by Kevin Cody
Three bronze commemorative plaques are missing from the Hermosa Beach Pier Surfer Walk of Fame. Two were damaged and have been removed by the City Public Works Department, Public Works Director Joseph San Clemente said in an email from Hermosa public information officer Ryan Walker.
The missing plaques commemorates Bob Hogan, a founder of the Catalina Classic Paddleboard Race, inducted in 2009; and 2014 Pioneer inductees Becher Anderson, Bob Bergstrom, Stu Linder, Richard “Mo” Meine, Warren Miller, and Fenton “Fent” Scholes.
The two damaged plaques commemorate Spyder Surf founder Dennis Jarvis, a 2015 inductee; and Lifeguard John “Merc” McFarlane, a 2014 inductee.
The 20th Anniversary Surfer Walk of Fame inductions will be held Saturday, April 27. Former pro surfer Davie Nuuhiwa, former pro surfer and surf filmmaker Greg Browning, and action sport photographer Mike Balzer are the 2024 inductees. The Surfer Walk of Fame plaques are likely to be the last.
Parks and Rec Commissioner Jani Lange said the city hopes to replace all of the pier Surfer Walk of Fame plaques with new plaques on a Surfer Wall of Fame at the entrance to the pier.
The plaque on the Greg Noll dedication bench in front of the Dewey Weber statue, at the Community Center, was also taken. But it has been recovered, and is scheduled to be reinstalled, according to the city email.
Additionally, a Greenbelt plaque, south of Gould Avenue, was reported missing on January 6.
In recent months cities throughout Los Angeles County have reported missing bronze plaques and statues, as well as copper wire.
In Manhattan Beach, the Bruce’s Beach Park dedication plaque, which is approximately 3-feet by 3-feet, and weighs approximately 500 pounds, was reported missing on Jan. 29.
In Redondo Beach, six brass plaques were reported missing from the Veteran’s Park Memorial on January 6. A seventh plaque was reported missing from in front of the historic banyan tree next to the Veterans Park Library.
In Hawthorne, across the street from Northrop Grumman, another brass plaque honoring veterans was stolen from the base of the Veterans Memorial flag pole.
Bronze is 90 percent copper, and valued at approximately $2.50 a pound.
“Most likely they are taking the brass and selling it at metal shops,” said Redondo Beach Police Lieutenant Mike Martinez.
ER
FYI last Fall a brass plaque honoring Vietnam Veterans was stolen from a Memorial flag pole located in Hawthorne California at the site where the MOVING WALL (half sized replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in DC) was displayed often. Just across the street from the old TRW building (Redondo Beach).
The flagpole was moved as part of a Southern California Edison project and shortly after the brass plaque from the ‘90’s was stolen. To their credit, Edison has replaced the plaque with a stone replica.
We are also aware that the City of Hawthorne has suffered other losses of plaques as well as the Redondo Beach Veterans Memorial. The Chairman Col Tom Lasser (ret.) has more information and I can provide his contact information. I am sure you heard about the Bruce’s Beach plaque also recently stolen.
