Terry Hill was raised with North High in his blood. He was the oldest son of the school’s very first Principal, Jack Hill. A member of the 1958 graduating class, he was an outstanding three-sport athlete. His father had hired several outstanding individuals as coaches. So, along with the coaches, Terry was part of a group of several top athletes who had a real impact on establishing North High’s athletic tradition.
In football, he played Class “B” as a freshman and sophomore, but a broken wrist kept him out of the season as a junior. Then as a senior and playing for coach Turk Eliades, was the starting fullback for a team that went 9-1 on the season, losing only to BHS. Terry played basketball his first three years, including varsity as a junior but did not go out as a senior so as to dedicate himself to baseball.
In baseball, he played on the freshman team, moved up to JV as a sophomore and played varsity as a junior and senior. Terry was one of the most feared hitters in the area and an outstanding catcher as well. Known as a tough competitor, he was team captain and an all-SYL selection as a senior. After graduation, Terry played football and baseball at Bakersfield College. He started in baseball both years at BC, playing for another legend, Gerry Collis. He was a 2nd team all-Metropolitan pick in 1960, and again the leading hitter on the team. Because of knee issues, he was moved from behind the plate to left field for the ‘Gades.
As a freshman he played fullback behind one of the all-time BC greats Ray Jackson, an all-American. As a sophomore he again played backup to another JC All-American, Don Hampton. He was part of the great BC team that won the 1959 Jr. Rose Bowl in Pasadena, defeating Del Mar, Texas 36-14. He also scored a touchdown in that game on an 11-yard run. On that team were former North High teammates Vern Burke and Bobby Ezell, Lloyd Mosley and Jim Rice, all members of the North High Athletics Hall of Fame.
Terry went on to Fresno state on a football scholarship, but a knee injury ended his career in 1961. He finished school there and graduated in 1963. He came back to North High to coach and teach physical education from 1966 to1980. For several years, he worked alongside, not only Eliades, but another North High legend, Sam Barton, and coached with Tony Silver and Jack O’Brien.
Since 1984, Terry has worked as a Life Insurance agent and is now semi-retired. His younger brother Steve was an outstanding football and baseball player at North High, graduating in 1963. Terry has two daughters, Tracy and Darcy, both of whom were graduates of North High and both of whom were athletes.
Like many of the early North High student athletes, Terry Hill had an intense love and passion for advancing the school’s “brand and tradition.” He was also an original member of the North High Athletics Hall of Fame Committee. Congratulations Terry, one of the early table-setters for the future of North High athletics.