I had a Seals’ hockey puck like this, although mine was trashed from getting slammed against a washing machine. By John Murphy Perusing social media, I came across a photo of a San Francisco Seals hockey puck. I had one as a kid, having won it in a St. Robert’s sports night raffle. My brotherContinue reading “Hockey puck stirs memories”
Author Archives: mainstreetdog
Doin’ work
Shoveling pea gravel isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. By John Murphy Saturday I watched a livestream of a high school football game from San Francisco. That’s how exciting my life is. Then I drove to Redlands where the remodel of my house is in full swing. Guilty at my lack of contribution, IContinue reading “Doin’ work”
Greg Jones still a winner
Photo courtesy of UCLA South San Francisco High grad Greg Jones (43) was a three-time All-Pac 8 player for UCLA in the late 1960s. By John Murphy The other day I wrote about my first experience watching high school football, as a pre-teen in the Bay Area. My dad taught at South San Francisco HighContinue reading “Greg Jones still a winner”
My first football love
Photo courtesy of John Baker The Bell Game between South San Francisco and El Camino high schools at Clifford Field, with Sign Hill in the background, was always a hard-hitting affair. By John Murphy Sixty years ago I attended my first high school football game. My dad was an English teacher at South San FranciscoContinue reading “My first football love”
R.I.P. Carlos
By John Murphy Recently I’ve been remodeling my house on the north side of Redlands. More accurately, I’ve hired companies and handymen to do it. I only remodel sentences. There are alleys on the north side, an unusual feature of the area. One is behind my back fence. That’s where an unusual man hungContinue reading “R.I.P. Carlos”
Walking and rolling, hitchhiking, and Patty Hearst
This kid is better looking than I was, he’s tatted up and he would not have passed the Serra High dress code. Otherwise, a perfect match. By John Murphy Today is National Walk and Roll to School Day. Back in the 1960s while attending Catholic grammar school, we didn’t have this junk. As a firstContinue reading “Walking and rolling, hitchhiking, and Patty Hearst”
Bringing Bruno back
A photo from the mid-1970s with some of the rec rats, including rec leader Paul Accinelli (far left), yours truly next to Accinelli, the late Joe Krumm with the long hair, my BFF Keith Larsen, rec leader Jim Beck, Mitch Fontaine in the front row on the left and Mike Mitchell, the little guy onContinue reading “Bringing Bruno back”
Goin’ downtown
The Downtown Redlands Station is a beauty. By John Murphy Friday morning I grabbed our dog, Mia, and headed out for a walk. Destination uncertain. Soon I found myself headed for downtown Redlands, always a worthy destination. We parked on Orange Avenue behind a small restaurant and started out. First up on the right isContinue reading “Goin’ downtown”
Burlingame daze with Mike “Chubby” Ciardella, Daddy Wags, Carl Reyna et al
Swanky Sacred Heart Prep (pictured) was apparently so eager for some athletic glory in the early 1990s that it hired a character from Daly City, Mike “Chubby” Ciardella, to run its girls basketball program. Ciardella won 80 consecutive games. By John Murphy The other day at 3 a.m. or some godforsaken hour I got aContinue reading “Burlingame daze with Mike “Chubby” Ciardella, Daddy Wags, Carl Reyna et al”
Palm readings, coffee cake, and the newspaper that became a museum
A creek that runs along the ESRI campus out to Tennessee Street is picturesque. By John Murphy Highland is not the most walkable city, so I often cross the wash into Redlands and hit the pavement. Wednesday’s wanderings took me to the historic Kendall Street area. I headed down the hill to State Street andContinue reading “Palm readings, coffee cake, and the newspaper that became a museum”
Main Street Dog 