Smitty Duke, a Pasadena High School alumnus, was a remarkable athlete who transitioned from a standout college baseball pitcher to an Olympic volleyball star. After his two-time All-American baseball career at the University of Dallas, Duke became a top male volleyball player, competing for the US national team in the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. He earned a gold medal at the 1967 Pan American Games and a silver in 1971. Nicknamed "the man with the hands of gold," Duke was later named an "All-Time Great" by USA Volleyball magazine and inducted into the University of Dallas Hall of Fame. He died in 2010.