50 Years Later: Colton Remembers Beloved Ken Hubbs

The Colton City News honors the life and memory of one of the city's most famous athletes on the 50th anniversary of his tragic passing at age 22 in 1964. Kenneth Douglass Hubbs was born in Riverside just before Christmas on Dec. 23, 1941 and resided with his family in nearby Colton. Hubbs displayed athletic talent early on and in 1954 was one of the members of the Colton Little League All Stars who represented California in the Little League World Series, beating Virginia in the first round of the competition and taking a loss to Schenectady, New York in the second round. Ted Housely, who was on the 1956 LL Baseball All Stars team in Colton and is currently involved in the Ken Hubbs Foundation, can still remember playing baseball with Hubbs. "I am so thankful that I lived during this time when I witnessed first hand one of the best athletes at Colton High," said Housely. "I best remember Ken as a caring person who always had time to say hi and would ask, how ya doing." Hubbs attended Colton High School - the Ken Hubbs gym on Rancho Avenue pays homage to him - where he was elected ASB president his senior year. He excelled in baseball, basketball and football during his high school years and was honored by CIF in all three. Hubbs was named a high school All-American in football and basketball during the 1958-59 school year, and was later requited to play quarterback at Notre Dame and by UCLA's John Wooden to play basketball. Prior to the 1959 season, Hubbs was signed as an amateur free agent with the Chicago Cubs, playing that year for the Morristown, Tennessee Class D Appalachian League. Hubbs played in the outfield, shortstop and in the all-rookie competition in 59 games. In July 1959, Hubbs led the Morristown Cubs to a 20-0 victory over first place Salem Pirates. When the Cubs' AAA club in Ft. Worth, Texas recalled Hubbs in October and purchased his contract in November, he then went to the Cubs' rookie camp for spring training in 1960 as a shortstop/outfielder. Hubbs made his major league debut with the Cubs on Sept. 10, 1961 against the Philadelphia Phillies, playing in 10 games in late 1961, racking up five hits in 26 at-bats and one home run. In 1962, Hubbs was the starting second baseman, playing in 160 games that season. Hubbs led all National League rookies in games, hits, doubles, triples, runs and batting averages and was consequently named Rookie of the Year with 19 of 20 votes. He was also the first rookie to be named a Gold Glove awardee. "Ken was a proud man who walked proud and had that something special every time he greeted you," said Housely. "You could not help but be impressed by his athletic talents; however, there was so much more to this young man. He gave of himself to the local community as well as the City of Chicago during his time with the Cubs organization. He always made time to appear at church functions and special events to talk baseball to the kids and share his dedication to his faith." Hubbs was known for his fear of flying and wanted to challenge that fear head on. He took flying lessons in the winter of 1963, receiving his pilot's license in January 1964. On Feb. 13, 1964, Hubbs passed away in a plane crash after attempting to fly his good friend, Dennis Doyle, home to Colton after flying to Provo, Utah the previous day so Doyle could visit his newborn child and the child's mother, who were spending time there with her parents. The pair decided to brave the storm that developed in the Utah Valley that morning, and when Hubbs's father reported the pair had not returned to Colton by Friday, Feb. 14, a search began Feb. 15 along the route the pair might have taken. Eventually, rescuers found the wreckage a quarter mile south of Bird Island on the Utah Lake, with weather temperature estimated as -1°F, with heavy snow. The news grieved many longtime friends, family members and fans, and services were held in the Colton High School gymnasium to accomodate the large crowd. Fellow Cubs Ron Santo, Ernie Banks, Glen Hobbie and Don Elston were among the pallbearers. Hubbs was laid to rest at Montecito Memorial Park in Colton. The Cub's never retired Hubbs's uniform number 16, but kept it out of circulation for about three years before it was issued to another player. "After Ken and Norm (Housely's brother) signed pro baseball contracts as 'bonus babies', they each received a set of golf clubs from sponsors," Housley recalls. "Ken and Norm would invite me along to play golf and I will always remember hitting my ball into a sand trap and Kenny saying, the best way to get out of a sand trap is to use your sandwedge and swing about 1 1/2 to 2 inches behind the ball. Swing as hard as you normally would but swing through the sand allowing the sand to carry the ball out of the trap. Well, it worked, I got out of the trap the first time. I've been in many sand traps since and continue to use his advise. There are so many more great memories; however, just knowing him and his family was a great and inspirational experience for me. I miss him." The Ken Hubbs Foundation was organized in his honor and since 1964 the best high school male athletes in the greater San Bernardino area have been given the Ken Hubbs Award, exemplifying the city's great pride in this talented athlete and the effect he had on his hometown.