ESPN.com Pilgrimage - A Tip of the Hat to Memorial Stadium, venerable host of the California Golden Bears

Great article about Memorial Stadium and Cal Spirit.

Built in 1923 to honor Californians who lost their lives in World War I, Memorial Stadium gained entry on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006. Two seventh-graders, however, recognized Memorial Stadium's appeal some 50-plus years earlier, when Joe Kapp and Everett Alvarez, friends from Salinas, visited Cal's Berkeley campus with their teacher.

"A young teacher, Pamelina Brunelli, took us up to Berkeley from Salinas -- in those days it was a three-lane road -- and we got to go to the Cal-Missouri game," Kapp said. "Everett and I with Miss Brunelli, we walked up Strawberry Canyon, went by the life science building, went by the Bancroft Library. ...

"So we get past all these beautiful buildings, and Everett says, 'Miss Brunelli, what do we have to do to go to school here?' Then we get to the stadium ... and the best band in the land comes on the field ... and I said, 'Never mind that. Miss Brunelli, what do I gotta do to play football here?'"

8 months ago LeonPowe 8 comments 2 recs |

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Every time I read or hear basically anything from or about Joe Kapp it’s awesome. Just wanted to write that.

"Let me tell you a story. I was a political prisoner for two years. The instant I was released I ran to McDonald's. I had a Big Mac and a Coke.

It was fantastic."
-Toyama Koichi, US Presidential candidate from Japan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGZqOkeYbB0

by AERose on Nov 12, 2009 11:22 PM PST reply actions

Even about the time he unzipped his fly at a press conference and told his team to go out and win one for the zipper?

Wait, yeah, that’s pretty awesome.

by LeonPowe on Nov 12, 2009 11:56 PM PST up reply actions

Here’s to no button flys!

President Emperor Warlord Of The Sun!

www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com

by TwistNHook on Nov 13, 2009 7:43 AM PST up reply actions

I've read a different

version of the “gravaso” story – I think it might have been the latest California (not) Monthly, where Joe Kapp was playing for Coach Pete Newell and they played grab-ass to break up the practices a little bit.

One time there was a few faculty watching practice and they complained to Coach Newell about the name of “grab-ass” so Newell said “We’ll call it graVASS” instead.

by LeonPowe on Nov 12, 2009 11:59 PM PST reply actions

I was not expecting that article to be as good as it was.
Rec’d for photo of the old cannon platform, mention of Rally Committee, and overall content.

by Yes We Cannon on Nov 13, 2009 12:11 AM PST reply actions