Jarrin’ John Kirby, an iconic Santa Cruz Excessive soccer participant within the late Fifties, died in his sleep Saturday at his dwelling in Discovery Bay. He was 81.
Kirby battled a number of illnesses lately, together with diabetes and leukemia. His spouse, Pat, stated he died of liver failure. By way of all of it, Kirby by no means complained, stated two former teammates who stored involved with him whereas he was within the hospital.
On the soccer area, the 6-foot-1, 205-pound star working again was constructed for administering a beating. He additionally performed protection and served as punter.
“John was a troublesome participant, one of many hardest I’d seen in a protracted, very long time,” legendary Cardinals coach Larry Siemering instructed the Sentinel in ’06. “He was a really sensible participant, too.”
Kirby was a three-sport athlete for the Cardinals, shining at soccer, basketball and baseball.
He performed soccer within the last period of flimsy, leather-based shoulder pads and peanut shell-looking helmets (with out face masks). His senior season in ’58, Kirby helped the Cardinals go 9-0 total, 6-0 within the Coast Counties Athletic League to earn the No. 1 rating in Northern California. He rushed for 641 yards on 108 carries that yr, and scored 20 touchdowns, together with 4 receiving. He garnered all-Coast, all-NorCal, and fifth-team Wigwam Wisemen of America All-American honors that yr.
Cardinals teammate John Giraudo, an offensive lineman, remembers a sport in opposition to Watsonville in ’58. The Cardinals obtained off to a gradual begin and confronted fourth-and-3 from their very own 20-yard line. Quarterback Ken Caldwell, blessed with two stellar backs in Ken Negro and Kirby, determined handy off to Kirby as an alternative of punting and Kirby barreled his option to the primary down.
“He ran proper over Wally Hicks and I,” Giraudo stated. “I keep in mind considering, ‘We don’t need to ever punt once more, not even on our personal 20.’ John was dependable. Ken (Negro) was shifty and flashy, and John ran over folks. We might’ve been in bother with out him. John by no means made errors.”
In a sport in opposition to Berkeley, Giraudo and teammate Angelo Ross chuckled in amazement once they recalled Kirby ripping the ball out of the opponent’s arms on a kickoff return.
“He was very robust,” Ross stated.
In his last prep sport, he competed within the now defunct North-South Shrine Soccer Traditional performed in entrance of 57,989 followers at Los Angeles Coliseum. He was knocked unconscious early within the sport, however later returned to the sector and was named MVP.
He was elected to Santa Cruz’s Corridor of Fame as a part of the college’s centennial celebration in ‘95, and named to the Sentinel’s All-Time All-County Soccer Group in 2006. For the latter, he was giddy as he tried on a modern-day uniform for the photograph shoot.
Kirby married his highschool sweetheart almost a decade after they met. They celebrated their 54th anniversary on Wednesday.
“We had a partnership, not an possession,” Pat stated. “That was the great thing about our marriage. … I might by no means keep mad at him. I’d say, ‘I’m actually upset with you about this’ and we’d each simply find yourself laughing. The bond we had, that stayed.”
Like her husband, Pat additionally preferred sports activities and being social. They met at a college dance. She was a very good dancer, and he, surprisingly, given his athletic prowess, had two left toes.
“He stored stepping on my toes,” she stated. “i don’t know what music it was, nevertheless it was the longest factor I ever heard.”
Nonetheless, when she obtained dwelling, she instructed her mom that she “met the cutest boy, and he smells like cleaning soap.”
Kirby was recruited by nearly all of the nation’s big-name soccer packages – Cal, Washington, Notre Dame and Oregon to call a number of – however elected to play for Cabrillo Faculty’s first soccer staff in ‘59, beneath Siemering, earlier than transferring to Oregon State. He suffered a career-ending again damage as a sophomore and gave up his scholarship so one other participant may gain advantage from it.
Kirby returned dwelling to Scotts Valley, the place he commuted to Golden Gate College in San Francisco and earned a level. He later earned a instructing credential from San Jose State College and obtained a job at King Metropolis Excessive, the place he taught enterprise from 1976-2004, when he retired.
Throughout summer season and different breaks, the household typically took street journeys to completely different elements of the nation of their motorhome.
Kirby and his spouse moved to Discovery Bay in 2020. He and his spouse had two youngsters, Michelle (Cantwell), 49, and Melissa, 47, and 4 grandchildren.
Giraudo stated Kirby prided himself on being an important husband, father and grandfather.
“My youngsters actually beloved and adored him,” stated Melissa, his daughter. “In all places he went he impressed others and made associates along with his grandkids’ associates and households.”
Pat stated her husband was a caring soul. She fondly remembers her husband instructing migrant staff in King Metropolis, so they might get their Amnesty playing cards and keep away from points with United States Customs and Border Safety brokers.
Kirby helped begin the Santa Cruz Pop Warner program and Scotts Valley Little League. He coached soccer, basketball, baseball and softball in King Metropolis.
Good natured and enjoyable loving, Kirby was an affable character. Pat and her mother attended a sport with Kirby at Cabrillo one time. He deliberate on making a meals run to the concession stands at halftime, however obtained caught up seeing acquainted faces each step of the way in which. By the point the sport ended, Kirby by no means returned with meals. As a substitute, he reunited with Pat and her mom within the car parking zone. They have been the final automobile to depart.
“He was a sort, soft-spoken tremendous athlete,” Ross stated. “He might do something. He by no means stated a foul factor about anyone. He was considerate, and cared loads about his household.”
“No one’s good, however he was pretty much as good because it will get,” Giraudo stated. “He made use of all his abilities.”