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The Rozelle mystery
photo is Balboa Stadium. I don’t know what
year the photo was taken but I can tell you it
was pre 1961. A second level was added in 1961
for the AFL San Diego Chargers when they moved
from Los Angeles to San Diego. The second
level brought the seating capacity to 34,500.
My dad and I had Charger season tickets at
Balboa Stadium from 1962 until the Chargers
last year there, 1966. I remember the seating
was concrete slabs. The Chargers moved to what
was originally called San Diego Stadium in
Mission Valley for the 1967 season. The second
tier has since been removed from Balboa
Stadium. I’ve included a photo from sometime
in the last couple of years -- Don Rogers ‘69
I taught Physical Education at the Old Grey
Castle. I did my student teaching there and
then was hired the next September. I knew Mrs.
Keeyes. I coached the Girls’ Track team and we
practiced on the track at Balboa Stadium. I
helped organize the All-City Girls Track Meet.
I’m not sure of the year, but sometime between
1968-1973. I have many wonderful memories of
the stadium and of San Diego High School -- Brenda
Smith Clark '63
Balboa
Stadium. Lots of fond memories. There were
the modifieds,
racing around the track on Saturday evening.
Of course the football carnivals. I was in
charge of setting up the sound system for
the cheer group. I think I may still have
some field passes. Then there was the
Beatles concert. I was too poor to pay the
tariff to the concert, so a group of us
climbed the stairs and ladder from inside
the Russ auditorium to the top of the fly
loft and gathered on the roof. The Russ is
the tallest building in the lower left of
the picture. I participated in several shows
there. One of them "110 in the Shade", a
musical version of the "Rain Maker". I was
the technical director. One of my tasks was
to create real rain. The other task was to
protect the wood floor. We had the run of
the theater. We had a great time. Lots of
stories about the Friday the 13th show, and
closing show pranks. Fun Days!! -- Pat
Chambers ‘60
My
dad, his brother and cousin had Charger
tickets at Balboa Stadium from day one. I of
course watched the Colts play and saw the
Beatles there. My mom, Hazel Keeyes, was the
registrar in the Grey Castle from the mid
‘50s to the early ‘70s when she transferred
to Clairemont High School. There really were
secret tunnels running all over under the
castle. What a shame it was ever destroyed.
It was truly a beautiful work of art. I
worked the summer school attendance office
the year I graduated -- Kathy Keeyes Antus ‘68
I saw the Beatles there in 1965. My sisters
dragged me there. Too much screaming! I also
saw the Dave Clark Five on a different
night. Billy Graham Crusade was there too.
They never should have torn it down. They
tore down Russ Auditorium nearby because of
"earthquake safety", but the demolition
company got in over their heads. It took
twice as long to tear it down because it was
so well built -- George Fish '71
The picture of the old
balboa stadium brings back many fond
memories. I played my first football game
for San Diego High their in the fall of 1944
in front of 20,000+ spectators. We had a
great football team that year -- Dick
Jackson, SDHS 1945; Crawford Opening Staff
1957; Crawford Principal 1972-75; Still
enjoying retirement 2009 (PS -- John Fry's math
teacher at Crawford; John Fry's principal at
Hale JHS 1968-72)
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