November 13, 2015

BRRRR.  IT'S COLD IN PACIFIC BEACH but my one-lung wall heater is trying to make things right.

Crawford ran up 28 points last week against previously unbeaten Vincent Memorial before settling for a 28-12 win.  They play Maranatha Christian at 7 PM tonight at San Diego High School.  This may actually be the first round of the Division V CIF Football Championships.

The Crawford Student Store needs a portable air conditioner.  Due to construction on campus they are now cohabitating with a very warm Slushie machine.  If you can help, or have ideas, call or text Susan Marshall Gordon at 619-865-3410

Ron Jagodinski and his neighbor Bill Dunable (Hoover '63) get ready to rumble in Ron's college ride, a 1957 Alfa Romeo Giuletta.  The snapshot said January 1964 on the border.  I've added the photo to the Cars We Drove To School page on my web site.

This photo appeared on Facebook last week and I shared it on the Colt Corral Facebook page, wondering if the blonde was one of the Roel Sisters.  Victor Perez answered in the affirmative, saying it was Debbie Roel, Class of '68.   But wait, it's a two-fer!! Victor says the other girl is Adele Rabin, Class of '69.  Click HERE if you want to see an enlarged photo.

The Veterans' Day issue of the Los Angeles Times had a nice piece by Tony Perry on the refurbishing of the USS Recruit.  We always called it the USS Never Sail at our house.  Click HERE to read the article.

Services for Cheryl McIntire O'Neill '62 will be held Sunday, November 15th, 2 PM, at Sycuan Resort.  Click HERE to read her obituary.

November 6, 2015

The Crawford football team is unstoppable.  Last Friday they beat Calipatria 31-0, which makes four straight shutouts.  Tonight they play Calexico's Vincent Memorial at Lincoln High.  Kickoff is 6:30 PM.

Not much happening in Coltville, so I'm digging out the Golden Oldies.  Click HERE to look at a menu from Aunt Emma's Pancakes, courtesy of Ann Roskos Roffelsen '63

Sally Rice Fox sends word of the passing of Nancy Taylor '72 on October 24th.  Click HERE to learn more.

October 30, 2015

Break up the Crawford Football Empire!!   The Colts beat Calipatria 40-0 last Friday, which -- if my math is correct -- means they've outscored their last three opponents 128-0.  They travel tonight to Pine Valley for a 6 PM face-off against Mountain Empire.

55 years ago Crawford traveled down El Cajon Blvd to Hoover for a game against La Jolla.  Click HERE to read the program.

Greg May has added 5 1959 shots to the San Diego State Album of his Vintage San Diego Facebook page.  This is the way it looked when I entered in 1962.

I'm wondering now, based on information sent in by Richard Cone, if the sign above might have been placed at Rolando and El Cajon, not far from College Village Apartments.  The advertisement below lists an address at 6525 El Cajon Blvd.  Click HERE to check out the web page sent in by Richard.

October 23, 2015

Gas up the Edsel!!  The Crawford football team is playing Calipatria tonight at 7 PM.  Mapquest says it's a 2 1/2 hour drive from San Diego.  It's supposed to be a balmy 92 degrees.  I mention this because the Colt gridders manhandled Holtville 28-0 at last week's Homecoming Game.  They're on a roll.

This photo, taken in May 1941, showed up on Facebook this week.  I wonder where it was taken.  That looks like Mt Helix between the big sign and the old oval-style bus stop sign on the right.

Greg May has added another photo to the Palisade Gardens Album of his Vintage San Diego Facebook page.

Al Osborn shares a snapshot of his buddies at graduation in 1964.  Click HERE if you'd like to see it in Vista Vision -- and read the caption.

Last Saturday's Union-Tribune contained an obituary for Gary Foor '61, who passed away earlier this year.

Richard Cone '69 sent word of the passing of Charlotte Tenney, his classmate and fellow columnist at the Presidio Sentinel.  You can read two tributes to her on the Class of '69 Obituary Page.

We've just learned of the passing, in 2009, of Diane Gittings Presley in Eagle, Idaho.

October 16, 2015

Holtville and Crawford will meet on the football field at Lincoln High School tonight at 6:30 PM.  It's Homecoming for the Colts.

I received two tributes recently for Colts who died in Vietnam.  Rather than wait for Veterans' Day or Memorial Day (and possibly forget) I'll share them with you today.

John Flinn '60 was killed on July 2, 1969 when his Douglas Skyraider was shot down over Laos. Ron Jagodinski '62 remembers meeting John during ROTC at Crawford.  Click HERE to read Ron's tribute.

Steve Bartman '67 received the Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously for his actions as a door gunner before a crash that killed all aboard on January 8, 1969.  Steve's brother Tom Bartman '66 shares the photo above, plus copies of his Air Medal Citation and the Army report.  Click HERE to peruse them for yourself.

October 9, 2015

Yowee!!  The Colt football team trounced Southwest High last Friday 60-0.  Brings back memories of our game against San Diego my Sophomore Year -- except the score was reversed.  The next football game will be the Homecoming Game against Holtville on October 16th at Lincoln High School at 6:30 PM

Some folks impugned my integrity by claiming they couldn't see my shoe at the left in the postcard photo above, so I've enlarged that portion of the shot.

Are you happy now?

The drinks are on me -- or maybe not.  I received my biannual royalty check from Schiffer Publishing for my book on the USS Saratoga CV-3.  It was in the amount of $26.05.

Another blast from the past from the Jagodinski Archives.  Ron Jagodinski '62 stands next to the model railway train in Balboa Park in September 1952.  Click HERE to see an enlarged version, plus some color photos from Bill Ross '65.

Greg May posted this bus photo on his Vintage San Diego Facebook page.  Can you tell why he added it to his Oscar's Drive-In Album?

Mike Poulson '73 sends word of the belated passing, in 2011, of his next door neighbor Mike Sentovic '74

October 2, 2015

Overheard at Starbucks: "Halloween must be coming up.  They've got the Christmas decorations out at Walmart".

"Honey, they're playing OUR song."  I think it was "Moon River" when I graduated in 1962.  I read in this week's Los Angeles Times that the lovely Rihanna has a new tune, "Bitch Better Have My Money".  Awwwww.  Makes you wanna cry.

Diane Bell, in yesterday's U-T, congratulated Bob Watkins '61 on his induction into the U. S. Rugby Hall of Fame.  I wonder which Crawford coach he credits for his rugby success.  Click HERE to read Diane's column.

Crawford's football team lost to Monte Vista last week 21-14.  They play at Southwest High School tonight  at 7 PM

Unbelievable!!  You can buy a picture of my foot on EBay for $1.50.  Actually it's a picture of my shoe.  Well, it's really a postcard of me chatting with Julie Curren on her bike at the end of Reed Avenue around 1975.  A really sharp eye can spot the tip of my shoe atop the seawall at the very left.

It's not very often that I see something that knocks my socks off.   Jon Tonnesen posted to Facebook the link to a model railroad replica of downtown San Diego as it looked in 1908 when the Great White Fleet anchored in Coronado Roads.  Click HERE to be astonished and amazed.

Here's another great Jagodinski photo taken on San Diego Bay.  Ron Jagodinski '62 and his mom Midge pose in front of three destroyers at Broadway Pier in late 1952.  Click HERE for an enlargement and additional details.

Doug Payne stumbled onto the Crawford web site and thought he'd forward a photo of his favorite grandpa -- Marcus Frye '60 -- who passed away in 2008.

A full obituary for Lynn Elliott Townsend was published in last Sunday's U-T.  Click HERE to read it.

Janet Nipper '62 passed away in Riverside, CA on September 24, 2015

September 25, 2015

Could you feel it when Summer gave way to Autumn this past Wednesday?  Me neither.  I'm sure the cool weather will be along any day now.

Susan Marshall Gordon is not getting the response she's hoped for regarding convertibles for the October 16th Homecoming Parade.  Let me know if you can help -- or have any ideas.

Paula Wroclawski Masters and Donna Foster Westfall purchased my last two '65 Centaurs.  I will be sending a check for $100 to the Crawford Foundation.  And hats off to original yearbook advisor Jesse Morphew for donating them in the first place.

Crawford plays Monte Vista tonight at 7 PM.  They lost last week to La Jolla Country Day 42-18, so their record is now 3-1.

Did you hear me last week on NPR's "Only A Game"?  Bill Littlefield asked me to read from an email I sent about Draftkings.com.  Click HERE if you'd like to listen in.  

Apparently spurred on by last week's photo of "Cowboy Johnnie" Fry, Ron Jagodinski discovered a 1953 shot of himself at Monte Hall's Playland.  Click HERE to see an enlargement and caption.

Here's another University and Euclid streetcar photo from Greg May's Vintage San Diego Facebook page.  This one's in color and was contributed by East San Diego expert Gary Mitrovich '76.  That's the Silverado Ballroom behind the west-bound trolley.

Here's a different view of University and Euclid, a fund-raising car wash, taken in July 1971 and posted on Facebook by Dan Palermo.  That's the Silverado Ballroom at the right.

Photos continue to pop up on Facebook of the area around Euclid and University, lately of the Tower Bar.  Click HERE to see some historical photos, and HERE to see recent shots by photographer extraordinaire Julie Vaughn.

Lynn Elliott Townsend '62 passed away last week.  In June Lynn learned that her cancer had returned.  Treatment was unsuccessful. Two weeks ago, Lynn was moved from home hospice care to a lovely Hospice House in Del Cerro.   Additional details should be forthcoming.  Condolences can be sent to her sons Bobby and Chris Townsend, 4816 Adams Avenue, San Diego  CA  92115

Catherine Heil Petersen '69 died in Kalispell, Montana on August 19, 2015.  Click HERE to read her obituary.

Reggie Adams '74 passed away August 30, 2015.  He was a resident of Mansfield, Texas and had served his country in the United States Army for 21 years.