January 18, 2019

Crawford student Masiti Ahmed (that's her in yellow -- or is it ochre?) is part of a program teaching girls to become FAA-certified drone pilots.  That's a long way from what the girls below hoped for in a career.  Click HERE to read the article in the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Mary Smith '62 shared on Facebook the color photos she took on the day we got our Centaurs.  Turns out I'd already posted the photos on the website some years ago.  Click HERE to check them out again.

After the shellacking we took in football my Sophomore Year I didn't think I could ever look at a picture of San Diego High School again.  Apparently the scars have healed, because I really enjoyed this color shot of The Old Gray Castle" that popped up on Facebook last week.

I normally steer clear of politics, but this article from the Union-Tribune archives gave me a chuckle.

Here's the Pacer from January 16, 1964 -- 55 years ago.  Beth Stewart was crowned ROTC Queen and my buddy Doug Kvandal was part of a group of award-winning handball players.  Click HERE to take a walk down Memory Lane.

Louise Neil Abdelnour '63 sent in a renewal check for her quarterly newsletter AND included a May 16, 1968 newspaper clipping on the death of John Callaham '64 in Vietnam.  That got me perusing the Union-Tribune archives and I came up with a couple of more articles, written by Dan Burton '66 and the late Dan Felice '68.   Click HERE if you'd like to read them.

Joe Mousley contacted me with a little information about his father Jim, who passed away December 14, 2018.  I've posted it on the Class of '65 Obituary Page.  Looks like Jim achieved his goal of becoming a police officer.

January 11, 2019

I hate to pass on bad news, and am usually reluctant to talk about Colt offspring, but in yesterday's U-T Sports Section I spotted a story about Chris Duncan, son of Dave Duncan '63.  Brain cancer, which caused the death of his mother, has resurfaced.  Click HERE to read an article in USA Today.  Obviously, our thoughts and prayers go out to Chris and Dave.

Just in case you missed him in a Sea of Red, that's Joe Dyke '65 tooting his horn for the Salvation Army Band in the 2019 Rose Parade.  It was the 100th straight year the Salvation Army has appeared in the parade.  Make up your own joke about how many of those years Joe played.  Click HERE to try and pick him out in the video. 

Apparently members of the Class of '68 have been turning 68.  Susan Weetman Belair's turn came this past Monday and her life-long pal Karen Nobbe Griffin '69 made the long trek down the hill from Julian to help her celebrate at O'Sullivan's in Escondido.  That's Susan on the right.

My classmate Larry Guske had a question for city councilman Scott Sherman, who had a representative call him back.  Turned out to be Sheldon Zeman, who attended Euclid Elementary and Horace Mann before heading to Herbert Hoover Senior High.

Kay Ross Slater '60 hopes I'm OK.  She hasn't been getting her Fry Day emails.  I'm fine, but don't know why she's not getting them.  I reminded her that all Fry Day emails are archived on the Colt Corral blog.  You all should save it to your favorites just in case.

The Winter Issue of the 12-page quarterly newsletter is in the mail and subscribers should have it in their hands.  Click HERE if you're interested in a subscription.

I think Betty Greenwood posted this shot of her and Bob Lutz on Facebook.  Bob says he's filled out nicely since this photo was taken at the 1963 Junior Prom.  

News of Jim Sams' passing caused Bob Richardson to pull out this photo from the 1960 Varsity-Faculty basketball game. Says Bob, "Coach Sams is in his favorite shooting spot, on the baseline, left edge of photo, wearing his Aztec number 33! In the 1960 Centaur he was cropped out of the same photo. Closest to the camera, #54, is Crawford's first ever American Exchange Student, Darwin Montaldo. Immediately to the right of him is Marshall Malcolm, who coached JV basketball (also cropped out in the Centaur). The person making the layup is Mr. Jackson, who was Crawford's Varsity basketball coach in its first two years, and a math teacher. I sent him a framed 8x10 print of this photo, with a letter, nine years ago." 

January 4, 2019

The End of the World is Near -- at least as far as dining out.  Spoiler Alert -- I am NOT a foodie.  An article in the Union-Tribune talks about new restaurants expected to open in 2019.  Trust me, they're not going to be offering comfort food.  Louisiana Purchase in North Park promises, among other mouth-watering delights, "alligator cheesecake with crawfish cream sauce".  Include me out.  Click HERE if you'd like to peruse the article.

Ernie Cowan has done it again.  This past week his Outdoors column recalls a New Year's Eve in the desert many years ago that involves a bunch of teenagers (possibly from Crawford) and ghosts.  Click HERE to enjoy.

Jerry Magee, a sportswriter at the Union-Tribune for 50 years, has died.  Bill Center '63, who knew him for most of those years, has written a heart-felt obituary.  Click HERE to read it.

The Crawford Alumni Association web site reports the passing of Coach Jim Sams on December 20, 2018.  I assume details will follow.

Forrest Folck ’66 died of complications from Multiple Myeloma December 28, 2018.  Forrest, at the age of five, with his mom and younger brother, moved to Southern California.   He would go on to become a highly sought-after motor vehicle forensic expert with over 43 ASE Master Mechanic certifications including, ASE certified Advanced Level Specialist. As well as a phenomenal automotive instructor for the San Diego Community College District, including TIA Automotive Tire Service Instructor certification.  Forrest would always jump at the chance to share his knowledge and love for automotive engineering --- whether it was helping his students on their “weekend projects”; to opening his home garage to neighbors to teach and help repair their vehicles, to teaching his grandson how to install a new car stereo system.  Forrest was always cool and calm in the courtroom, patient in the classroom, and the loudest cheerer at his daughter’s dance recitals & son’s soccer games.   He was always the first to lend a tool, share his knowledge, pick up litter on his daily multi-mile walks, and help his friends, family, and neighbors.  Forrest’s pride in his adult children was only superseded by his pride in his grandchildren, to whom he passed along his mechanical inclinations, sense of humor, sense of exploration, and never-ending love. 

Hiram Holloway ’68 passed away in his sleep on December 14, 2018.  “My brother succumbed to esophageal cancer.  Hiram was diagnosed with stage 1 cancer of the esophagus in June 2018” -- Ben Holloway ‘67  (Hiram did not have a photo in the Centaur)

December 28, 2018

Can you feel the days getting longer?  Me neither, but at least we're headed in the right direction.

Ernie Cowan's column in the December 22nd Union-Tribune was fascinating.  It was the story behind the First Child Monument, near Borrego Springs.  Click HERE to read about the first European child born in California, on Christmas Eve 1775.

Gary Mitrovich included this 1960s color shot of Walker Scott's College Grove store in his Christmas greeting on Facebook.  He says it's where Sam's Club is today.

You got any idea what the #1 song on the December 25, 1970 KCBQ Long Play Survey was?  Click HERE to find out.

Bill Grantham submits his Darnall Elementary class photo from 1962.  Bill would have graduated from Crawford in 1968 if his family hadn't moved to Los Angles.  Click HERE to get a better look.

Here's a correct photo of Peggy Halfaker Haney, who passed away November 29th.  Peggy was from the Class of '68.  Patty Halfaker Lery,  whose photo I published last week, is from the Class of '69 -- and is still with us.

December 21, 2018

Winter rolls into San Diego today at 2:23 PM.  Apparently it will be accompanied by a Full Moon and a Meteor Shower.  I'm pretty sure those will occur after it gets dark.  Click HERE to read the article in Forbes.

Did you ever wonder what was involved in lighting up the "JOY" sign each year in Mission Valley's Hilton Hotel?  Click HERE to read all about it.

I always look forward to reading UT columnist Logan Jenkins, especially since he's now down to a single column a week.  Click HERE to read his latest, about how his dad opted not to invest with Robert O. Peterson and lose his money on something stupid like Oscar's and Jack in the Box.  There's a lot of stuff about those places I didn't know.

Another landmark, the Red Fox Room, is closing in the near future, but they hope to move across the street.  Click HERE to read the article in the Union-Tribune.

The town of Needles, California, suffering from the loss of the railroad and tourism on Route 66, is hoping to become a Marijuana Mecca.  I mention it mostly because the article in the New York Times mentions Lyn Gillis Parker '65.  Click HERE if you want to read the article.

Click HERE to peruse the 6-page Golden Anniversary Pacer, published on December 19, 1968.   I was especially interested in the front page piece on Ray Wagner, who had a great influence on me and with whom I stayed in touch over the years.

James L. Smith '63 died December 10, 2018. "My husband Jim passed away peacefully on my birthday in my loving arms from end of life Parkinson’s Disease," wrote his wife Cindy.

December 14, 2018

Paula Kincaid forwarded some amusing signs.  This was her favorite.  I'm not surprised.

Of All The Gin Joints . . .   My classmate Lynn Routt Swanson and hubby John wondered into the Amigo Spot last night.  That's Nancy, me and Lynn above.

Did you see Barry Manilow last night at SDSU's Viejas Arena?  Me neither.  Before he left town, Barry donated a piano to Crawford's music department.   Click HERE to read about it in the UT.

The Pekin Cafe has been serving Chop Suey in North Park since 1921.  They'll be closing their doors come March.  Click HERE to read the story in the UT.

Unrequited love is so sad.  Patti Frazier '61 has checked in once again, asking if I can hook her up with a Chicken Pie Shop chicken pie.  Good news, Patti.  I checked out the Chicken Pie Shop web site and they now will ship pies to you in Menlo Park.  You'll have to shell out $59.00 for an 8-pack, however.  Click HERE for details.

Nancy Moore Falconer '68 put this shot of three football players from '67 on Facebook this week.  Looks like Bobby Crogan, Jim Falconer, and Tom Crogan are in the desert.  I don't think there were any other details.

My cousin Jim Harper '68 posted this photo of himself and Monte Hall at an unknown auto dealer in the 1950s.  I spotted a clue in the upper left corner.  Joe Schweiger was "The Walking Man's Friend". 

Paula Hildebrand Clare shared this photo on Facebook.  She says the photo, taken in February 1966, shows her brother Rod and two of his friends in front of Rod's roadster.  I'm not sure which one is Rod.

My guess is that this vintage street sign once stood at the foot of Market Street.  

December 7, 2018

I can't tell if this is creepy or cool.  Someone out there in cyberspace snagged the above photo of yours truly and colorized it.  I vaguely recall sharing it -- I thought in a Fry Day email -- mostly to show that there used to be, in addition to trash pickup, GARBAGE pickup -- and the little garbage cans were awash in vile smells and swarms of flies.  Anyway, this was on Edgemont Street in what is now known as South Park, around 1950.  The house behind me, shown below in a current Google street view shot, was where my cousin Jim Harper '68 was born -- or at least the home he came home to from the hospital.

Someone who collects vintage traffic signs posted this on Facebook.  I got to wondering where it originally stood.  Then I thought someone out there could figure it out using the numbers.  I've sealed my guess in an envelope in my desk drawer.

Phil Hill '61 posted some student artwork on Facebook and wondered what became of Mr. Gibbs -- his art teacher at Horace Mann AND Crawford.   Phil wonders if you can identify the girl in the painting.  She was was a fellow classmate.   The big clue, he notes, are the monogrammed initials on her blouse.  They would appear to be M A J, or another variant.

Here's the Crying Towel Kearny students handed out at the CIF Finals in Balboa Stadium on December 1, 1961.  How'd we do?  (Hint:  It was the year the football team went undefeated).  Click HERE to check out the football program sold that night -- and read the article written about the game by Bill Center.

Thought I'd revisit some previous posts.  Here's the 1956 Jackson Elementary photo from Michael Naiman '68.  Click HERE to peruse his other class photos -- except 3rd Grade.  That one's missing.

Dell Ludwig ’59 passed away November 27, 2018 at home from complications due to Parkinson’s Disease.  He was born to Margaret and Leo Welker in St. Anthony, Idaho.   When he was three, he was adopted by his new stepfather O.C. Ludwig and raised in San Diego.  In high school he was active in basketball, baseball, and track.  He attended BYU and graduated in 1967. After graduation, a friend talked him into moving to Detroit where he met his wife Sandra Hilden. In 1973, they moved to Pocatello, Idaho to be closer to family.  Dell worked for Sears, School District #25, and retired after 22 years at the post office. He loved photography, scrapbooking, drawing, ballroom dancing, collecting baseball cards, fantasy baseball leagues, and genealogy.  (He did not have a photo in the '59 Centaur)