Director of Rehabilitation Services Joseph Baumgaertner Named to Damien High School Hall of Fame

Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center (PVHMC) Director of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Services, Joseph Baumgaertner, MS, PT, OCS, was recently inducted into the Damien High School Athletic Hall of Fame in La Verne. Baumgartner was a star player on Damien’s football team and accomplished all-around athlete for the Class of 1972.

“He was the first football player to rush for more than 1000 yards in a single season and one of the Damien's earliest football stars,” said Damien Athletic Director Jeff Grant. “He was an incredible athlete who excelled in everything he did, as he was a varsity letterman in football, baseball, and track and field.”

After graduating from Damien High School, Joe went on to play football at Stanford University during his undergraduate years, where he majored in human biology.

Damien conducts its Hall of Fame ceremony every two years at its annual gala. Baumgartner’s nomination for the hall of fame was a direct result of his peers’ recommendations. A committee reviews and selects the most appropriate former Spartans who excelled in their respective sports. Nominees are those who helped bring honor, recognition, distinction and excellence to Damien High School by their conduct both on and off the field, or court, of competition.

Baumgaertner was inducted into Damien’s Athletic Hall of Fame alongside two other alumni in late October 2025.

“It's an honor to be able to recognize Joe for his outstanding career at Damien,” adds Grant. “Joe's time as a Spartan helped lay the future foundation of football excellence with which our school has been blessed to enjoy for more than 50 years.”