A parting shot

Anyone who knows me is well aware of my political leanings, which is

ironic because of the comments of former Vice-President Albert Gore,

who delighted me when he told a national audience, “It’s time for me

to go!”

That’s because I realized on Friday that it was, indeed, time for

me to go. And I followed the advice.

I was an “inside salesman” for an electrical wholesale distributor

in San Bernardino when as assistant sports editor at the Daily Pilot,

a childhood chum by the name of Glenn White, persuaded me to chuck my

job and come south and become a sportswriter.

So, with no background at all in journalism, and a high school

dropout who was in air intelligence in the United States Marine Corps

before being honorably discharged as a sergeant before the age of 21,

I grabbed the ring.

My only credentials were that I had been, and still was, a rabid

fan of Monrovia High School football and my adopted colleges, USC

football and UCLA basketball. And, the Dodgers were in Chavez Ravine.

After an “apprenticeship” of some 3 3/4 years, I became

sportswriter for the Daily Pilot in January of 1968.

It would not be long before I promised my wife, Dorothea, “Don’t

worry, these hours won’t last forever.”

As a writer, I had the opportunities to cover the Dodgers and

Angels, many Rose Bowls, USC and UCLA football, Super Bowls and the

‘84 Olympic Games, among many other endeavors.

My favorite moment was interviewing Washington Senators Manager

Ted Williams on a road trip with the Angels. In 1946 and in his prime

with the Boston Red Sox, I was a very, very impressionable

10-year-old.

But it was the preps, high school football and basketball in

particular, where the real satisfaction came.

In 1988 all the fun was over and the other side of the game

evolved as a sports editor. Looking back, despite ups and downs, I

would never second-guess that decision in 1964 when Glenn White made

the offer.

So now it’s over, and I have a parting comment to make to the core

of this game, the athletes, past, present and future.

Often I’ve been at banquets and listened to the sage advice.

Usually, the message is “thank your mom and dad and tell them you

love them,” and “don’t forget where you came from.”

Former Ram Rich Saul topped them all when he said, “We don’t need

anymore great athletes. We need great people.”

I would add, “Thank your coach.”

Thanks again for letting me be a part of it. And I’m happy to say,

I kept my word.

By Roger Carlson