Sunday, March 24, 2024

A Fitting Memorial, More Track and a Birthday Celebration


Saturday, March 23, 2024
We gathered with the family and friends at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Arcadia to bid a final farewell to a good friend.

Peter "Spear" Claridge
November 25, 1945 - February 5, 2024

I first met Spear as a teammate with the Washington Huskies football team in 1966.

Tall and thin, hence the moniker Spear, he was a Wide Receiver with a big smile, an always positive outlook on life and a beaming personality that made you want to be in the same room with him.

A UW Glory Days caricature

"Tube?" That's a new one on me.

Spear greeting Paul Sabolić at the 2018
UW vs. UCLA game in the Rose Bowl,
a 31-24 Huskies win

Spear with our grandson Jacob
at the 2019 Rose Bowl Game
Ohio State 28 - Washington 23

With Spear on that same glorious
Pasadena Chamber of Commerce day

This was the last time that I saw Spear as the devastating disease that is Alzheimer's, which he was already battling, took him away from us all.

Spear was just a good man who brought joy to many people's lives as the large turnout today confirmed. He will be missed but remembered fondly by all who knew him.

With Peter Marguglio

Even in his passing, Spear brought people together.

Peter Marguglio and I went to school together at both St. Francis H.S. and the University of Washington but had not seen each other in over 50 years until Spear's memorial service brought us back together.

Our attendance at Spear's service meant that we could not attend Mary's and Jacob's track meet today at Newbury Park H.S.

Michael and Vanessa kept us up to date on the grandkids' exploits today.

On a rainy morning, Jacob with his
trademark headband is on the left
running the Lead Leg of in the
Boys 11-12, 4 x 100 Maters Relay

The team finished in First Place with a time of 1:02.92.

Mary was scheduled to run in the Girls 9-10, 4 x 100 Meters Relay but the Cosmos did not have a fourth runner to complete the team.

Jacob's Lead Leg in the 4 x 100 Relay

His team is in Lane 6 and they can definitely improve on their handoff.

Mary was happy with both her
100 and 200 Meters races

She ran her all-time fastest 100 Meters race today.

Unfortunately, as I write this, the Camarillo Cosmos website has yet to post the results of any Girls 9-10, 200 Meters or Long Jump results.

Jacob took another Blue Ribbon
in the Boys 11-12, 400 Meters
with a time of 1:09.07

On a side note, his time was only 6.15 seconds slower than his 4 x 100 Meters Relay team's today.

The skies threatened all morning

Jacob came in second in the 200 Meters
while recording his all-time best time
of 30.29

Jacob ran the Anchor Leg of the Cosmos' 4 x 400 Meters race that finished in First Place with a time of 5:04.31, another all-time best for him and his relay teams at this distance.

As was Mary's fate, none of Jacob's Boys 11-12, Long Jump results have been posted on-line as of yet on the Cosmos website.

All in all, Jacob and Mary had good
days on the Newbury Park HS track

We ended the day back home celebrating Jacob's 12th birthday which was actually last Monday.

He wanted pizza, baked potatoes and snickerdoodle cookies instead of a cake.

So let it be written, so let it be done!

Gigi and Mary bonding moment

Jacob, our happy birthday boy

Blowing out the candles on
his snickerdoodle cookies

A whale t-shirt from Maui

Jacob's interest in all things relating to Marine Biology and Oceanography influenced our gift giving.

He LOVED this book

Another book about the Humpback whales in Maui was a big hit too.

His final gift from us is to be delivered on Tuesday by FedEx. We purchased him a pair of Nike Air Zoom Long Jump shoes guaranteed to add at least a Bob Beamon-like six feet to his jumps I'm sure.

Discussing the joys of eating
cotton candy ice cream

As for EuroBall action today . . .

A huge win for Rivas (6-1) over
Las Rozas (6-1) with only one game left
in the Spanish Serie A regular season

This win ties them atop the Western Conference. If things stay this way at the end of the season, the tie breaker for playoff seeding is head on competition.

The Black Demons won the first game against the Osos, 10-6.

Since they now split their two regular season games, the next tie breaker is the aggregate score in their two contests. The aggregate score is now Osos Rivas 34 - Las Rozas Black Demons 31, the Osos own the tie breaker by three points.

Both teams will make the playoffs but the Osos will open the playoffs at home as the Western Conference's #1 seed while the Black Demons as the WC's #2 team will have a road game.

That is, of course, if after the Easter weekend league-wide bye, these two clubs either both win or both lose. If only one of them wins, they would claim the WC's top seed.

In their regular season ending games on April 4th, the Osos Rivas (6-1) host the dangerous Coslada Camioneros (4-3) while the Black Demons (6-1) would appear to have, at least on paper, an easier home game against the Gijón Mariners (2-5).

Zaragoza (4-3) had no trouble
with Barcelona (0-8) whose season
is now over

There were two games today in Italy's DI circuit . . .

The Parma Panthers routed the
hapless Bologna Warriors

Those pesky Legnano Frogs did it
again vs. the Milano Rhinos this time

In Italian DII action . . .

The Modena Vipers handed Coach
Bart Iaccarino the Cecina Trappers
first loss of 2024

Finally . . .

I really liked this game poster for
a recent game in Mexico

A day of ups and downs to be sure.

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