December 11, 2015

I made Billy Don Wood an Honorary Member of the Class of '65 some years ago after learning his parents whisked him off to Oklahoma after 9th Grade.  Lately he's been wondering if he would have been a Colt after all.  "I lived on 47th Street, a block south of University," he says, "and am wondering if I would have been sent to Hoover".  Does anyone know the answer?

The Winter Issue of the Alumni Newsletter is in the mail, so those of you who are paid subscribers should be on the lookout.    Click HERE if you might be interested in subscribing to the 12-page quarterly publication.

Sherri Schuler Lightner '68 was re-elected president of the San Diego City Council on Monday last. Click HERE to read the article in the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Jan Tonnesen posted this postcard of San Diego State College to Facebook.  Your guess is as good as mine as to what year it was published.

This snapshot showed up on Facebook this morning.  The address is 3422 Redwood.  Isn't that Colt Country?

December 4, 2015

Julie Swann Paez '83 is recovering from gunshot wounds suffered in the San Bernardino shootings. Keep her and her loved ones in your thoughts.

Crawford lost to Coronado 21-7 in last week's Division V Football Championship game.  What a great season!

The Colts' Hoop Season got underway Wednesday with a 71-67 win over Olympian.  They play at Grossmont tonight at 7 PM

If you're old enough to remember going downtown to meet Santa in the 1950s you might enjoy some Bill Reid photos recently posted to Greg May's Vintage San Diego Facebook page.  Heck, you might be IN the photos.

Poway resident Michael Mosteller '66 passed away October 7th.   Click HERE to share an on-line memory.

November 27, 2015

Today's the day the phone rings off the hook and I have to tell people they have the wrong number -- they haven't reached Fry's Electronics.  By the way, am I the only one that thinks of the Middle Ages or the Stock Market Crash when I hear the phrase Black Friday?

Crawford will meet Coronado tomorrow night at 7 PM for the Division V Football Championship, to be played at Southwestern College.  The Colts beat Vincent Memorial last week 23-19.

Thought you might enjoy this ad from the October 28, 1966 Daily Aztec that recently showed up on Facebook.

I first saw this night shot of Oscar's Drive-In on a T-Shirt at Nicolodeon, the record shop on Adams Avenue owned by Betsy Scarborough '63.  I was certain it was the El Cajon Blvd Oscars, but it turned out to be the one on Pacific Highway.  If you squint your eyes you can still pretend.

You never know who's going to enjoy something on Fry Day.  I certainly didn't think the 51st St Travelodge postcard would have a fan.  I was wrong.  My classmate Rhedis Breeden shared the following:  OMG....My parents owned the Travelodge at 5090 El Cajon Blvd and is where I grew up!!! Memory fails me but we moved either late Jr. High or beginning of High School at Crawford.  I wish it was still like it was during our days there.  Thank you so much for sharing as I do not have a picture of 5090 or even a post card.  Good memories.

November 20, 2015

Crawford beat Maranatha Christian 33-12 last week to advance to the second round of the Division V Playoffs, against Vincent Memorial tonight at 7.  The good news is, the Colts were victorious in a previous game against Vincent Memorial.  The bad news is that it's hard to beat a team twice in a season.  I think tonight's game is at Lincoln.

Nancy has "The '50s" permanently playing on the Sirius radio in her Hyundai Tucson.  When "Mr. Sandman" came on recently she stated, "That song got Christine Loss elected 5th Grade President at Andrew Jackson".  Apparently Christine, or her committee, substituted "Vote Christine Loss" for "Bum, bum, bum, bum"  in the chorus.  Click HERE to sing along on YouTube.

Greg May has added a couple of El Cajon Boulevard motels to the Postcard Album on his Vintage San Diego Facebook Page.  I believe both of these establishments are still in business

Travelodge • 5090 El Cajon Blvd

Imperial 400 • 6624 El Cajon Blvd

Yvonne Evjen Piscopo '72, wife of Phil Piscopo '71, passed away on November 7th.    Click HERE to read her obituary.

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