Never in the history of R.A. Long sports have two brothers competed at a State Tournament in the same year, in the same sport and won 1st and 2nd place in their respective divisions.
Both brothers participated in wrestling all three years while attending R.A. Long and both received the team MVP award in their senior year. Richard also competed in Cross Country Track and won the “Most Inspirational” award for that sport.
Raleigh being the oldest and weighing the most competed in the 115 pound division for wrestling. He lost the championship round to a Camas wrestler but took home the 2nd place trophy from the State Tournament in 1975. Richard was the youngest of the brothers and lightest weighing in at 101 pounds. Competing in the championship round at the State Tournament, Richard defeated a Sumner wrestler to win 1st place in his division at the 1975 State Tournament. Leading up to the 1975 State Tournament, at Regionals, Richard defeated the previous year’s State Champion in his division, and Raleigh placed second in his division. After high school both brothers decided to go to a community college, Raleigh turned down a scholarship to University of Washington and instead attended Lower Columbia College. Richard decided to attend Green River Community College but did not compete in wrestling.
Richard has worked for the Seattle Times for many years, and has been named “Employee Support Person of the Month” while working there and has also received a citizenship award from the YMCA of Seattle.
Raleigh is retired from the United Brotherhood of Carpenters; he worked in the field from 1978 to 2007 and then became a business agent for the union from 2007 to 2016, when he retired.
Both brothers are proud of their Hawaiian heritage and grew up with parents Susan and James, their brother Bill, and their sister Tila. Raleigh has been married to Bridgett for 37 years and has daughters Lynn and Erin.
Note: In the program for the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, the biographies of brothers Raleigh and Richard were combined. We've reproduced that here.