Chancellors Pride: 5 Unforgettable Athletes From Hollywood High School

Sports run deep in Hollywood, and Hollywood High School has long been at the heart of it. It’s no surprise some standout talent once wore the Sheiks uniform. Today we're celebrating five unforgettable athletes from Chatsworth High School who made a name for themselves well beyond the hometown field.

1. Lee Barnes - Olympic Pole Vaulter

As a senior at Hollywood High, Lee Stratford Barnes won both the Los Angeles city and California state pole vault titles in 1924. At just 17 years old, he won the gold medal in men’s pole vault at the 1924 Paris Olympics, making him one of the youngest Olympic champions in a track and field event. Barnes continued his athletic career at the University of Southern California, where he set a world record in the pole vault and won back-to-back National AAU titles in 1927–28. He also competed at the 1928 Olympics, finishing fifth. (Sources: Olympics, Olympics)

2. Willrich Schroeder - Former City Champion/Co-Founder of Helms Athletics Foundation

Willrich Schroeder was a standout baseball player at Hollywood High, anchoring the 1923 City Championship team as a third baseman. After high school, he became deeply involved in promoting sports and athletic history in Southern California. Schroeder co-founded the Helms Athletic Foundation, an influential organization known for its sports awards, halls of fame and preservation of athletic history, including the Pacific Coast and national athlete of the year recognitions. The foundation’s collection evolved into a museum and played a big role in institutionalizing local and national sports recognition. Schroeder also served on the Southern California Olympic Committee and helped organize valuable amateur athletic events. (Sources: LA Times)

3. Les Haserot - Baseball Hall of Famer

Les Haserot was another key member of Hollywood High’s 1923 City championship baseball team. After his time at Hollywood High and as an All-Conference player at Occidental College, Haserot became one of Southern California’s most successful high school coaches, particularly at Fremont High School. Over his extensive coaching career, his teams won eight City Championships, and he coached more than 40 future professional baseball players, including standouts like Bobby Doerr, Gene Mauch and Nippy Jones. His influence was felt widely in developing young baseball talent in the region, and he was later elected to the Los Angeles City Sports Hall of Fame. (Sources: Baseball Reference, SABR)

4. Raoul Dedeaux - Legendary College & Team USA Baseball Coach

At Hollywood High, the iconic Raoul “Rod” Dedeaux was an All-City shortstop and led the city league in hitting. He went on to star at the University of Southern California, where he was a three-year starter and team captain. Signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers, he made brief Major League Baseball appearances before a back injury shortened his playing career. Dedeaux then became head baseball coach at USC, where he won a then-record 11 College World Series National Championships and captured 28 conference titles. He was named Coach of the Century by Collegiate Baseball magazine, was inducted into multiple halls of fame and coached USA baseball in the 1964 and 1984 Olympic Games when the sport was a demonstration event. The USC baseball field bears his name in honor of his historic legacy. (Sources: SABR, MLB)

5. Marge Champion - Notable Dancer and Performer

Hollywood High alum Marjorie Celeste Belcher, better known as Marge Champion, is one of the school’s most famous female performers, who bridged dance and athletic movement. She was an extraordinarily accomplished dancer, choreographer and performer. As a teenager, she became a live-action reference model for Walt Disney animators, helping bring characters like several Disney characters to life through her movement. After high school, she enjoyed a celebrated career in Hollywood musicals and television, partnering professionally and personally with Gower Champion, starring in MGM films and TV variety shows and earning a reputation as one of America’s most beloved dancers. (Sources: D23, HHS Alumni)

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