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)

November 30, 2018

I'm not sure I get this -- which is what makes it so hilarious.

This is a postcard of the interior of a Pat Brillo's restaurant.  A discussion on Facebook centers around which Pat Brillo's it might have been.  The postcard is from the John and Jane Adams Postcard Collection at the SDSU Library.  Click HERE to read more about it -- and discover the connection between Pat Brillo's and Julio's, on 45th and University.

Ernie Cowan's most recent outdoors column hits close to home, especially if you were in Boy Scouts with my 1962 classmate.  Ernie's article on the prickly cholla cactus harkened back to an incident in which his troop was camping in the desert and one of the scouts backed into a cactus.  Writes Ernie, "The gang of Scouts gathered around as the victim dropped his trousers while the scoutmaster began the painful task of removing the hooked spines. It was a memorable event with a very high snicker factor."  I wonder if the wounded youth went on to Crawford.  Click HERE to read the article.

Here's the Pacer from November 27, 1963, five days after the assassination of President Kennedy.  Click HERE to read all four pages.  Spoiler alert -- Jan Raborn was elected Homecoming Queen, Jan Irvine was December Girl of the Month, and Carnival was selected as the theme for the ASB Ball.

Did you know the late Carol Wellington '63?  Doesn't matter.  You'll still like reading the homage her son Jeffree Benet has posted on the web.  Click HERE and enjoy.   

November 23, 2018

Veterans' Day must have jogged the memory of Carlene Smelko Malin '64.  She shared a rubbing of classmate Rim Dungey's name on The Wall during a trip to DC this summer.

I forgot to share a photo of myself during my Navy days.  This was taken in a studio on Pine Street in Long Beach in 1948 while I was on liberty.

Turns out the 54th St Street Video goes northbound from El Cajon Blvd to Montezuma, in the days before Collwood Blvd -- and back.  Click HERE to check it out.

Last week's photo of Margaret Richardson '59 posing with her new J. C. Higgins bicycle at her home in Frontier Housing was well received.  Brother Bob Richardson '61 has decided to share a photo of his ownself , taken at the same time, circa 1949.

Greg May has apparently added some photos to the Campus Drive-in album of his Vintage San Diego Facebook page.  If you have Facebook you should be able to click HERE and check them out.

The Golden Anniversary Pacer is the issue of November 27, 1968.  Click HERE to read all six pages.

I've just learned of the passing of Frank Greiner on August 23, 2018.  He and his wife Georgi Dukes Greiner '71 raised Gypsy horses at Hacienda de los Gitanos, their ranch in Ramona.  Frank's father shipped him off to the military so he has no photo in the annual.   

A Celebration of Life for Carolyn Schneider Reyes '75, who passed away August 17th, will be held Saturday, December 1st, at Cannonball, 3105 Ocean Front Walk, from 1 to 3.  Cannonball is part of Belmont Park.  Click HERE for the E-Vite.

November 16, 2018

The Class of 1970 had a mini-reunion at Kris Pruski Wood's beautiful new home in Prescott, Arizona on Sunday, November 11th.  Front row: Jan Gasulla Lawton and Kris; Back row: Steve Hoke, Gary Gallerstein, Wayne Zucker, Craig Juleen, and Bernie Feldman.  Jan also lives in Prescott and Gary lives in nearby Sedona.  The rest of us haven't moved from San Diego yet, but were in Sedona visiting with Gary and doing some hiking over the long Veteran's Day weekend.  BTW, while hiking in Sedona Saturday we had an argument about whether our old friend and classmate Matt Leddick was the Marlboro Man or the Winston Man up on the billboards back in the '70s.  We located Matt's phone number from his Santa Ynez real estate agent website and surprised him with a speakerphone call right from the trail (which also included Butch Hiller, '71). Shockingly, it turns out Matt was the Winston Man! -- Wayne Zucker

Speaking of moving to Arizona, I stumbled on the fact that if I move to Peeples Valley, population 374, I could pick up a mobile home for $71,500 -- and my address would be on S John Fry Avenue!!

I'm going deaf -- and blind!!  I would have sworn this hearing aid ad in the Union-Tribune was for grandparents who wish to "fear" their grandchildren.  I don't have any grandchildren so I'm off the hook.

Jack Tempchin '65 is in the news again.  This time the man who penned "Peaceful Easy Feeling" for the Eagles, is going into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, along with Mariah Carey, Vince Gill and Cat Stevens.  Click HERE to read George Varga's article in the UT.

Ron Dixon sent compliments for last week's photos of him in Little League.  The ex-Charger Cannon Man also shared a photo taken of him at StubHub with his own Chargers jersey.   (I thought Philip Rivers wore #17)

Last Sunday marked the 100th Anniversary of the end of WWI -- the War to End All Wars.  100 years ago seems ancient, but 50 years ago doesn't.  I meant to honor my buddy Ron Davidson last August 5th, 50 years after his death in Vietnam.  Some of you knew him as Coach Davidson at Horace Mann.   Click HERE to take another look at the page I have devoted to him.

Crawford played Lincoln on this date in 1962.  They met at San Diego State, in Aztec Bowl, where Viejas Arena is today.  The game started at 8 PM.  I'm falling asleep in the Barcalounger these days at 8 PM.  Click HERE to take a look at the program.

I LOVE this 1949 photo of Margaret Richardson '59 taken at Frontier Housing.  A Facebook discussion of Frontier Housing popped up this week, including a 1992 article in The Reader.  Click HERE to revisit my web page dedicated to Frontier Housing, and HERE to look at the article in the Reader.

Who knew?  There is a digital archives on the SanDiego.gov site.  You can look at photos, videos, and listen to old City Council meetings.  I clicked on the Northbound 54th St video.  I don't think it is northbound.  I'm not even sure it's 54th, but it sure looks familiar.  Click HERE if you'd like to check it out.