete may be leaning toward San Diego State, according to his coach, Hank Johnson.

Dorsey’s versatile two-position player, Antwain Wilson, is being recruited by Hawaii, Colorado State and Iowa State.

Wilson, who plays running back and defensive back, will schedule trips to interested schools after he receives results from his Scholastic Aptitude Test exams.

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Where are they now?--Dorsey graduate Kenya Wilkins appears to be the difference at Oregon, which is off to its best start in 20 years at 9-1.

Wilkins, who made the Pac-10 Conference all-freshman team, has picked up right where he left off last season, despite playing at less than full strength because of a severe ankle injury he suffered several games ago.

The 5-foot-10 sophomore guard scored 16 points to lead Oregon to a 82-72 win over second-ranked UCLA Thursday in Eugene, Oregon.

Assistant basketball coach Bobby Braswell said Wilkins’ ratio of 52 assists to 18 turnovers is terrific, especially when linked with his 12 points a game average and steal total of 15.