Jim Seely

Don Cantrell

There was little time for swimming, baseball and volleyball after

Newport Harbor High and UCLA for Jim Seely, who graduated from Harbor in

1950.

Interestingly enough, he followed the pathway of his Sailor swimming

coach, Al Irwin, who had served as a stout flight deck officer aboard the

U.S.S. Lexington in World War II across the South Pacific.

Seely, who became a skilled jet fighter pilot and finally a rear

admiral in the Navy, now lives in Alexandria, Va., and often serves as a

naval consultant. He served in the Navy for 34 1/2 years.

Reflecting back, Seely said, “Like most guys of our era, I suppose, I

remember Al Irwin best. A terrific person, coach, motivator and role

model. I wish I had gotten to know him earlier in school.”

He added, “I think he was largely responsible for teaching me what

competition was all about. He reinforced and expanded on what my dad

tried to tell me, but naturally, I didn’t listen as closely to my dad.”

Seely said, “I always enjoyed playing sports, but didn’t really learn

what it took to compete until I met Al. He taught and demonstrated that

it took hard work, dedication, teamwork and perseverance to be a

competitor, and, maybe more important, that you got a lot more fun and

satisfaction out of playing sports if you were willing to work and

sacrifice.

He added, “The best thing about Al’s lessons and his example was how

it all applied to living life.”

Looking back to 1950 swimming at Harbor, Seely said, “It was a fun

season, but I can’t remember how we did in league.”

Research finds the ’50 varsity filnishing third, while the Bees and

Cees won league titles.

“There were some very good swimmers on the team, as I recall,”

continued Seely. “As I recall, Bob Benbow was fastest in the sprints.

Roxy Aarvold and Rex Bell were also very good. I think Rex, and his

brother Jack, were best in diving.” The Bells made the All-CIF teams in

diving.

Seely played a lot of two-man beach volleyball in those days, and he

remembers one match in particular. “The guy I usually played with - the

late Roger Welsh - and I were playing against George Yardley and another

guy. Of course, George was a college champ then in basketball and a very

good volleyball player.”

Seely, with amusement, said, “I don’t remember who won, but I managed

to block one of George’s spikes with my nose. It bounced back on their

side for our point, but I was seeing double for some time after that.”

He felt honored a few years back when a friend obtained an autographed

photo of Yardley for him after the star had been named to the NBA Hall of

Fame in Springfield, Mass.

Seely also won awards in the Navy, including the Legion of Merit

(three times), Distinguished Flying Cross (four times), Bronze Star, five

Air Medals and 38 strike/flight awards, among others.

He married the former Gail Deverman of Los Angeles more than 41 years

ago and they have two children, a son, Ted, and a daughter, Nina.

Jim Seely, another from the Long Gray Line at Newport Harbor to join

the Daily Pilot’s Sports Hall of Fame, celebrating the oncoming

millennium.