BILL BEEBE

Beebe, 79, pioneered the investigative story among the nation's outdoors writers and yet also mastered the skills of wildlife photography, fishing and coastal boating. His career has had many milestones. A series of stories uncovered corruption between commercial netters and the Department of Fish and Game, and the United Anglers of Southern California awarded Beebe its highest honor for his "commitment to protect, restore and enhance" the fisheries of Southern California.

His photograph of President John F. Kennedy as the president returned from a swim in Santa Monica Bay was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 1963 and is included in "The Best 50 Years of Life Magazine." As Southern California's dean of outdoors writers, Beebe has beat others to virtually every big news story in Southern California and mentored dozens of outdoors writers.

As a master at taking part in the outdoor experience and communicating it, Beebe helped shape the perceptions of a generation of outdoorsmen in Southern California.

Memorable quote, from Santa Barbara columnist Mike Moropoulos: "He carries the torch."