Blazing the Trail

Palisadians Patricia Ryan Bearer Burns and Michael O’Hara Inducted into Santa Monica Beach Volleyball Hall of Fame

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

It was a long time coming for Patty Ryan Bearer Burns, but for her the best part about being inducted into the Santa Monica Beach Volleyball Hall of Fame last Saturday was that so much of her family was there to share the moment with her.

Along with fellow longtime Palisadian Michael O’Hara (who passed away on February 1), the 87-year-old Ryan Bearer Burns was recognized for her achievements as a pioneer in the sport that would soon be popularized on the beaches of Southern California.

“It cost a quarter to park in the lot so I packed a lunch and played four or five days a week—it was our social life,” she said. “You could get a taco, enchilada, rice and beans for $1.25 at Casa Mia (in Santa Monica Canyon).”

Ryan Bearer Burns grew up in Santa Monica and played varsity tennis at Santa Monica High, graduating in 1949. She met her husband playing beach volleyball at what was known as Incline Beach (where the Jonathan Club is now) in the late 1940s and in 1958 the couple bought a house for $30,000 on McKendree Avenue in the upper Alphabets, where she still lives today.

Ryan Bearer Burns spent her summers on the beach body surfing and laying in the sun until 1950 when she was invited to play beach volleyball with women who also played indoor. She partnered with Gene Selznick to win most of the mixed doubles events at Will Rogers State Beach and played in four USVBA Nationals. Her Santa Monica Wahines were always at the top from from 1951 to 1954  and her Santa Monica Mariners took first place in 1955 and 1957.

“My fondest memory is when my team won Nationals for the first time in 1955,” the three-time All-American recalled like it was yesterday. “In ‘54 we had lost to a Texas team (the Houston Redshields) but I was selected to join  that team at the Pan American Games in March of ‘55 in Mexico City and we lost to Mexico in the finals. Two months later, we killed that Texas team at Nationals.”

Ryan Bearer Burns still owns the red, white and blue sweats  from the Pan American Games—the United States’ first international women’s team—emblazoned with “U.S.A.” across the front!

Beach volleyball legend Sinjin Smith presented the plaques after lifelong Palisadian and Los Angeles Rams public address announcer Sam Lagana introduced both inductees in a ceremony at the Santa Monica Pier, site of the the beach volleyball competition at the 2028 Summer Olympics.

“Patty was my mom’s pick to be my first tennis coach,” Lagana reminisced. “And Mr. Burns was our Santa Claus!”

Ryan Bearer Burns taught physical education and coached the Catholic Youth Organization  girls sports team at Corpus Christi School from the early ‘60s to 1970, then taught tennis to local kids (Lagana included) at courts in and around the Palisades well into the 1980s. She returned to Corpus for another 20-year stint and has been a church parishioner for 60 years. She raised four children— International Skateboard Hall of Famers Danny (now deceased) and Wendy Bearer, Tim Bearer and Palisadian Suzy Pion. All four went to Corpus, Paul Revere for ninth grade and then to Palisades High, where they all played varsity sports and her stepson Marty played football at Pali High.

“What’s changed most about the Palisades? The busy-ness and people walking along not smiling, not looking up,” she said. “But it’s still the best place in the world to live and raise kids.”

O’Hara, who graduated a year after his fellow inductee at Samohi, became one of the greatest indoor and beach players of all time.  He played on UCLA’s first men’s championship team and captained the first U.S. Olympic squad in 1964. He won 21 beach championships, including a record five straight Manhattan Beach Opens with Mike Bright from 1960-64, and made the podium 51 times in 56 starts. He later founded the International Volleyball Association, Team Cup Volleyball and authored several books.

O’Hara grew up in a bungalow 300 yards from where Saturday’s ceremony took place.

“Dad was very fond of Sam and Sinjin and he used to run up and down this pier,” said Ryan O’Hara, who accepted the honor on his father’s behalf. “He was a great father and a great man.”

O’Hara was a 55-year member of the Jonathan Club and from now on its annual tournament will be called the Mike O’Hara Memorial in his memory.

“All of us players owe a lot to Mike,” Smith added. “He was there first to make this game what it is today. I’ve heard all the stories of what an animal he was on the court. A tremendous player.”