On Friday afternoon, May 18th at 4:00 pm, my good friend, Sandy Johnston, invited me to the Inaugural Hall of Fame Plaque Ceremony at the Heritage Hall patio. My husband Jim and I were already on the USC campus for a different event. Trojan Candy couldn't pass up Sandy's invitation. So we drove home in Friday afternoon traffic and arrived home around 5:15 pm. We changed clothes, gathered my cameras and three Heritage Hall Medallions, ran out the door and drove back to USC. Unbelievably, Jim and I arrived back at USC at 6:00 pm! We weren't late!
Tables were set up in the Heritage Hall patio. Gourmet Mexican food was being served. Trojan Candy saw Sandy, and we sat at a table with her husband Rex and her.
Trojan Candy had no time to eat or to sit. I was looking around at all of the tables for the three Hall of Fame Heritage Hall Medallion recipients. When Heritage Hall was renovated in 2013-2014, Ron Orr had asked my sister Patti Poon, my brother-in-law Dudley Poon, my husband Jim and me to take on a project regarding the Heritage Hall Medallions. These medallions had been removed from the staircases of Heritage Hall, and we were to distribute them to the USC athletes who were honored. Trojan Candy was looking for the three 2018 Hall of Fame Inductees to whom we could give Heritage Hall Medallions. They were Barry Zito, Charlie Weaver and Wayne Black.
My husband Jim told me that he saw Barry Zito sitting at a nearby table. At first, Trojan Candy didn't think that it was he, but, as I walked closer to the man, I saw that it was Barry Zito! We walked to his table and introduced ourselves. Barry introduced us to his wife Amber. I took this picture of Amber with Barry holding his Heritage Hall Medallion. Barry told us that he and his family live in Nashville, Tennessee, so that he can pursue his second career...composing music. He writes country and jazz music and his 2017 album "No Secrets" is on the Billboard charts. Even more personally, Amber told us that Barry and she have been married for seven years and have two sons. Barry told us that one of his sons is interested in playing sports. Another future Trojan! Congratulations and FIGHT ON, Barry!
Trojan Candy saw a second 2018 Hall of Fame Inductee and Heritage Hall Medallion recipient sitting at a table across the plaza. Jim and I walked over to meet Charlie Weaver. We gave him his Heritage Hall Medallion, and he was just as happy as Barry Zito was to receive it. Charlie posed for my picture with his wife Delphia of two years and his brother Sylvester Weaver. Charlie told us that he is retired and lives in Fresno now. Charlie said that he is still in contact with his USC "Wild Bunch" football teammate, Al Cowlings. Al is already in the USC Hall of Fame and Charlie will be inducted tomorrow. I also took a solo picture of Charlie. Congratulations and FIGHT ON, Charlie!
Now, we had to find Wayne Black. Luckily, Trojan Candy saw him near the check-in table. He was standing there with his family. Jim and I walked over to him and introduced ourselves. As it turns out, we had the Heritage Hall Medallion that belongs to Wayne's brother Byron Black. Byron was inducted into the 2015 USC Hall of Fame and now it was his brother's turn. Wayne told us that he is visiting Byron in a month and will give him the medallion. In 2015, Trojan Candy had met Byron Black (5/16/2015) at the Hall of Fame Ceremony, but I didn't have his medallion to give to him. 
Now, Byron will get it. Wayne introduced us to his family. Naturally, when Lynn Swann came up to meet Wayne and his family, Trojan Candy took their picture.
Wayne told us that he and Irina, who was also a professional tennis player, own a small hotel that they run in the morning. Then, every afternoon they teach Joseph and Brooke how to play tennis. He also said that his family had played on the tennis courts at Marks Stadium a few mornings this week. Wayne emphatically told us that he wants both of his children to play tennis at USC! Another USC Family! Congratulations and FIGHT ON, Wayne!
With our job done, Trojan Candy walked back to our table. There was Rex with another baseball friend. I took a picture of Don Buford, Rex and Ron Fairly.
Almost everyone had finished eating, and I was just about to start, when Lynn Swann invited the new Hall of Fame Inductees to take turns and walk back to the Hall of Fame Plaque Wall near the Track Office to uncover his or her plaque. Trojan Candy was off again!
When I arrived at the Plaque wall, the Spirit of Troy was already there. Trojan Candy stood right next to my good friend and the official USC photographer, Pierson Clair. I took two pictures of each 2018 USC Hall of Fame Inductee. The first picture was of the unveiling of the plaque with Lynn Swann and then a picture with his/her family.
Then, I took this picture of Khaled (4/14/2011) and his wife Chrysa.
At the top of the ramp leading back to the Heritage Hall patio, I saw Chris Claiborne sitting with Keithan Gooden. Keithan told me that Chris is the Head Football Coach at Calabasas High School. Chris has two sons at Calabasas now. One is a ninth grader and the other is a twelfth grader. Maybe another Trojan Family! As I left, Chris told me this quote, "In order to receive, you have to give." Congratulations and FIGHT ON, Chris!
