The three most recent nominees to the Point Loma High School Hall of Fame – Scott Hopkins, Richard Arnold, and A. Lee Brown – were inducted on May 18 during a joint meeting of the OB Historical Society and The Pointer Association at Water’s Edge Community Church in OB.

In introducing the three honorees, PLHS alumni director Kim (Melhorn) Jessop Moore presented a brief history of the school. “Two more years and we’re going to be 100 years old,” she said noting there were only eight students in the first graduating class in 1926. “About 40 years later in 1964, we had our largest class – 781 students – ever,” she said adding, “Things have tapered off and our graduating classes now average around 400 students every year. Our alumni database includes over 40,000 records. That’s a lot of friends who have had the potential to do a lot of incredible things in this world.”

Jessop Moore pointed out that a new HOF nomination period for future consideration of nominees just opened on May 20. The deadline to submit nomination forms for the Class of 2024 at plhsalumi.org is June 20. The deadline for statements of support in favor of those HOF nominees is July 30.

“Our nomination team doesn’t nominate from within,” said Jessop Moore. “We have to have a nomination form sent to us. So, if you think you know somebody who should be nominated, please nominate them or find someone who will nominate them.”

Noting PLHS HOF members are all deserving and typically “modest” about their accomplishments, Jessop Moore nonetheless pointed out that hall of famers “are amazing people who’ve done amazing things, and those achievements should be recognized.”

First up was Scott Hopkins, Peninsula Beacon freelance writer, who was introduced by his friend John Freeman. “I’ve known Scott since he was the sports editor at PLHS and I was a fledgling sports writer; that probably was my career highlight,” quipped Freeman adding, “Scott, a retired teacher and a longtime contributor to the Beacon, pays homage to PLHS athletics every time he writes a story.” Hopkins was presented with HOF keepsakes, a pendant, and a ceremonial hat, which he wore while being photographed.

Jessop Moore told a couple of anecdotes about HOF designee Richard Arnold who was nominated as an artist/veteran/friend and sculptor. “He (Arnold) went out for football and on the first day he got the view of the ocean from the football field – and that was the end of his football career,” Jessop Moore said adding the sculptor “came to me and asked if he could do the Pointer statue on campus, which embodies the school’s sense of pride and purpose.”

Richard said he and lifelong friend A. Lee Brown unknowingly co-nominated one another to the HOF. “Talk about being close like brothers,” he concluded.

Jessop Moore said it was apropos that the two men nominated each other as they are both being included for the first time in a special category honoring alumni friendship. Also, she pointed out that one of Brown’s pet dogs was the model for Arnold’s Pointer sculpture which now graces PLHS’s campus.

Brown was nominated in multiple categories including academic, author, friendship, teacher, professor, scientist, scholar, lifeguard, and surfer.

“I’m very grateful to both these organizations, the Point Loma Alumni Association and OB Historical Society,” said Brown, who later spoke about his new book “Cradle Of Bitchin: A Story of Mentors, Waterman & the Sea” (2022), a first-person ode to his 1950s youth growing up in Ocean Beach.

NEW PLHS HALL OF FAMERS

Scott Hopkins, Peninsula Beacon writer, and retired teacher.

Richard Arnold, artist, veteran, and sculptor.

A. Lee Brown, author, professor, scientist, lifeguard, and surfer.

Formal induction will occur at the PLHS 100th Anniversary Gala in 2025.

For more information, visit plhsalumni.org.