Friday, October 19 - Sunday, October 21
A wonderful weekend began with a really special event . . .
. . . the FORTIETH anniversary
reunion of Westlake High School's
inaugural American football team
The 1978 WHS Roster
We opened the school without the benefit of a Senior class and without an actual school site due to construction delays.
Thus we started Spring Practices at Thousand Oaks H.S., held Summer workouts at Westlake Elementary School before finally having our Fall training sessions at Newbury Park H.S.
We played our games back at Thousand Oaks H.S. which at that time had the only stadium in our three high school district.
Our 36 player roster was composed of 28 Juniors and eight Sophomores and featured only two players over 190 pounds. My how times have changed.
First we met at a Westlake Village
wine bar called The Stonehaus
LOTS of great stories were retold and old friendships rekindled.
At WHS before he Warriors' Homecoming
Game against Newbury Park
Westlake entered the contest with a record of 6-2 overall and 1-1 in Marmonte League play while the Panthers were 3-5 overall 0-3 in M.L. action.
This stadium was a faint, distant
dream back in 1978
"OK boys, here's the routine . . ."
Westlake's Head Coach Tim Kirksey
had the 2018 Warriors break a pre-game
huddle with the "Originals"
This was the first of two wonderful gestures that Tim made to our team on this BEAUTIFUL night for American football.
And here is the other one . . .
. . . our two 1978 Co-Captains,
Don Reynolds and Rusty Weber . . .
. . . were brought out to mid-field
for the pre-game coin toss
AWESOME!
As for the game itself, the Warriors
cruised to a 42-7 victory
As for the 1978 Original Warriors,
we had an incredible night realizing
that after 40 years . . .
. . . we were STILL brothers in arms!
GOOD TIMES INDEED!
Red Robots
Soccer Saturday
Jacob warming up for a TITANIC
struggle against the Blue Knights
Jacob certainly gets his mileage
in on Saturdays!
Giving encouragement to a
fellow Red Robot
Bad hair day
Nice stance
Every Red Robot has to sit out a
quarter. Jacob likes to talk with
his teammates little brother during
his quarter of rest.
BREAKAWAY!
Shoeless ref Michael trying to keep up in the background.
Looking good!
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
In the afternoon, Mary cheered
the Huskies (6-2) on to a 27-13 victory
over Colorado (5-2)
In the evening it was time for
Junior College American football
The overmatched Moorpark College Raiders were 1-5 while the Ventura College Pirates were 5-1.
Amazingly, it was a BEAUTIFUL
night for American football!
Ventura, in gray, blocked three
Moorpark punts n the First Half
The Pirates offense took advantage
of every possession in building a 55-0
halftime lead
The Raiders tried to fight back
but to no avail
FINAL SCORE:
Ventura 62 - Moorpark 7
GO BLUE!
Saturday night the Dodgers beat the Milwaukee Brewers 5-1 in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series to earn a spot in the World Series for the second straight year.
The Dodgers have not won a World Series title since 1988.
BEAT THE RED SOX!
Sunday and Vintage Baseball
Jacob at La Romeria Park
in Redondo Beach
Slides are ALWAYS fun!
Why were we in Redondo Beach on a Sunday you may ask?
Simple really . . .
Michael plays in a Vintage Baseball
League for the Redondo Beach Wharf Rats
Today the Wharf Rats would play the Long Beach Oilers in a baseball game using 1886 rules and equipment.
Unfortunately, the Wharf Rats new vintage look uniforms have not arrived as of yet but it was no real problem as this was a practice game and the season does not start until this coming Spring.
Warming Up
It's an 1886 era glove
Among the unusual rules that were used back in 1886 that were in play today were:
1. Batters or Strikers as the were called back then, get to each pick either a high or low strike zone.
2. Still three strikes and your OUT but foul balls are neither balls nor strikes.
3. A walk requires EIGHT pitches ruled to be balls. If the Striker is hit by a pitch it counts as a ball and he does not get a free pass to first base.
Was PBR around in 1886?
Jacob still having fun . . .
. . . with two new friends
Batter Up!
Michael started out as a
left handed third baseman
You don't see that every day.
Good athletic stance
Definitely better than Jacob's at Saturday's soccer game.
Michael's first . . .
. . . at bat resulted in . . .
. . . a two run scoring . . .
. . . TRIPLE!
His second at bat produced a single
He stole Second and . . .
. . . then stole . . .
. . . Third!
For his efforts he got dusted in his
third at bat before striking out
He tried bunting his way on on his
final at bat but was thrown out
Now playing first base
Because the Oilers were short on players, Mike played an inning in left field for the opposition.
HIT the cut off man!
Everyone had a GREAT time on a
BEAUTIFUL day for American baseball!
Color Rush Los Angeles Rams (6-0)
at the San Francisco 49ers (1-5)
7-0!
WHAT A SEASON!
2 comments:
Hey, don't make it worse for the Dodgers than it already is. Their last title was in 1988.
Also delighted to see Michael playing for the vintage base ball team. A musician friend of mine, Jay Constable, is one of the guys who's put that together.
OOPS, 1978 it is!
I'll mention it to Mike, I know the he said musicians were at the core of the Wharf Rats.
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