Landmark Hermosa: Surfers Walk of Fame

As a newer Hermosa Beach landmark, the Surfers Walk of Fame that lines the Pier with bronze plaques was founded in 2003 to honor some of Southern California’s most talented surfers.

The city began the project March 29, 2003 by inducting the original seven charter members: Bing Copeland, Hap Jacobs, Greg Noll, Mike Purpus, Jeff Stoner, Dale Velzy and Dewey Weber, the 1969 National Surfing Champion.

Ever since, the city has selected new surfers out of a list of nominees each spring to join the Walk of Fame.

Since its inception, the Surfers Walk of Fame has inducted 57 members—there’s a plaque for each inductee on the Pier, and includes the honored surfer’s name etched in gold along with the year of induction and a brief biography.

The most recent plaque that sits on the Pier honors Hermosa native . His plaque reads:

"Tiger Makin is a Hermosa Beach native who excelled in surfing contests throughout the 1960s, including a 1st place finish in the first professional surfing contest held in Malibu in 1968. In the 1970s, Tiger moved to Hawaii where his outgoing personality and aggressive surfing style earned him invitations to many prestigious events. In 1973, the Duke Kahanamoku Invitational was the first surfing contest held at Waimea Bay. Tiger was invited to the invitational several times in the 1970s, which was the surfing equivalent of being nominated for an Oscar."

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Congratulations to Hermosa Beach Historical Society president for winning today's Landmark Hermosa. We'll have a new landmark to guess next Friday.