March 31, 2017

Dick "The Map Man" Cloward thought, if you liked the 1977 "Whimsical" Map of San Diego, you might enjoy this 1915 "Aerial" of the Panama California Exposition.  Click HERE for an enlarged version.

A number of folks were "certain" the mystery girl at 3626 Balboa Vista Drive was Barbara Brandt '64 -- or possibly her sister Kit Brandt '68.  Kit Brandt wasn't buying either of the guesses, so I guess I'll move on.

The Beatles held the top five spots on the KCBQ Top 40 of March 29, 1964.  Click HERE to check out the complete list.

I posted this 1959 Thomas Brothers Map Book a while back, but thought it might be worth another look.  Buckle up and click HERE to page through some memories.

March 24, 2017

The drinks are on me!!  Got my State Income Tax refund from California State Controller Betty Yee.  Hold on -- does that say $3.00? 

Gary Juleen '64 waxes rhapsodic about the late Richard Brosio, locker checks and getting busted for leaving campus -- and he shares a 1969 Free Press article about a Colt found with shocking contraband in her locker.  Click HERE for all the dirt.

Kathy Keeyes Antus '68 was in town last weekend to marry off her son, so she threw a party for her brother Joe as well.  Click HERE to see photos from a Class of '63 luncheon.

Here's the KCBQ Top 30 for March 22, 1976.  I recognize only a few.  By 1976 I had been teaching at Hale Junior High for seven years and -- ironically -- was out of touch of the musical preferences of teenagers.

The above and below photos popped up on Facebook last week aligned with the address 2675 Balboa Vista Dr, which should be in the Crawford attendance area.  The photo above had a May 1960 date on it.  Anybody recognize these folks?

John Burton '63 died on March 16th.  "My brother passed away of a massive coronary while doing what he loved best, putting his boat in the water to go fishing on Lake Norfolk in Mountain Home, Arkansas", said Dan Burton ’66

March 17, 2017

You know you're getting old when you deliberately don't wear green on St. Patrick's Day and hope someone will pinch you.

This 1977 illustrated map of San Diego popped up on Facebook.  Click HERE if you'd like to see the enlarged version on my web site.

Notice the directions to the New Grossmont College Gymnasium: drive to the north end of Lake Murray Blvd.  This ad is from the March 16, 1967 Golden Anniversary issue of the Pacer.  It's 6 pages long and has corrections made by Editor-in-Chief Pat Edwards. 

If nothing else watching the World Baseball Classic taught me that Puerto Rico (above) and Cuba (below) have similar flags.  I wonder if you stare at one, then close your eyes, if you'll see the other.

These ads from the October 1954 Daily Aztec showed up on Facebook.  I've added them to the Jack-in-the-Box page on my web site.  Click HERE to take a look.

Karen Kees '62 sends word of the August 24, 2016 passing of her brother Ken '65.  Read more on the Class of '65 Obituary Page.

Shirlyn Potter Daddario '66 passed away February 1, 2017.   Click HERE to read a full obituary and/or sign the guest book.

Here's a new take on the Desert Isle cartoon genre.

March 10, 2017

Yippee!!  Daylight Saving Time begins on Sunday.  Set your timepieces an hour forward.  Some of us will be getting up in the dark, but it's worth it because it'll stay light an hour longer.

Remember when people would say "It was deja vu"?  I blame it on Yogi Berra that folks started saying "It was deja vu all over again."  In an article this week in the San Diego Union Tribune a gentleman was quoted as feeling like "The white elephant in the room."  This is the second time I've heard this mixed metaphor and I fear it will become the norm.  I'm thinking about "Taking the bull by the horns -- and letting the chips fall where they may."

Bob Mankoff, cartoon editor for the New Yorker, is stepping down after 20 years.  Click HERE if you'd like to read the article in the New York Times.

Who knew?  Israel cobbled together a team for the World Baseball Classic and, as of this writing, they've won their first three games.  They're giving credit to the Mensch on the Bench.  In the photo above, from an article in the New York Times, team members are trading caps for yarmulkes during the national anthem.  I love the World Baseball Classic.  In Monday's game, Chinese Taipei fielded a player with the last name of Hu.  It conjured up visions of Abbott and Costello's Who's On First. During the last WBC, as God is my witness, three players from South Korea batted consecutively -- all with the last name of Lee.

Crawford Soccer player Aweso Aweso was named a San Diego Union Tribune Athlete of the Month for February. 

Last week I showed this photo of a streetcar heading west on Broadway at 12th Avenue in the late 1940s.

Steve Keller '65 sent a photo of a San Francisco streetcar painted to honor what the experts call a PCC streetcar, which -- we learn -- operated in San Diego from 1937 to 1949.

Turns out San Diego ALSO runs a PCC streetcar on what is known as The Silver Line.  The schedule is cleverly designed to keep me from ever seeing the car in operation, since I don't drive and Nancy comes down on Mondays and Fridays.  Click HERE to check it out for yourself.

I've totally forgotten to post the Golden Anniversary Pacers.  Click HERE to read the issue from March 1, 1967.  Christa Petersen was voted March Girl of the Month.  I believe Christa is now a physician in Las Vegas.

I've just learned from Steve Ko that Nancy Zahalsky '67 -- twin sister to Gary Zahalzky -- passed away on December 13, 2013.

March 3, 2017

I wasn't sure why Scott Shaw '68 sent me the above graphic, then I noticed there was writing at the top.  He said the picture came from Warner Home Video, which is touting the release of "When Dinosaurs Ruled The Earth" -- AND a "passel of Joan Crawford movies."  I prefer to think it refers to the Class of '62, whose Football and Baseball teams both won CIF. 

Some photos popped up on Facebook showing a parade in Lemon Grove.  This shot features Miss East San Diego Laura Kiloh from the Crawford Class of '66

I LOVE this picture.  Every time it appears on Facebook I am compelled to share it with you.  It shows a San Diego Electric Railway Class VII streetcar headed west on Broadway at 12th Avenue, which is now Park Boulevard.

Birthday parties, like everything else, have changed over the course of 60 years.  Kathy Keeyes celebrated her 7th Birthday on March 17, 1957 on Channel 8's Monte Hall Show (above).  Last weekend my Starbucks pal Ande went to her grandson's 7th birthday.  The kiddies got to play with, among other critters, a very large snake.  I hope that was mentioned on the invitations.

Peter Rowe wrote a nice piece on Ramla Sahid in this week's Union Tribune.  A 2004 Crawford graduate, Ramla is the Executive Director of Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans. Ramla was born in Mogadishu and raised in City Heights.  Click HERE to read the article.

The March 2017 issue of the Alumni Newsletter is back from the printer.  I hope to get it to subscribers next week.

Class of '65 newsletter subscribers should be getting renewal notices in the mail this week.  Click HERE if you'd like to renew -- or subscribe for the first time -- over the internet.

February 24, 2017

Don Christofferson '68, Sandi Patty '74, and Linda Skeen Christofferson '70 pose for a photo after Sandi Patty's Forever Grateful Concert last Friday.   "We have been fans of Sandi's ever since her singing career began in 1979.  She was as fabulous as ever!" report the Christoffersons.

This wonderful color photo of the Cotton Patch Restaurant, on Midway Drive, surfaced this week on Greg May's Vintage San Diego Facebook page.   I'm not sure when it closed, but it opened in 1947 and, in its heyday, spun off 20 Boll Weevil hamburger joints.

Most of the folks from the Class of '65 are turning 70 this year and I assume many of them are enjoying retirement.  Not San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore.  He announced this week that he'll be running for re-election in 2018.  Click HERE to read the article in the Union-Tribune.

I have just learned that Gunnar Biggs '71 stars as "The Muse" in "An Iliad" at the New Village Arts Theater in Carlsbad.  Sadly, there are only two performances remaining this weekend.  Click HERE for details.

Last call for the ArtReach fundraiser this Sunday at The Music Box, 1337 India Street, at 2:30.  It's chock full of Colts and benefits a good cause.  I won't be able to use my two free tickets.  They can be yours if you contact me in a timely manner.

In reading an article about 5' 8" Adam "Mighty Mouse" Eaton I learned that Bob Boone '65 is now the Washington Nationals Vice President and senior advisor to General Manager Mike Rizzo.  Says Boone, “If you can really play, nobody cares about your size.”

News of the passing of Ron Hunt '70 was shared by his cousin Steve Stone '72.  Ron died April 7, 2016.  Click HERE to read an obituary.

February 17, 2017

I love the artwork that sometimes accompanies articles in the New York Times.  This one came with a piece entitled "Move Over Wikipedia, Dictionaries Are Hot Again!"

A new restaurant is coming to Pacific Beach.  It's called the Waterbar and will be located in the spot previously occupied by Joe's Crab Shack, Rusty Pelican, and Halligan's 4 Fish.  PB Ale House has been featuring entrees that will be on the Waterbar menu.  I almost ordered the Tuna Melt, until I read the ingredients and recoiled in horror: "Orange Juice-poached medium-rare Wild Albacore, mayonnaise, pickle, dill havarti, on an open-faced brioche."  That is NOT a Tuna Melt!!  My friends had to hold me back.  I wanted desperately to get in the kitchen and bitch-slap the chef.

Janis Joplin's "Me and Bobby McGee" was number one on the KCBQ Top 30 list from February 19, 1971.  CLICK here for a larger version that may be legible.

Bobby Freeman died January 23rd.  His 1958 "Do You Wanna Dance" symbolized music of the '50s. No, he didn't go to Crawford.  Some of us are of an age to bemoan his passing.

Greetings from Oakdale, California -- gateway to romantic Modesto.  '66 classmates Ken Burton and Richard Morse apparently met up in a bar somewhere between their respective abodes in Tracy and Sonora.  I know I shouldn't criticize, but the photo was taken without a fill-in flash with a Budweiser neon sign in the background.  I had to convert it to black and white for it to be legible.  Actually, it makes the guys look kind of distinguished.

Michael Downing '65 passed away January 17th.  There will be a memorial service in Las Vegas on Saturday February 18, 2017 at 1:30 at Grapevine Fellowship Church, 800 N. Bruce St., Las Vegas, NV, 89101.  Click HERE to read an obituary and/or sign the guest book.