Pomona High School
Class of 1965 Red Devils
Tom Eckl 50th Anniversary Memorial Award Ceremony
The Tom Eckl Memorial Award is given each year to the outstanding senior varsity basketball player who plans on furthering his education. But that’s not why it’s different. It was established in memory of Eckl, who played multiple sports, was the ultimate competitor and enjoyed winning as much as he did making his teammates laugh.
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Tom died in 1968 while serving in the Vietnam War. This year, on the 50th anniversary of his death, Eckl’s family, scattered near and far, made the trip to the ceremony on May 17, 2018.
A reporter and camera crew from The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin covered the ceremony and published an article and a video interview with Tom's siblings and Ivan Richmond on May 18.
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Kathleen Hamilton Laud delivered the presentation speech while Dan and Diana Butcher presented the $250 (also matched by PHS) scholarship award to Ivan Richmond on behalf of the PHS Class of 1965.
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Several PHS65 alums met for dinner following the ceremony.
2018 Tom Eckl Memorial Award and Scholarship Recipient Ivan Richmond
“What this award means to me is that I have something to show for my hard work and dedication that I put in for four years and all the commitment I put in for basketball and other sports that I have been playing since my freshman year.
And I really don’t know about Tom Eckl but I was hoping to learn more about him when I got presented this award today. I’d like to meet everyone who knew him just so they can tell me more about him so that I can truly appreciate the award that I received.”
Ivan is presented the Tom Eckl Memorial Award from his coach Eric Anderson and Scholarship check from Kanani Luckey, President of the PHS Basketball Boosters Club. Kathleen Hamilton Laub made the speech on behalf of the PHS Class of 1965.
Ivan with Tom's siblings (L to R: Larry Eckl, Christine Eckl Marincovich, Ken Eckl, and Robert Eckl), Kanani Luckey (President of the PHS Basketball Boosters Club), his coach Eric Andersen, and PHS65 Alum Dan Butcher.
L to R: Dave Miller, Coach Jack Rainbow, Kathleen Hamilton Laub, Terry Lawson, Dan Butcher, Ivan Richmond, Tam Edmunds Ranney, Dale Linn, Don Stevens, Liz Thompson Printy, Carole Kling O'Neill, Coach Eric Anderson