June 29, 2018

I'm not sure how old Cindy Cohen Marten is, so I'm not sure what years she attended Horace Mann  Junior High.   She went on to graduate from La Jolla Country Day School and is now in her fifth year as Superintendent of the San Diego City School system.  Click HERE to read the article in the Union-Tribune.

Yonis Muya, a recent Crawford graduate born in Kenya, is featured in a nice Union-Tribune article this week.  He turned to boxing after watching his father beat his mother and being unable to help her.  Click HERE to read the article.

Paula Adler Sloan '68 asked,  "Where was the restaurant 1520 AD?"  I actually knew the answer.  The restaurant, patterned after the era of King Henry VIII, was located at 2633 El Cajon Blvd, where the Chicken Pie Shop is today.  From 1939 to 1969 it was the site of the Haynes Streamliner steak house.

Haynes Streamliner

Chicken Pie Shop

This can't be right, but I like it.  A 2014 Facebook post has resurfaced with renderings of what Hoover High might look like after its current remodel.  Looks a lot like the original school to me.  I better read that post again.

Gary Mitrovich posted this shot on Facebook.  It shows the #7 streetcar heading east on University at Euclid for the last time, on April 20, 1949.  In the Google Street View shot below you can see the same 2-story brick building peeking out at the left center of the photo.

June 22, 2018

Happy First Day of Summer!!  This always sounded wonderful in my youth.  Now I'm just depressed that the days will be getting shorter.

Speaking of depressed, a whole lot of folks are getting bounce messages when they try to email me.  Despite the messages, I AM getting your emails (I think).  I'm not sure how to solve this one.  I'll check with my web mistress.  Just one more aggravating technology issue.

Steve Epstein '68 says hello from the "Thank God It's Fry Day" pizza parlor in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Ernie Cowan's latest wildlife column in the U-T is close to home -- if you live in Escondido.  He and his buddy photograph Grebes in Lake Hodges.  Click HERE to read the article.

Robert Zito '64 fondly recalls stopping at Don's Hamburgers after surfing, when you could get 10 hamburgers or 10 hot dogs for $1.00.  I wondered if he might have been thinking about Henry's Burgers in PB.  Turns out he was.  I get an awful lot of calls from people wanting a photo of Henry's too.  That's two burger joints I don't have pictures of.  Who knows, maybe something will turn up.

I think I'm late in celebrating the 50th anniversary of the graduation ceremony for the Class of 1968.  Turns out Kathy Keeyes has her photo and a shot of the graduates on the field at San Diego State already posted on my web site.  Click HERE to take a look.  I wonder if they're sitting right where the basketball court is at today's Viejas Arena.

Debra Mathis '70 died on March 11th, according to her brother Ed Mathis '66.  He says, "After graduation Debbie moved to Atlanta, Georgia to be near the hub of our family. She was never married. She worked a variety of jobs, but her real passion was cake decorating and her dogs. She moved to South Carolina later in life to take care of our ill Mother and Aunt."

Steve Shockome '73 sends word of the passing of his wife and classmate Georgia Cramer Shockome on May 22nd.  She was born at Mercy Hospital on March 24, 1955 and will be laid to rest one week from today (June 29th) at Miramar National Cemetery at 2 PM.  I think Steve would appreciate your presence.

Remember the four DeSanti cousins, all named Giovanna, featured in the January 17, 2014 Colt Corral?  I've just learned that Giovanna DeSanti Hauser '68 (in blue, and below) passed away March 18, 2017.  Click HERE to read the original story. 

June 15, 2018

Veronica and Archie 2018, as seen today by Harry Bliss

Ancestry.com is pitching their DNA test as the perfect Fathers' Day gift.  I'm wondering how it's gonna go over when somebody finds out that Pops isn't exactly their biological father.

Just kill me now.  I get to go to Starbucks twice a week, and on Thursdays I look forward to my "plain bagel, lightly-toasted, with butter."  Last week they were out of plain bagels.  I know my hearing is going, but I don't think the barista was very clear.  I somehow ended up with a Sprouted Grain Vegan Bagel -- and I don't think it was toasted.  Reminded me of the great line from the Odd Couple.  "You want a green sandwich or a brown sandwich? says Walter Matthau."  "What's in the green sandwich? asks Jack Lemmon."  "I don't know.  It's either old meat or new cheese."

It didn't get any better at Subway, when I brilliantly calculated that a Tuna Wrap would solve the problem of tuna squishing out of the bread and rolling down my shirt.  It almost didn't happen.  I couldn't answer the first question.  "What kind of tortilla do you want? asked the sandwich maker.  "A PLAIN tortilla!, I shouted.  "Sorry, you have to choose between Habanero, Spinach or Tomato Basil."   Aggghhhhhh!!!  I went with Habanero.

I turned down another Facebook friend request this week.  This time it was from someone I know and like.  Nothing good ever comes to me from accepting these requests.  Either I'm inundated with wiggling puppies or fresh-from-the-oven Pineapple Upside Down cake or -- worse yet -- political diatribes.  Email me if you want and explain why in the world you'd want to be my Facebook friend.  PS -- I rarely, if ever, post from my personal FB account -- just the Colt Corral.

Just when I've had it with Facebook, something wonderful happens.  Someone was fondly recalling Consuelo's Mexican Restaurants which eventually led to the best web site ever -- Classic San Diego Mexican Restaurants.

Bob McGehee, a '65 Point Loma grad, is looking for a photo of Don's Hamburgers.  This is the best I could provide.  The McGehees lived in the Crawford area long enough for brother Richard to graduate in 1960 then moved to Point Loma.

The June issue of the quarterly, 12-page Crawford Alumni newsletter is in the mail.  I've made the 1968 Pacer Staff the Playmate Centerfold.  Those of you who subscribe should be on the lookout.  Those of you who've been thinking about subscribing, or didn't even know there WAS such a thing, can click HERE for more information.

Holly Acosta Gray '71 decided to test out her new scanner.  She's forwarded a photo of her 1959 Kindergarten class from John Muir Elementary.  Click HERE to look at an enlarged version on the web site.

June 8, 2018

Both Colts on Tuesday's ballot cruised to victory.  Ernie Dronenburg '61 (above) will serve a third term as County Assessor.  Bill Gore '65 will retain his job as County Sheriff.

Pam Woodberry '62 was enjoying the sites on Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee when she looked down to see this.  Turned out to be a different John Fry, the late founder of Ardent Studios in Memphis.  Click HERE to read more.

This photo popped up on Facebook this week.  Recognize it?  It's the old Mission Valley Bowlero bowling alley.  You might recognize it as the Scottish Rite Event Center.

Mike Roberts '62 has shared his collection of Euclid Elementary class photos, plus the 1955 Safety Patrol boys photos.  It's also the first time I've created a new web page with SeaMonkey software.  Click HERE to see how it came out.

It's been a while since I shared the decal collection of Sally Brett '63.  Click HERE to check it out.

June 1, 2018

I don't think he went to Crawford, but 19-year old Norman Xiong learned to play golf at Colina del Sol.  He has just turned professional and hopes this week to qualify for the U. S. Open.  Click HERE to read the entire article in this past Tuesday's Union-Tribune.

Here's the KCBQ Hit Parade Survey for June 3, 1958 -- sixty years ago.  Click HERE to check it out.  Many of my all time favorite songs are on this list.

Here's something else from sixty years ago -- the 1958 Guaranty Chevrolet Pony League team photo, shared a few years ago by Tom Christensen '63.  Click HERE to see an enlarged version with some names.

Steve Basko '70 passed away May 16th.   A memorial is to be held at the Mission Beach Women's Club, 840 Santa Clara Place, San Diego, CA 92109 at 1:00 PM, Sunday, June 3rd.

May 25, 2018

Well, THAT year went fast!!  It's time, once again, to remember those who gave everything for us.  Click HERE to visit the Colts Who Died In Vietnam page.

I've held on to this for a year -- I just can't remember who sent it to me originally.

Last Sunday's San Diego Union-Tribune Entertainment Section was all about the upcoming Lipinsky Family Jewish Festival.  That's Jeffrey and Sheila Smith Lipinsky above.  Yale Strom and his wife Elizabeth Schwartz (below) will perform on June 5th.  Sheila is a 1964 Colt, while Yale graduated in 1975. 

I came across a cute historical snippet by Angela Landsberg.  It's about a 1977 bus ride from her home on Park Boulevard to Palisade Gardens in North Park.  Click HERE and enjoy!!

Angela Landsberg's 1977 trip to Palisade Garden took place 41 years ago.  The May 23, 1968 Pacer pays tribute to Mrs. Lois Perry, who retired after a teaching career that lasted 41 years.  1977 doesn't seem that long ago.  For Mrs. Perry it meant she taught at Wilson Junior High the year it opened -- in 1925!!  Click HERE to read more

May 18, 2018

Remember when all you had to do was turn a knob to change stations on your car radio?  Nancy has "Music of the '40s" on her Kia Sirius radio and I allowed as how I missed the '50s tunes she used to play.  I think I could land a 747 before I could figure out how to work Sirius.   We realized we'd have to head back to my house, get on the computer and access Google to find out how to change stations.  Oh, are you waiting to hear what happened?  We got back to my place but forgot why we were there.  I'm gonna look for a YouTube instructional video today.

Any chance you were a teammate of Richard Lidbom on the 1958 Piggly Wiggly Little League team?  I have the team photo on the web site, but no names -- not even Richard's.  Click HERE to investigate.

I'm not sure what Fillies Follies was, but the late Ann Roskos Rofflesen shared the program from the March 20, 1963 event.  Rollie Fanton, Linda Johnson, and Kathy Houser were the opening act.  I think they also performed at the 50 Year Reunion.  Click HERE to take a look.

Are you a 1962 Rolando Park graduate?  You might be in Mike Newell's class photos -- Kindergarten through Grade 6.  Click HERE to check them out.

May 11, 2018

To misquote Mark Twain, "there are lies, damn lies, and commercials."  I spotted one for lasik surgery for (I think) $399* per eye.  I was certain the asterisk would reveal the REAL cost, but when I looked at the bottom of the TV screen the fine print was blurry.  Gosh, it might lead a person to think they needed eye surgery.  (This was just an observation.  My eyes are just fine -- with glasses)

Click HERE to read all four pages of the May 9, 1968 Golden Anniversary Pacer.  Maybe YOU know who was trying to sell a '57 Chevy Bel-Air for $325.

Well, THIS one slipped through the cracks!!  If I had posted The Mighty 690 Top Forty on April 21, 2018 it would have been 60 years old.   Guess it's still worth a gander.  Click HERE to check it out.

Courtesy of Paula Kincaid