List of people from Bakersfield, California
This is a list of notable natives and residents in Bakersfield, California
Notable natives and residents
Law and politics
- General Edward Fitzgerald Beale - Superintendent of Indian Affairs for California and Nevada (1850s), Surveyor General of California and Nevada (1860s) U.S. Ambassador to Austria-Hungary (1870s) and founder of Tejon Ranch.
- Joe Shell – Intraparty rival of Richard M. Nixon in the 1962 Republican gubernatorial primary; husband of Mary K. Shell
- Mary K. Shell – first woman mayor of Bakersfield, 1981-1985, member of the Kern County Board of Supervisors (1985-1997); Republican activist
- Earl Warren - Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, former governor of California
- Richard "Rocky" Bridges- Famous San Jose and Daly City cop, 2x Golden Gloves Boxing Champ and 1968 Olympic Alternate
Science and medicine
- Hans Einstein, the foremost authority on Valley Fever
Arts and entertainment
- Greg Colson - Artist
- Adema - Rock band
- Amy Adams - Singer, Contestant on American Idol
- Noah Beery - Actor
- Big Poppa E - slam poet
- Robert Beltran - Actor
- RIOT! - Rock band
- Justin Berry - Public speaker and former teenage webcam pornographer
- Frank Bidart - Award-winning poet
- James Chapman - Novelist and publisher
- Brandon Cruz - Punk musician and former child actor
- Ric Drasin - Actor, author, designer of the Gold's Gym and World Gym logos, and retired professional wrestler
- Jeff Duran - Radio personality and comedian who worked at KKXX-FM from 2002-2004
- Dave Ellis - World-renown percussionist/ Former soloist for the Musical BLAST
- Kelli Garner - Actress
- Merle Haggard - Country Music Hall of Fame inductee
- Gerald Haslam - Award-winning author
- Gabriel Iglesias - Comedian
- Korn (Jonathan Davis, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, James "Munky" Shaffer, David Silveria, Brian "Head" Welch) - Grammy Award-winning metal band
- Dalene Kurtis - American model, famous for being Playmate of the Year.
- Michael Lockwood - Guitarist and music producer
- Buck Owens - Country Music Hall of Fame inductee
- Prussian Blue - White Nationalist duo; used to live in Bakersfield
- Lawrence Tibbett - Lead baritone of the New York Metropolitan Opera
- Brian Hooks - Actor "Soul Plane, Three Strikes"
- Tha A - Hip Hop Producer, Host of mixtape series "Bad Business"
- Robert Lee (Bobby, Big Bob, Biggen) Woods - Barbecue entertainer, award winning caterer, dry rub inventor
Sports
Baseball
- Larry Barnes - California Angels First baseman (2001 and 2003)
- Johnny Callison - Philadelphia Phillies Right fielder (1960s)
- Phil Dumatrait - Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher, first-round draft pick
- Leon Lee - Nippon Professional Baseball player and manager
- Colby Lewis - Texas Rangers pitcher, first-round draft pick
- William "Buckshot" May - Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher (1924)
- Kurt Miller - pitcher who was the 5th overall pick in the 1990 MLB amateur draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates, played several years for the Florida Marlins and Chicago Cubs
- Dave Rader - catcher (1970s)
- Todd Walker - second baseman (1996-2007)
- Jake Woods - Seattle Mariners pitcher
Basketball
- Nikki Blue - Washington Mystics guard (WNBA)
- Chris Childs - NBA guard
- Lonnie Shelton - Seattle SuperSonics all-star
- Robert Swift - Oklahoma City Thunder center
- J. R. Sakuragi formerly J.R. Henderson - Memphis Grizzlies
American football
- Theo Bell - former wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers, earned Super Bowl rings in 1979 and 1980
- Jeff Buckey - former starting offensive lineman for the Miami Dolphins
- Vern Burke - former tight end for the San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints, and Atlanta Falcons
- David Carr - quarterback, and 1st overall selection in the 2002 NFL Draft (Houston Texans), currently a member of the San Francisco 49ers
- Matt Cercone - tight end for the Minnesota Vikings from 2000-2002, passed away in 2009
- Frank Gifford - Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee
- Cory Hall - former Cincinnati Bengals, Atlanta Falcons, and Washington Redskins safety
- Rodney Leisle - American football defensive tackle for the New Orleans Saints, member of 2009 Super Bowl winning team
- Ray Mansfield - center who played 14 seasons for the Pittsburgh steelers in the 60's and 70's
- Jerry Marion - former wide receiver who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers, father of Brock
- Brock Marion - former Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl champion and Pro Bowl player
- Ryan Mathews - San Diego Chargers running back and former Fresno State University All-American
- Bob McCaffrey - played center at USC and was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 1975
- Brent McClanahan - former Minnesota Vikings running back
- Aaron Merz - former starting offensive lineman for Cal and the Buffalo Bills
- Stephen Neal - New England Patriots lineman and Super Bowl champion player, former NCAA wrestling champion, World championship gold medalist, and U.S. Olympic wrestler
- Mark Nichols - former wide receiver and first round draft pick of the Detroit Lions in 1981
- Larry Parker - former receiver for the USC Trojans and the Kansas City Chiefs
- Joey Porter - All-Pro and Pro Bowl outside linebacker, member of Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl champion team in 2006, recently signed with the Arizona Cardinals
- Rocky Rasley - former guard who drafted by the Detroit Lions in 1969
- Randy Rich - former defensive back for the Detroit Lions, Denver Broncos, and Cleveland Browns
- Greg Robinson - former head coach and Super Bowl winning Defensive Coordinator of the Denver Broncos, currently at university of Michigan
- Ken Ruettgers - former offensive tackle for the Green Bay Packers
- Rashaan Shehee - former running back for the Kansas City Chiefs
- L.J. Shelton - NFL starting lineman, currently a free agent
- Jeff Siemon - Minnesota Vikings Pro Bowl linebacker (1972-1983), inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006
- Kevin Smith - former tight end for UCLA, the Oakland Raiders, and the Green Bay Packers
- Jeremy Staat - former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman, currently serving in the United States Marines
- Jason Stewart - former defensive tackle, played for the Indianapolis Colts in 1994
- Michael Stewart - former safety for the Miami Dolphins
- John Tarver - former running back for the New England Patriots in the 70's
- David "Deacon" Turner - former Cincinnati Bengals running back in the late 70's
- Dick Witcher - former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver
- James Wofford - former UNLV and Minnesota Vikings running back
- Louis Wright - former All-Pro defensive back for the Denver Broncos, member of the 1970's NFL all-decade team
- Rodney Wright - former Fresno State and Buffalo Bills wide receiver
Motorsports
- Kevin Harvick - NASCAR driver. 2007 Daytona 500 winner.
- Casey Mears - NASCAR driver
- Rick Mears - 4-time Indianapolis 500 winner
- Roger Mears - Baja 1000 winner
- Bruce Sarver - NHRA champion
- Opal Rivas - USHRA Mud Racing Champion
- Pat GerberTemplate:List fact - Shocker Monster Truck
Other sports
- Keith Franke - professional wrestler
- Michael Dallas, Jr. - boxing - former Golden Gloves silver medalist, current undefeated light welterweight contender
- Jack Johnson - Boxing's first African-American heavyweight champion, member of the World Boxing Hall-of-Fame, and one of the first celebrity/athletes of the modern era
- Hank Pfister - Professional tennis player
- Jerry Quarry - Heavyweight professional boxer
- Dennis Ralston - Professional tennis player
- Jake Varner - 2009 and 2010 NCAA Wrestling Champion
- Gabe Woodward - swimming - freestyle bronze medal winner during the 2004 Olympics
References
- ^ President Bush's one-time Bakersfield home to be museum, KGET, January 19, 2009, Accessed August 8, 2009.
- ^ The Bush House, thebushhouse.net, Accessed August 8, 2009.
External links
- City of Bakersfield Official Website
- Bakersfield Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Bakersfield Downtown Business and Property Owner's Association
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