Tom Hamilton Memorial Award

Tom Hamilton (April 21, 1929 – March 13, 2004) was a long time member of the Pasadena High Schoolfamily.  A native of Pasadena, he played football under former PHS coach Arthur G. Dittbemer.  During his senior high school year, Tom Hamilton captained the varsity team and won a place on the all-league team.  Time passed.  He majored in business administration and minored in physical education at USC and in 1955 he came to Eliot Junior High as a business teacher.  Then as a loyal bulldog, Tom Hamilton returned in 1956 to his alma mater.

He taught in the PHS business department, meanwhile assistant coaching the football and baseball teams.  In 1960 he became the varsity football coach.  His CIF championships include ’63, ’64 and ’65.

Tom Hamilton had an outstanding reputation among his fellow coaches.  In 1966 his colleagues elected him to coach the Western All-Star team, which won the inaugural game of the East-West San Gabriel Valley Competition. Tom had one of the longest tenures of any coach in what was then known as the Foothill League.

As a member of the Pasadena High School family he was a student, a teacher, a football coach, an athletic director and a friend.  The boy’s gymnasium on the Pasadena High School campus is named in his honor – The Tom Hamilton Gymnasium.  It is with great respect that at the time of his passing, his many friends, colleagues and former students established this award in his honor. This memorial award is given annually to the top two-sport graduating senior.  The student must have a minimum 2.50 GPA and have lettered in two or more varsity sports.

Year	Awarded To
2004	Kimberly Johnson
2005	Robin Yifan Hu
2007	Kimberlee Roleder
2008	Kourtnie Schweitzer
2010	Meaghan Paschall
2012	Will Klein
2013	Daniela Garcia
2014	Edin Memisevic
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022	Mekhi Fox
2023	Gabriel Ambrose