Tom is right...he hurt himself at the Wedge! He attended USC after playing at Glendale. He played tackle and was on a scolarship. He lost the scolarship after injuring himself at the Wedge.
At the time when he was body surfing there...you could run along the boardwalk which was on top of the jetty (on the sidewalk)...and at the right time...jump off the boardwalk and into the wave. That's how he hurt himself. Not long after that...they removed the sidewalk and put in a rock jetty.
After getting into acting and becoming successful one of his houses was just a few blocks away from the Wedge (right down the street from Dick Dale)...and he would still show up when the big swells hit...or you would see him cruising out of Newport Harbor in his boat, the Wild Goose!
Here's a little synopsis of what make the Wedge the Wedge
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The Wedge is not a wave -- it's a 20-foot-plus meat grinder dreamed up by the devil himself. It heaves, bends and pulverizes in ways that good little waves aren't supposed to act. The first time you swim or paddle out on a solid day, a typical thought might be, "Dang, is my chiropractor covered in my medical plan?"
The Wedge is a combination of two waves that merge together, thrusting into a titanic slingshot that breaks with enough pounds per square inch to send Stone Cold Steve Austin to the mat. It takes a south swell only, refracting the swell energy off the jetty and creating a sideways wave that slings across the beach and mates with the next wave in the set. The result is what locals fittingly call a "humping effect," where the set waves jack, expand and release in unimaginable ways.
The key to a good Wedge wave is the right swell interval. If the interval is just right, the side wave will hit the main swell at the perfect moment, causing it to "wedge." Too short or too long an interval and the side wave will miss hitting the main peak. It's not uncommon to see skimboarders, spongers and bodysurfers catching the side wave before it collides, resulting in ozone-depleting aerials, monstrous tubes and insane wipeouts.
Although the Wedge is perhaps the best-known bodysurfing spot in the world, in recent years there's been an influx of stand-up surfers. What was once a novelty for guys like Danny Kwock back in the '80s is now serious business for pros like Strider Wasilewski, the Hobgood twins and a long list of other challengers. Part of the reason for the influx of hard goods is that the media -- both surf and mainstream -- have been persistent in recording all the action. Every summer, there's guaranteed to be a center spread of some hapless fool getting launched or a front-page shot on the Los Angeles Times of the Wedge at its nastiest. Despite the increased presence of fiberglass and foam, an alternative wave is best suited to an alternative approach, which is why bodysurfers still rule the place. In fact, they literally rule the place -- thanks to a serious lobbying effort by the local skull-cap crew, throughout the summer, no boards of any kind are allowed in the water except in the early morning and late evening. So if you're feeling suicidal, or just want to watch stand-up surfers and bodyboarders play demolition derby at one of the most breathtaking natural spectacles in Southern California, it's best to show up in the morning or late afternoon.
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And here's a picture of the famous Wedge wave...and yes...I was foolish enough to be on waves this big there!
(Note: That wave is breaking in less than 3 feet of water...)
I've got tons of Wedge wave pics somewhere...I broke my nose at least four times there...LOL