My dad, who played catcher at U of Arizona, turned 86 last month. He hit me ground balls by the thousands when I was growing up. He could do that pop up, put a glove on and catch it too! Thanks for the reminder.. made my day.
My Dad could hit pop ups like your Dad… but not catch them!!!!! I lost my father in 1987. He was a fantastic father. Survived his destroyer being sunk in the invasion of Italy in WW2 , almost being killed in Korea
and took the First Marines to Vietnam. We played catch all year round in Southern California. Miss him and loved my brief time with him. I love your writing. One day you will win a Pulitzer.
Lost my folks in 2020 (Dad) and Mom (2021). Dad played college football and coached for over 30 years before we worked in the broadcast booth together for another three decades. Mom took care of the four kids as a great coach’s wife. I miss them both. Thanks for the laugh!
The University of California is a single university of which UCLA is a part. The Chancellor of course has some independence, but the Board of Regents is in charge and Governor Newsom is a member as well. And all the regents are appointed by the governor. The Board has the responsibility to ensure that the academic experience of all UC schools is up to par and I don't see how UCLA sending student-athletes across the nation really helps their academics. Also, Newson might make a presidential bid in 2024 and needs all those Stanford/ Cal grads on his side. Just a thought.
I wish my dad was still alive when OSU crushed Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl. He watched a ton of losing efforts by the Beavers over the years. And we used to fish in the spring for Chinook in the Willamette. He taught me to trout fish and I taught him to troll for Salmon.
My Dad passed in 2016, age 89. Mum followed in 2018, age 93. I learnt so much from both. My pop wasn't a great athlete but he did coach my little league team in Eugene. Took me to see the Emeralds at old Civic Stadium when they were a AAA team for the Phillies with the likes of Greg Luzinski, Larry Bowa, Mike Schmidt when they were rising stars. Dad WAS an excellent musician who played professionally in a big band that travelled up and down the West Coast playing dance halls. His specialty was clarinet. He also liked exotic cars and when he married my mum sold his vintage Jaguar coupe. When they were dating, dad was rushing to get back to Eugene from Portland on old Highway 99 - no I-5 in those days - and passed a cop doing, he estimates, about 110mph. There was no radar or dash cams then, and Dad figured - correctly - my car is faster than the cop car so I guess I'll just keep going. Don't think he ever broke the law again.
Bravo John! Big fan here and I totally understand the dread of our parents getting older. I was just commenting to my wife on our last visit just how much they seem to age between visits and cherish every moment we get to spend with them because tomorrow is not a given!
John, a wonderful article about your parents visiting you and Oregon. You ask if our parents are still alive and if not, what would we like to do with them for just one day. It got me thinking about my mother who died four years ago at the age of 84. She was a true trailblazer. She coached my little league team for 4 years. From 1960 thru 1964. That was 58 years ago! She loved and knew baseball. She was also way ahead of her time as far as being a part of a male dominated field. She was good at it too. So, to answer your question, I would love to have my mom coach my little league team just for one more day!
My dad passed away in 1995 from esophageal cancer, but never smoked a day in his life. It was all the 2nd hand smoke from WWII, Korean War, etc. I wished he had played catch with me when I was a kid. John, you're truly blessed to have your father. I would bid top dollar on your auction to play catch with you and your dad--think about it! ;)
Saw your dad with your family at the mall a few weeks ago. He was CRUSHING a Southern Oregon sweatshirt. Everyone looked like they were having a great time in each others' company. That's the goal , right there.
It feels like there are still a few twists to come in the USC-UCLA story. I get not wanting to visit Pullman in November anymore, but is it really worse than Minneapolis or Iowa City? Can ESPN sweeten the pot enough to lure them back? I say nothing is REALLY done until we see that first conference schedule 18 months from now.
Nice stuff Canzano... I've been following your take on all this USC/UCLA defection and find it fascinating. As to the USA map you posted I find the Oregon portion with U of O and OSU kind on funny.... I'm sure you didn't create this and it is the optics of the rest of the country, but as I'm sure you know, if you travel around our state the U of O portion should be the Upper Willamette Valley / Portland Metro and areas around Eugene whilst the majority of the state is OSU Beaver country. The Ducks are the National Brand but OSU is the older and larger school with more alumni throughout the state... not that accuracy makes any difference, but I felt a need to post a correction.
Not sure why we are using negative results to describe this rearrangement of sports conferences "kill the big 12........quash the pac 12" are they thinking that these changes and the new dynamics of fewer conferences will destroy college football as an entertainment or that profits will dissipate with the action.....I could be naive but if the powers that be are attempting this scramble, I assume they have deeply considered what profits will come from this new dynamic and have polled the fan bases to know that this new competition will be accepted or even exciting and draw in larger audiences?.....am I wrong or is this just unresearched experiment or a greed grab that may or may not work?......if that's true, it seems like a huge gamble with the money that college football generates for sustaining athletics and athletic scholerships and building educational facilities that it does presently.......what I see is a massacre of schools where football has been secondary to education or they regroup and build intermediary level to compete like division 1A making Alabama vs Southern Podunk U a think of the past.......No gimmes on the road to the natty!!!
Great story! I am really enjoying your comments about family and the time you take to remind yourself and your readers of what is really important. I hunted deer with my Dad in the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness for years, and would love just one more day watching him perch on "Swede's Rock" waiting for the old buck to emerge from the brush.
Your Dutch Bros. story reminds me of one that happened about six years ago. My daughter was playing summer league softball which required early morning travel up and down the valley. About 6:00 a.m., we pull into DB near Dallas and the perky barista says, "What are you folks up to today?" I replied, "my daughter has a softball tournament starting in an hour." "Awesome! Who is she playing?" "The New York Yankees, I think." "Awesome!"
My dad, who played catcher at U of Arizona, turned 86 last month. He hit me ground balls by the thousands when I was growing up. He could do that pop up, put a glove on and catch it too! Thanks for the reminder.. made my day.
My Dad could hit pop ups like your Dad… but not catch them!!!!! I lost my father in 1987. He was a fantastic father. Survived his destroyer being sunk in the invasion of Italy in WW2 , almost being killed in Korea
and took the First Marines to Vietnam. We played catch all year round in Southern California. Miss him and loved my brief time with him. I love your writing. One day you will win a Pulitzer.
Lost my folks in 2020 (Dad) and Mom (2021). Dad played college football and coached for over 30 years before we worked in the broadcast booth together for another three decades. Mom took care of the four kids as a great coach’s wife. I miss them both. Thanks for the laugh!
The University of California is a single university of which UCLA is a part. The Chancellor of course has some independence, but the Board of Regents is in charge and Governor Newsom is a member as well. And all the regents are appointed by the governor. The Board has the responsibility to ensure that the academic experience of all UC schools is up to par and I don't see how UCLA sending student-athletes across the nation really helps their academics. Also, Newson might make a presidential bid in 2024 and needs all those Stanford/ Cal grads on his side. Just a thought.
I wish my dad was still alive when OSU crushed Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl. He watched a ton of losing efforts by the Beavers over the years. And we used to fish in the spring for Chinook in the Willamette. He taught me to trout fish and I taught him to troll for Salmon.
My Dad passed in 2016, age 89. Mum followed in 2018, age 93. I learnt so much from both. My pop wasn't a great athlete but he did coach my little league team in Eugene. Took me to see the Emeralds at old Civic Stadium when they were a AAA team for the Phillies with the likes of Greg Luzinski, Larry Bowa, Mike Schmidt when they were rising stars. Dad WAS an excellent musician who played professionally in a big band that travelled up and down the West Coast playing dance halls. His specialty was clarinet. He also liked exotic cars and when he married my mum sold his vintage Jaguar coupe. When they were dating, dad was rushing to get back to Eugene from Portland on old Highway 99 - no I-5 in those days - and passed a cop doing, he estimates, about 110mph. There was no radar or dash cams then, and Dad figured - correctly - my car is faster than the cop car so I guess I'll just keep going. Don't think he ever broke the law again.
Bravo John! Big fan here and I totally understand the dread of our parents getting older. I was just commenting to my wife on our last visit just how much they seem to age between visits and cherish every moment we get to spend with them because tomorrow is not a given!
Marcus
John, a wonderful article about your parents visiting you and Oregon. You ask if our parents are still alive and if not, what would we like to do with them for just one day. It got me thinking about my mother who died four years ago at the age of 84. She was a true trailblazer. She coached my little league team for 4 years. From 1960 thru 1964. That was 58 years ago! She loved and knew baseball. She was also way ahead of her time as far as being a part of a male dominated field. She was good at it too. So, to answer your question, I would love to have my mom coach my little league team just for one more day!
My dad passed away in 1995 from esophageal cancer, but never smoked a day in his life. It was all the 2nd hand smoke from WWII, Korean War, etc. I wished he had played catch with me when I was a kid. John, you're truly blessed to have your father. I would bid top dollar on your auction to play catch with you and your dad--think about it! ;)
Saw your dad with your family at the mall a few weeks ago. He was CRUSHING a Southern Oregon sweatshirt. Everyone looked like they were having a great time in each others' company. That's the goal , right there.
It feels like there are still a few twists to come in the USC-UCLA story. I get not wanting to visit Pullman in November anymore, but is it really worse than Minneapolis or Iowa City? Can ESPN sweeten the pot enough to lure them back? I say nothing is REALLY done until we see that first conference schedule 18 months from now.
And even then...
I love the Dutch Bros story. I have a grandson who loves their coffee and will go out of his way to find a stand so he can have some.
Nice stuff Canzano... I've been following your take on all this USC/UCLA defection and find it fascinating. As to the USA map you posted I find the Oregon portion with U of O and OSU kind on funny.... I'm sure you didn't create this and it is the optics of the rest of the country, but as I'm sure you know, if you travel around our state the U of O portion should be the Upper Willamette Valley / Portland Metro and areas around Eugene whilst the majority of the state is OSU Beaver country. The Ducks are the National Brand but OSU is the older and larger school with more alumni throughout the state... not that accuracy makes any difference, but I felt a need to post a correction.
Not sure why we are using negative results to describe this rearrangement of sports conferences "kill the big 12........quash the pac 12" are they thinking that these changes and the new dynamics of fewer conferences will destroy college football as an entertainment or that profits will dissipate with the action.....I could be naive but if the powers that be are attempting this scramble, I assume they have deeply considered what profits will come from this new dynamic and have polled the fan bases to know that this new competition will be accepted or even exciting and draw in larger audiences?.....am I wrong or is this just unresearched experiment or a greed grab that may or may not work?......if that's true, it seems like a huge gamble with the money that college football generates for sustaining athletics and athletic scholerships and building educational facilities that it does presently.......what I see is a massacre of schools where football has been secondary to education or they regroup and build intermediary level to compete like division 1A making Alabama vs Southern Podunk U a think of the past.......No gimmes on the road to the natty!!!
Thanks, John….
With my dad it was on the golf course. He would hit his drive and we would try to reach his ball in 3 shots. The first time I did it was epic!
Can’t get the darned wind out of my eyes, though…Fore!
Great stories about dad & mom!
Great story! I am really enjoying your comments about family and the time you take to remind yourself and your readers of what is really important. I hunted deer with my Dad in the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness for years, and would love just one more day watching him perch on "Swede's Rock" waiting for the old buck to emerge from the brush.
Your Dutch Bros. story reminds me of one that happened about six years ago. My daughter was playing summer league softball which required early morning travel up and down the valley. About 6:00 a.m., we pull into DB near Dallas and the perky barista says, "What are you folks up to today?" I replied, "my daughter has a softball tournament starting in an hour." "Awesome! Who is she playing?" "The New York Yankees, I think." "Awesome!"