Former coach known for his signature ‘KATOOSH!’ inducted into Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The man known for his signature “KATOOSH!” is being inducted into the Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame.

Larry Price was officially inducted at a ceremony Thursday night at the Ala Moana Hotel along with World Racquetball Champion Egan Inoue, Drag Racing Legend Roland Leong, National Volleyball Champion Tita Ahuna and the late Hawaii surf legend Ben Aipa.

Price has been enjoying his retirement and is still very much an island celebrity. At the Waialae Country Club, many people stopped to say ‘hi’ to the legendary football coach.

Price told us he was quite surprised to learn he was being inducted and said it’s a tremendous honor.

”It’s a serious responsibility to undertake to know that you have a whole bunch of kids that are going to say I want to be like him,” said Price.

Price helped create the Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame which is a state museum for sports history and a source of inspiration for our youth.

”These people that have been nominated have done some wonderful things to help the community get on the map,” said Price. “Not everybody can get involved at the hall of fame honor it’s a big honor.”

”He has tremendous pride in Hawaii players male and female who do well and needed the venue to make sure that they were recognized appropriately,” said HSHF Secretary Justin Mew.

Price grew up in Kaaawa and made the long commute to Roosevelt High School where he discovered football. He played for the US Army and was a judo champion and star boxer. At 6 feet, 260 pounds, the offensive tackle and defensive center was a force to be reckoned with. He played for UH from 1962 to 1966 and then for the Los Angeles Rams. He returned as the first NCAA Division One head football coach for UH.

”Coach Price is a force of nature. He had a combination of being very smart and he could cut through to get through right at the heart of the matter and that kind of stuff is the stuff you grow from and he just made you better,” said Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi, who played for Coach Price.

Coach also goes by “Doctor” because he has a PHD.

”He really tried to help people advance their education. He had the scholarship at Chaminade, he taught continuing education at UH for years,” said Price’s nephew Eugene Price.

Many know Coach Price from his time on KSSK or his signature “Katoosh!” as a sports commentator.

”If you get ‘katooshed!’ you never gonna’ forget it,” said Price.

Price continues to push for scholarships and opportunities for Hawaii’s youth in sports and education through the Oahu Interscholastic Association.

He says his motivation has always been to encourage others to be their very best.

”I would always say ‘Many have come, few were chosen’. It’s not easy. People gonna’ knock you down. People gonna’ help you out. You just gotta’ keep going,” said Price.

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