HANFORD -- Former Hanford High football star Dameane Douglas assigned his young son, Dameane Allen, the task of introducing him at the Hanford High Bullpup Football Hall of Fame banquet.

The younger Douglas, like his dad did so many times for the Bullpups, delivered under pressure.

"I heard my daddy talked a lot of smack [when he played],'' Dameane Allen said during his speech, drawing laughter from the crowd. "Hearing him at my football and soccer games, I know that must be true''

The other Hall of Fame inductee, Ralph Loya, did a little "smack talking'' of his own.

Loya, a star of Hanford's 1960 league championship, donned his letterman's jacket when he took the stage for his speech. He then kidded his former teammates in the audience.

"Can you still do this?'' he said of fitting into the letterman's jacket.

There was a lot of laughter during the ceremony at the Fraternal Hall, as inductees Douglas, Loya and various guest speakers told humorous stories about their football days.

But there were also tears.

Douglas choked up when he took to the podium, although he quickly regained his composure and became his usual good-humored self.

And there were also moist eyes when speakers talked of the late Gary Hill -- the 2008 recipient of the Walt Parker Award.

The award, which is presented annual at the banquet, recognizes contributions to Hanford football that go beyond the playing field. Hill, who passed away in 1997, is known for bringing Pop Warner football to Hanford, and later coaching the freshman team at Hanford.

"This means more to us than you can imagine,'' said Hill's daughter, Jackie Miller, as she began her induction speech.

Hill was remembered as an animated coach who cared deeply about his players, Hill used football as an instrument to educate kids about life.

"He'd give the shirt off his back for any kid to play,'' Miller said.

Hill preferred coaching basics to younger kids at lower levels. After one year of coaching junior varsity, he quickly returned to the freshman level.

Miller and her brother, Hanford athletic director Beau Hill, prepared a speech and slide show for the presentation. Hill said it was an emotional process, and that Jackie had to be the one to give the speech.

"I don't mind speaking in front of people, but I can't talk about my dad,'' Hill said after the ceremony.

Gary Hill played on the 1960 team alongside Loya, whose induction Friday night was a joyous occasion. His wife Mary Jane joined him on the stage, and several friends form Hanford High's Class of 1961 were also on hand.

Loya, a center and lineman for the Bullpups, played at Cal Poly before an injury ended his career. He called his induction a "tremendous honor.'' But something that can be described as "tremendous'' is the impact he had on students and fellow teachers during a long, distinguished career teaching agriculture, at Hanford High and Reedley College.

Hanford High Quarterback Club president Joe Oliveira said the Hall of Fame was looking to induct a player from the more distant past, and that Loya perfectly fit the bill.

Yet when Loya's name was brought up, Oliveira said he was surprise that Loya -- the "FFA guy'' -- was once an outstanding football player.

Longtime friend Ron Mattos noticed some of Loya's special qualities during his youth -- his character, his intelligence and his drive.

"If he didn't know how to do something, he'd ask,'' Mattos said. "You told him how to do it, and you'd only have to tell him once.''

Loya also showed a sense of humor. He said one of the most memorable victories at Hanford was a blowout of Corcoran -- then noted that Mary Jane happened to attend Corcoran at the time.

Douglas, who set single-season receiving records at Cal as well as Hanford High, had the audience in stitches at times as he recalled memorable moments from Pop Warner all the way to the NFL

But he also stressed the importance of education, noting how with the help of people like coach Tim Galli, he managed to elevate himself from below-average student, to college graduate.

Joe Maciel, who coached Douglas in Pop Warner, remembered him as an 11-year-old kid who barely make the leagues minimum weight limit of 70 pounds yet recalled how he had a competitive spirit event then.

"There are certain players who make you proud,'' said Maciel, who now coaches freshman football at Hanford. "He's one of them that made me proud.''