San Diego's "Most Interesting" Man

Union-Tribune columnist Logan Jenkins thinks Sandy Shapery's idea to use 1915 Trolleys to reduce traffic in Balboa Park makes him San Diego's most interesting man.  Click HERE to read the column.

May 25, 1961 Golden Anniversary Pacer

Click HERE to find out who was chosen as Song and Cheerleaders for the 1961-1962 school year.  Lots of other goodies too.  Remember Sandy Shapery's winning auto?  How about Senior Sketches.

Historic El Cajon Boulevard

Click HERE to take a trip down Historic El Cajon Boulevard.

Jan Philipsen Richardson '69

Jan passed away peacefully on May 27, 2011 after a short battle with Multiple Myeloma.  You can read more about her on the Class of '69 Obituary Page as well as sign the On-Line Guest Book

Memorial Day 2011

Sometime today you might want to stop by the Colts Who Died In Vietnam Page for a minute.  Make sure you watch the Colts at Fort Rosecrans Video produced by the Multimedia Visual Arts School at Crawford.  Say a silent thank you to all of the men and women who we honor on Memorial Day.

Field of Screens

Have a question about a San Diego County drive-in theater?   Jay Allen Sanford probably answered it in his Field of Screens article in the July 6, 2006 Reader.  Brew up a cup of coffee and turn off your phone 'cause you're gonna be busy for a while.  Click HERE to go way back in time.

Lee Cook '66 presents the Joe Grease Band

Las Cajones is the new CD from Lee Cook '66 and the Joe Grease Band, with a tribute to the old Bostonia Ballroom in El Cajon.  Lee says the place was owned by Smokey Rogers and Cactus Jim Soldi.  Jim Jr., who played with Johnny Cash and Ricky Skaggs, plays lead guitar on this album.  Click HERE to read the "back" of the album, download tracks or to purchase the album.  Lee says a "substantial percentage" of the monies will go to help returning veterans.

El Cerrito Heights

My buddy Willie Skinner brought over a January 1942 National Geographic and asked if I could copy two photos out of it for the La Jolla Historical Society.  While paging through the magazine I spotted a photo of a neighborhood that looked familiar, probably because I could spot the Chollas Towers in the background.  Laura Marchese Stephenson '69 knew immediately where it was, as did Barbara Gurling McAlexander '64.  Bob Richardson '61 was then able to add a current shot of roughly the same area.  Click HERE to see what I've cobbled together.

Sandy Shapery: Preservationist of the Year

I knew Sandy Shapery '61 built the iconic Shapery Towers and I knew he once owned the Victorian Hinkle House in Pacific Beach, but I sure didn't know he'd been preserving old homes for 40 years.  Click HERE to read the nice article in last Sunday's Union-Tribune.

USS Saratoga: CV-3

You can get pretty good deals on my book about the USS Saratoga CV-3 on Amazon  If you're willing to pay full price, I have a couple of copies on hand that I can autograph.

Linda Zweig

Wow!!  Who knew??  You can watch an episode of Huell Howser's California Gold AND get to check out Linda Zweig '75.   Actually it's Episode #103 of California's Golden Fairs and, I believe, was shot on opening day of last year's Del Mar Fair.  Linda is spokesperson for the Del Mar Fairgrounds and does a great job.  Click HERE to watch (and get ready to figure out how to turn down the volume)

Maynard's by the Sea

Turns out the late, great -- totally crazy -- Maynard Heatherly was the first husband of Marion Caster Baker, the San Diego State majorette who was depicted in neon on the front of the Campus Drive-in.  Click HERE to read all about Maynard and the bar that bore his name.

Anne Marie Parent Richardson

Anne Marie Parent Richardson '64 passed away May 1, 2011.  A celebration honoring her life will be held at 4 PM, Saturday, May 21st, at Cottonwood Golf Club.  Click HERE to go to the Class of 1964 Obituary Page to read what her cousin Marc Parent had to say.  Click HERE to sign the on-line Guest Book.

Iconic Majorette Dies

Marion Caster Heatherly Baker died of Alzheimer's Disease on March 25, 2011.  She was the model for the neon majorette on the Campus Drive-In.  Click HERE to read all about her.

KGB Top 30 for May 3, 1971

Number 1 was "Chick-A-Boom" by Daddy Dewdrop.   Never heard of it.  I recall Numbers 2 and 3 -- "Joy to the World" and "Me and My Arrow".  Click HERE to read the entire Boss 30 KGB List.

Pacer for May 11, 1961

Jim Pieri was elected ASB President, Dave Steimke's Austin-Healey was Car of the Month, Sandra Ann Rogers and Ernest Justin Dronenburg, Jr were the Senior Sketches, and Gymnast Dave Sleet was voted May Athlete of the Month.  Click HERE to read all about it!!

Arizona Surprise Artist

Bill Grigg '70 resides in Surprise, Arizona where he enjoys drawing and painting animals, portraits, landscapes and Southwestern scenes.  One of his works has been chosen for display at the West Valley Arts Gallery, in Glendale, Arizona, from May 6th to June 17th.  

What, No Majorette?

The announcement this week from one Aaron Clippinger that he has the neon from the Campus Drive-in, minus the majorette, made me think it's time to take another look at the Campus Drive-in Page.  Click HERE.

Three Hot Surfer Chicks

Here's Karin Lynch '73.  If you want to see Pam Fallgren and Kristi Lynch, both Class of '71, click HERE.  

Remember Cigar Boxes?

They were GREAT for storing stuff.  That's where I found Fry Family negatives from the 1940s, a lot of which were still in the envelopes belonging to the original photo processors.  I've shared some of them with you on the Memories Page, including a couple of inserts that were included with the negatives.  Click HERE to take a look.

Joe Randazzo Obituary

An obituary appeared in the April 28th issue of the Beach & Bay Press for Joe Randazzo '60 who died of a heart attack at his home in Pacific Beach on Sunday, March 27th.   In the meantime you can take another look at the page I posted to the web site last August featuring photos of Joe's Chevron Station and a link to a nice story about Joe in the Beach & Bay Press.  

Comanche Bowl

I'm not sure which is bringing back more memories, Comanche Bowl or the ashtray.  Click HERE to see the photo enlarged.

Aztec Bowl

You know what the Campus Drive-in and Aztec Bowl have in common?  They're both history, but their neon lingers on.  Click HERE to see some photos of the current site of Aztec Bowl on 30th Street.

Colts in the News

Who knew?  Gail Mitchell '71 is some sort of Hollywood hotshot from Billboard Magazine.  Read the article on the Grammies by George Varga in the February 11th Union-Tribune

Colt Senior Reaches For The Stars

Crawford Senior Idris Ahmed is into rock climbing and is headed to Stanford.  Quite a feat for someone who grew up in wartorn Somalia.  Read the article from the April 22nd Union-Tribune.

Golden Anniversary Pacer

Remember -- Summer Is Polio Season!!  Get your shots for $1.00.  That's one of the many helpful hints from the April 27, 1961 Pacer -- 50 years ago.  Enjoy.

She is a Colt After All!!

Donna Foster Westfall '65 shares an article from last weekend's Wall Street Journal about an exhibit at Chicago's Field Museum featuring a piece by Deborah Butterfield '66.  Click HERE to read the article.

Bowlero

University Lanes is gone, and so are most of the bowling alleys we remember from our youth.  The Mission Valley Bowlero is still around -- sort of.  It's now the Scottish Rite Masonic Center.  Click HERE to view the aerial photos Howard Rozelle took on October 23, 1960.  He was documenting the construction of Mission Valley Center, but -- across the freeway from May Company -- you can see Bowlero.

The Map & Atlas Museum of La Jolla

Richard Cloward '61 is the director of the new Map & Atlas Museum of La Jolla.  The public will now be able to view some of the world's rarest maps.

Revenge of the Nerd

Scot Shaw '68 reveals how Vice-Principal James Kaupp encouraged him to "Be All That He Could Be!"  Click HERE to read Scott's comic strip.

The General's Wife

I knew Sue Wilkerson '71 was married to Major General William McCasland.  I just didn't know she was a rock star.  She'll be looking for a new band when hubby takes over the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson AFB in Ohio in May.  Listen to her sing at SeeJoeRock.

The REST of the story

See that snazzy shot of a horse running wild on the cover of the del potrillo 1960?  Bob Richardson took it while visiting the family ranch in Baja with Mike Roberts '62 in tow.  Click HERE to see some photos and read the story.

It's All About Sharon Mass

Bob Biehler '61 shares an email flurry between he and classmate Sharon Mass Miller, the upshot of which we now have a page of Sharon Mass photos as well as Sharon's 4th, 5th, and 6th Grade class photos from Oak Park Elementary.  Click HERE to see some shots of Sharrin, as she now prefers to be called.  Click HERE to see the Oak Park photos.

Golden Anniversary Pacer

Circe's Cup!!  THAT brings back memories.  What does the ad say?  Folk ballads, exotic coffees, and sweet ciders.   Just one of many ads and stories in the Spring Fashion Issue of the Crawford Pacer.  Click HERE to read all six pages.

Soul Surfer

Click HERE to learn more about Soul Surfer, the movie about Bethany Hamilton's career as a surfer after a shark attack cost her her left arm.  Bethany is the daughter of Cheri Lynch Hamilton '71

University Lanes and Red Coat Inn

Click HERE to check out a large postcard with several interior shots of University Lanes Bowling Alley and the Red Coat Inn.

San Diego State 1973

Bob Richardson '61 shares another aerial photo taken by his brother-in-law during a flight over the San Diego State area in 1973.  Click HERE to get the big picture.  Email Bob if you are interested in a framable copy 

Oak Park Elementary: 1952-1955

"Mr. Hennie" was Bob Biehler's teacher for at least two years at Oak Park Elementary. Didn't he also teach at Horace Mann?  Click HERE to check out the photos Bob shared.  Maybe you can help name some of the kids in the photos.

Golden Anniversary Pacer

Remember when theaters were huge, the last few rows were loge seating, and movies stuck around for months?  The theater in this ad started as the Egyptian, we knew it as the Capri, it morphed into The Park -- and it's now condominiums (or is it condominia?).  Anyway, the ad is from the March 23, 1961 issue of the Pacer.  Click HERE to give it a read.

Boney's Little League

Dan Lewis '62 figured, with all the talk about Boney's Market, he'd send in his Boney's Little League team photos from 1955, 1956, and 1957 -- AGAIN.  It's a good chance to look at them again and see if you can help identify some of the kids.  Click HERE to get started.

Put Me In Coach!!!

Good News!!!!   Turns out the local nine didn't work over Bill Center '63 with their bats.  The complete paragraph read:  Padres beat writer Bill Center previews the Padres' season, plus capsules on each division and season predictions. 


Click HERE to check it out.

Top 50 San Diego High School Basketball Players

Three Colts made the list of The Top 50 San Diego CIF Basketball Players, issued Wednesday by the San Diego Hall of Champions.  You'd have to be Bill Center '63 or Joe Naiman '82 to be good enough to name the three.  Luckily they're both on the committee to name the Top 50 San Diego CIF BASEBALL Players, which they will do this Spring.  Click HERE to read the Union-Tribune article.  Click HERE to see the list.

Fill 'Er Up?

I'm not exactly sure how he got into it, but for the last seven years Dave Folck '67 has been restoring vintage gas pumps.  (NOW I know why he was so excited about San Diego Photo #4 on my web site)  Click HERE to check out some of his work.

Viva Las Vegas

Valerie Hood Kennedy '68 (that's not her picture) wrote to tell me how wonderful I was and that she still sees her high school pals Cheryl Knowles Shelton and Karla Hilger Medlock, as well as her Horace Mann PE Coach Ms. Wangard (THAT's her picture).  THAT sent me back to a weekend in 1967 (I think) when Ms. Wangard and I were two of four people in a cramped Mustang headed for Las Vegas.  Click HERE to go to the Ron Davidson link on the Faculty Obituary Page and read about our trip.  Ron was also a PE Coach at Horace Mann.  He died in Vietnam a year after this photo was taken.  I think you'll enjoy what folks had to say about him, if you haven't already seen this page.

San Diego Photo #17

Remember last month when the snow level got down to 1000 feet and mountains you didn't know existed were dusted with the white stuff?  Kim Kerr Cook '75 forwards a spectacular San Diego panorama taken from Point Loma by John Lyons.  Click HERE to check it out.

Golden Anniversary Pacer

Click HERE to read the Golden Anniversary Pacer from March 9, 1961

Crawford High Web Site

There would appear to be a whole bunch of Colts who enjoy the Fry Day emails but don't really know about the web site.  It's filled with all manner of Crawford stuff.  Click HERE to go to the home page, then click your way to lotsa fun.

Class of '62 Reunion Meeting

Mike Rossman '62 will be hosting the first Class of '62 Golden Reunion planning committee meeting at Terra, his restaurant in Hillcrest on Tuesday, March 15th at 5:30 PM.  Ad Hoc Chair Bev Wickstrom encourages all interested classmates to attend.  "Bring an idea -- or another '62 grad," she says.  Click HERE to access the Terra website contact page.

Toddlers and Tiaras

8-year old Oceanside resident Nikki Hahn is the star of a hilarious video put together by Tom Hanks for the Jimmy Kimmel show.   Click HERE to read about her in the Union-Tribune.  Click HERE to watch the seven-minute video.  (I just figured out if you click on the thingy in the lower right hand corner of the video it fills up your whole computer screen -- it's like being in the front row at the movies.)

Nathan East Up For Jazz Award

Nathan East '73 is one of five finalists for the Bass Player of the Year award at this weekend's Oasis Jazz Awards.  I don't know when or where the awards will be held, but you can click HERE to go to the Oasis Jazz Awards website.