Alex Gray was inducted into the LA Sportswalk of Fame. He’s the second surfer after Greg Noll to join the prestigious group. Photo: Alex Gray//Instagram
On Monday, Alex Gray was formally made part of the Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame. It’s a prestigious honor, and one that only a single other surfer has been privileged enough to be awarded: Greg Noll. Other members include Wilt Chamberlain, Sugar Ray Robinson, and Marty McSorley, to name a few.
Cruising the Sportswalk of Fame is a great way to spend an afternoon. Ins short, it’s a walkable tribute to legendary athletes that hail from LA. “Men and women from the local community to the greater L.A. area and beyond are recognized here for the feats they achieved and the impact they had on their fields and on the people around them,” the website explains.
Gray, of course, has been a staple of the surf world for two decades. He’s also one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. I’m not entirely sure that I’ve seen him without at least a hint of a smile on his face for more than 10 seconds. He’s a big wave charger of the highest order, but he doesn’t make a big thing about it.
“With his approachable and charismatic personality, he makes friends with locals everywhere he goes,” L.A. Sportswalk of Fame wrote. “It’s through these friendships that he gives the world a backstage pass into the most unique surf stories available.”
Among the awards on his mantel are a Nelscott Reef Big Wave Tour event win, invites to the Eddie, countless XXL nominations, a pair of GoPro of the Year awards, one from Fiji and one from Africa, and he’s been on just about every cover in surfing.
But he’s a lot more than just a guy who surfs really well. Gray created a surf therapy program called Agray Surf Therapy, which is a way for people who are going through a variety of different traumas to come together and realize that they’re not alone in what they’re going through. He’s a public speaker, too, and moonlights as a surf coach on the side.
“I’m beyond excited with this honor and privilege of being inducted into the Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame!” Gray wrote on Instagram. “It was such a beautiful ceremony held on the USS Iowa Battleship. Thank you so much to the committee, Trani family, Papadakis family, and everyone involved. I’ve been reflecting on how lucky I’ve been with support. I saw this as an opportunity filled with happiness and celebration simply to say thank you. I wanted to gather family, friends, and mentors from every chapter along the way. Having the stage to express gratitude and appreciation for them was one of the most fulfilling moments of my life. We really did it!”
Editor’s Note: In 2014, The Inertia released a film about Alex Gray’s life called ICON: Alex Gray. You can watch it in its entirety here.
