ISSUE NO. 19 NOVEMBER 17, 2000 OUR 79th YEAR
http://RotaryClubofSantaMonica.org
A half-dozen burly, aging
gentlemen will be our speakers Friday. They were football stars for USC or
UCLA. They’ll recall memories of epic games, then answer our questions.
The Bruin-Trojan rivalry has brought forth some of America’s best
football. It is unique in one sense: two good teams in the same town. In 1952
both were unbeaten, and 97,000 stormed the Coliseum to see USC edge out a
14-12 win. In 1967 the two battled for the national championship. This week
the Rose Bowl is sold out again, although neither team will be champion of any
place except Los Angeles. Once a famed Trojan coach, John McKay was asked how
he could stand the tense games year after year. He explained, “Because
I’ve checked my heart, and I don’t have one.”
Since UCLA grew up in the middle 1930’s the rivalry has become a social
study. It is the expensive private school versus the booming state
institution. For decades the two maneuvered to infiltrate each other’s card
sections and distort the messages, to paint campus landmarks such as Tommy
Trojan, to sabotage bonfires, kidnap mascots, capture and chastise invaders,
attempt bomb pranks and generally enjoy a good old-fashioned collegiate
hatred.
Thousands of Bruin and Trojan alumni care
intensely about the game. Why? Well, it’s traditional. Winning uplifts the
spirits. Losing casts a pall of gloom. And there’s always next year. For
this Friday’s Rotary meeting, alumni of both schools are exhorted to wear
their colors. Thus, if emotions come to a boil, adversaries can quickly locate
one another.
Our speakers will include Trojan Dean Schneider and Bruin John
Peterson, who both played in the 1950’s; Don Manning, Bruin from the
1960’s; Rob Smith, who set all-time UCLA scoring records; and Gaston Greene,
Bruin hero of a game in the 1990’s. The chair of the meeting (and a speaker)
will be our own Bob Klein, tight end on a national championship Trojan
team. Bob, incidentally, was a full-fledged scholar-athlete; he stayed on at
USC to earn a master’s degree.
November 24 – No meeting … Thanksgiving weekend.
December 1 – Janie Jones: show tunes
December 8 – club elections
December 15 – Christmas party
December 22 & 29 – Christmas & New Year holidays … no meetings
At our November 3rd meeting, Pat and George Collins were fined
only $75, a bargain, since they were paying for a vacation in Spain and
Portugal. This 33-year Rotarian-banker-lawyer probably deserved rest and
recuperation, since he represented Santa Monica Bank for many years and has
recently helped with its metamorphosis.
Nancy and Erik Jorgensborg were recognized $100 worth
because of their daughter’s volleyball achievements at Mount St. Mary’s
High School. She is known there as Haley the Comet, and may soon enter UCLA on
a scholarship. Your Rotary friends feel proud of you, Haley.
David Bohn’s confusion about names is worsening. Last
month he called Bob Baker “Jim” in a public utterance that
made us purse our lips. But maybe that was merely a normal symptom of
advancing age. More serious, certainly, is identifying himself as Paul
Bohn, which David did on November 3rd. Perhaps John Bohn
should pay the $25 fine for mixing up his sons.
Dr.
Neil Schmidt,
our esteemed superintendent of Santa Monica schools, was fined $75 in early
recognition of his pending retirement. Neil
will be growing avocados in Fillmore. Neil, in an impressive gesture of
appreciation, promised President John most of the yield of his
two-year-old trees. (He passed lightly over the fact that avocado trees begin
to yield in their third year.) Santa Monicans will feel a great loss when Neil
leaves, but we all wish him a happy and fruitful retirement.
As reporter on the club’s fining process, I find it necessary to note a
disturbing pattern. All those fined by President John, to the best of
my recollection, have been male. Does this signify that John is overly
chivalrous, or timid, or what? By widening his attention, he might greatly
enrich our club. “The majority of wealth in the USA is controlled by
women,” I learn from my wife, Elza.
Another comment on behalf of all our members: We all want to thank Paul
Gaulke, our program chairman, for the interesting, positive year we
are having. The Friday programs have been stimulating, informative, and
concerned with important subjects. We appreciate your efforts!
n Lionel Ruhman
Like most Americans of Japanese descent, George Ishizuka found himself in
a U.S. prison camp soon after Pearl Harbor. He was never bitter about this. In
fact, when he was released he joined the Army.
He started his florist business here in 1962. In 1969 he became the first
Oriental in our club. He enjoyed the roar of “Ah, so!” that came when he was
mentioned at meetings. In the club he served two years as a director and a year
as treasurer. This year he has been a member of the sick visitation committee.
He played often in bridge competitions. At our golf events he ran his own
putting tournaments, and gave hand-tooled silver ball markers to winners. He had
numerous friends in the club, including a Lunch Bunch that met on Mondays.
Rotarians have noted that they never heard him make a critical remark; he was
typically genial in a quiet way.
George enjoyed outdoor experiences. He and Mary went fishing on their
honeymoon trip. He often ventured into desolate areas where he found lapidary
rocks for a collection that he once displayed at a Rotary meeting.
Last month he died of cancer. The gathering at his funeral was large. Our
club will warmly remember George Ishizuka as one of our stalwarts.
“I am a believer in universal service, not with a sword but with a pick
and shovel. If I had my way every boy would have his day in digging good roads
over which commerce could flow, in tilling the soil that there might be
abundance for all . . . .
“Rotary has accomplished wonders through the simple expedient of bringing opponents and rivals together in good fellowship. Where fires of animosity burn or smolder is Rotary’s opportunity.”