Contacts From TeamMates January-February 2008
Here are more snapshot glimpses of memories and current happenings from Cal Big C Team Mates. If you'd like to share your memories and/or what's going on in your life these days with team mates and other Big C friends, send them (the memories, not the friends) via e-mail to teammates@bigcsociety.org (use TEAM MATES as the subject line). Or, if you prefer, drop a note to The Big C Society at PO Box 5075, Berkeley, CA 94705. Either way, we'd love to hear from you, and we'll post your information in the TeamMates News section on our web site as soon as possible after receiving it.
Leslie Airola (Women's Tennis, '77) recently made a special Championship donation to Big C to honor the memory of her late father, Lowell (Buzz) Airola, class of 1950. When Leslie won her Big C for women's tennis, she didn't realize what the award meant, or what an honor it was. Her father did, though, and he helped Leslie understand and appreciate the prestige that came with it. Thank you, Leslie. Big C is grateful . . . to you for your accomplishments, and to your dad for recognizing and passing on the true spirit and meaning of Big C.
Mike Baxter (Track, '58) lives in Carmichael, CA, and dropped a note to share some of his favorite Cal memories. First he recalls how great it was to be part of the 1958 track team with Proverb Jacobs, Gary Wolfsberg, Wayne Crow, Monte Upshaw, Don Bowden, Jack Yerman, Maynard Orme, John Merchant and others. He also remembers the thrill of placing second in the Shot Put during the 1958 Pacific Coast Conference Championships - on his last throw . . . after barely making the finals. Also etched in him memory . . . watching Don Bowden become the first American to run the mile in under four minutes at the meet in Stockton, CA.
Mike Baxter (Track, '58) lives in Carmichael, CA, and dropped a note to share some of his favorite Cal memories. First he recalls how great it was to be part of the 1958 track team with Proverb Jacobs, Gary Wolfsberg, Wayne Crow, Monte Upshaw, Don Bowden, Jack Yerman, Maynard Orme, John Merchant and others. He also remembers the thrill of placing second in the Shot Put during the 1958 Pacific Coast Conference Championships - on his last throw . . . after barely making the finals. Also etched in him memory . . . watching Don Bowden become the first American to run the mile in under four minutes at the meet in Stockton, CA.
Barrie Bulmore (Tennis, '83) has been coaching the boy's varsity tennis team at the Head-Royce school in Oakland for the past 7 years. She also substitute teaches in the P.E. department there. Barrie lives in Oakland, where her 16-year old daughter, Madison Ornstil, is a junior at Oakland's Bishop O'Dowd High School and plays goalie on the varsity soccer team there. Barrie's 13-year old son, Max Ornstil, is currently in the process of applying to Bishop O'Dowd for his freshman year. Max plays Bay Oaks class one soccer, and made the State soccer team last year. Barrie's husband, Michael Ornstil, works as a mediator and arbitrator for JAMS (Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services) in San Francisco. He also coaches soccer and serves on the Bay Oaks Soccer Club Board of Directors. Sounds like this is one Cal Hall of Fame tennis player who does have another kick coming! Congratulations, Barrie.
Bob White (Crew, '50) says he sees Dave Turner, the Bow on their championship JV crew in 1947. They attend the San Diego Crew Classic together and always look forward to seeing what Bob refers to as "old timers." (note: these days, that means anyone over the age of 25)
Stan Morketter (Swimming & Water Polo, '48) is still living in Hawaii (now in his 30th year). He tries to swim laps every day, (probably, he says, more than he did at Cal). Does a lot of traveling (mostly cruises) and loves to hear from his old (but definitely young-at-heart) teammates.
Terry Prindiville (Football, '56) and his wife, Gail, have made eleven visits to countries that were formerly part of the Soviet Union. Their current visit has them in Belarus, doing international humanitarian work with the Global AID Network.
John Silcox (Swimming, '49) and his wife, Colleen, checked in from their home in Tiburon to proudly announce that the Golden Bear family now includes their nephew, Evan Derian, now a sophomore and a member of the Cal Golf team
One of Fay Blair's (Track, '49) favorite Cal Sports memories is something that never happened . . . he was never beaten in his event (the 2-mile) by anybody from Stanford. Never! That's a great memory to have. (not have ??)
Joe Cooper (Football, '82) says that, for him, nothing will ever compare to the honor of preparing to play football games in Memorial Stadium . . . walking down the steps and sprinting out of the tunnel onto the grass are memories he will never forget. He also says no other stadium he ever played in - college or professional - compares to the venerableness of Memorial Stadium. (and, yeah, the spell checker raised an eyebrow at venerableness, but we looked it up and it's absolutely not only accurate, but appropriate!)
Dick Halliday (Tennis Manager, '47) lives in Orinda, and still plays tennis twice a week whenever possible. He and wife, Lois (also Class of '47), do one heckuva lot of traveling - they're on the go about 24 weeks out of every year, including 10 - 12 weeks of overseas travel. They also got into playing ACBL Duplicate bridge some time ago and both enjoy the challenge. The Hallidays are enjoying good health and are more than just a little proud of their 3 children (2 are Stanford grads) and 4 grandchildren.
Bob Hearther (Soccer, '57) moved 'down the hill' from Lake Tahoe at an elevation of 6,600 feet to live in Pioneer, CA, which is located at an elevation of 3,200 feet in the heart of the gold country. He and Lois, his wife of 41+ years, have two sons - both graduates of the Naval Academy. One still serves as a Commander in the US Navy, the other retired after a Naval aviation career as a carrier pilot. Bob and Lois also have 5 grandchildren - four girls and one boy. Bob recalls his favorite Cal story about playing the powerhouse University of San Francisco soccer team in 1956. Seems USF had a big scorer from South Africa by the name of Prince Joe Obe. Bob says Prince Joe was terrifically powerful and had actually broken two legs the previous week in a game against Stanford (Stanford legs, we presume . . . not his own). Bob says Coach Bob DiGrazia told him to guard Prince Joe like a one-on-one basketball player . . . a move that apparently paid off, 'cause Prince Joe didn't score anything against the Bears that week. Bob recalls that Cal had a great defensive team of 'European types' but couldn't score very much as their front offensive side was made up of 'South American types' who liked to score individually. An interesting experience and, he says, time of his life. Oh and by the way, Bob was named to the All-Conference team!
Art Poulin (Water Polo, Frosh Swimming, '48) lives in Graton, CA these days (nestled in the Santa Rosa area) and recalls with fondness the following story. As a freshman "distance" swimmer (which was the 220 and 440 in 1940), Art didn't win a race all season - always beaten by teammate Don Karnes and usually by an opponent or two from the other team, whatever that team happened to be. Anticipating another 2nd, 3rd or 4th place finish against San Francisco JC (who had an outstanding freestyler named Ray Lucas), Art shocked himself, coach Al Dowden and teammate Bob Griffin (who was counting laps for Art) by actually winning the race. At this time, Art says he wishes to give credit for his success that day to the following: Ray Lucas (for staying in the city and not competing), Coach Dowden (for entering Don Karnes in two other events), Don Karnes (for accepting his assignment), Bob Griffith (for not panicking when he realized Art would win), and Francis Escobar, Cal's #1 backstroker who had never swum in a 440 event, yet entered the race just to fill a lane. So Art offers "a belated - but sincere - thanks to Don, Coach Dowden, Ray, Bob and Francis wherever you are." Sounds to the Team Mates editor that Art was not only a winner on that day . . . but is still a winner to this day!
Lloyd Canton (Baseball, '57) checks in from his home in Carefree, AZ to note a couple of very big events for the Canton family in 2007. Lloyd, a Phi Kappa Tau, met future wife Sharon (Cal, Alpha Delta Pi, also '57) met while building a float for Homecoming in 1955 (didn't say whether it was a Phi Kappa Tau float or an A D Pi float, but we're guessing it was the latter). They graduated and were married in 1957, so in 2007 they celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary in Hawaii. Also attended their 50th Cal Reunion. (the unsolicited and equally unbiased opinion of the editor is that the Hawaii Anniversary celebration event trumps the Cal Reunion event, hands down.) Lloyd and Sharon were accompanied to Hawaii for the anniversary celebration by daughter Lisa (Pi Beta Phi, '84) and Cal eligible granddaughter Lindsey Nelson. Son Brad (Phi Gamma Delta, '87) was unable to attend. The Cantons retired from the winery they founded (St. Francis) in 2002, but return to visit as often as they can. They spend their summers at Forest Highlands (no, that's not the same as being tree-sitters - that's a place in Flagstaff where they go to keep cool, play golf and tennis and reminisce about 50+ years of Cal and each other).
Michael Brian Harper (Track, '90) married Joanne Helen Kelley-Harper (Track, '90) thirteen years ago. They have three children - Ben (9), Brian (8) and Lauren (6). Michael is currently the Trinity County (CA) District Attorney. Joanne works as a self-employed architect, and also serves as the Trinity High School distance runners' coach. Michael and Joanne recently celebrated the 10-year anniversary of their completion of hiking the entire Pacific Crest Trail (PCT through-hikers) from Mexico to Canada.
Jim Marinos (Football, '51) checked in from San Diego to share three of his favorite Cal memories - (1) going undefeated during the 1950 season (although a tie against Stanford is something he'd rather forget), (2) completing a 45-yard touchdown pass in the 1951 Rose Bowl game against Michigan, and (3) being a continuing member of "Pappy's Boys."
Robert Swanson (Rugby, '94) lives in Fresno where he works as a Vice President & Financial Consultant for Charles Schwab & Company, Inc. Robert and his wife Amanda (class of '91) have three children - son Ben (3), son Matt (3), and daughter Sarah (1).
After Cal, Jim Werson (Swimming, '38) has gone on to build one of the most prestigious law firms in the state. Severson-Werson is headquartered in San Francisco, and specializes in labor law. The practice now includes seventy very capable attorneys (including fifteen in Orange County), and have recently hired Cal rugger, Andrew Elliott. Jim still goes to the office most every day, and this TeamMates editor has determined that the reason Jim can continue to look so young, think so sharp, and be so active is that he must have graduated from Cal at the age of 6...Or was it 5?
In Memoriam: It is with sadness that The Big C Society has recently learned of the passing of Don Bruce (Golf, '39) in January of this year, Robert (Bob) Lippi (Football, '45) in July, 2007, and Lee Benson (Wrestling, '38)