The roots of football run deep in Long Beach, where Long Beach
Polytechnic High School has produced more players who have played in the
National Football League than any other high school in the United
States. Poly's storied program has fed the NFL a wide variety of top
players, including such receivers as Johnny Morris, Gene Washington,
Tony Hill, Stephone Paige, Marcedes Lewis and DeSean Jackson. This
authoritative citywide pigskin history by Mike Guardabascio includes the
football sagas of other area high schools, as well as the legacies of
Long Beach State and Long Beach City College, which have enjoyed their
own brands of national recognition.