Jess Hill (1995) - USC Athletics Hall of Fame

Jess Hill

Induction:
1995

Jess Hill was the model Trojan. His career as a player, coach and athletic director at USC spanned 6 decades. Regarded as one of greatest all-around Trojan athletes, he played 3 sports at USC: football (1928-29), track (1927-29) and baseball (1930). He played on Troy's 1928 national championship football squad and 1930 Rose Bowl champion. He was USC's first 25-foot long jumper (25-0 7/8). He batted .389 to lead the conference in hitting and then played in baseball's major leagues in 1935-37, including a year with the New York Yankees. As USC's track coach (1949-50, 1962), Hill guided the Trojans a pair of undefeated seasons and NCAA championships. And as the Trojan football coach (1951-56), his teams posted a 45-17-1 record and went to 2 Rose Bowls. He was USC's athletic director from 1957-72 and, during his tenure, USC teams won 29 national championships. He was named the nation's "Athletic Director of the Decade" in 1969. He then became commissioner of the Pacific Coast Athletic Association (1972-78). He died on Aug. 31, 1993, at age 86.