Charles Rich
Area high school sports teams began to win California Interscholastic
Federation Southern Section championships in the 1970s, and the
Glendale News-Press extensively covered the expanding city schools
from Glendale to La Crescenta and La Canada Flintridge.
With Sports Editor Al Ames beginning his third decade with the
Glendale News-Press, he made sure that every nook and cranny of the
area was covered.
Several football teams won CIF championships, including Crescenta
Valley in 1973 and La Canada in 1979. The Hoover High baseball team
won a CIF crown in 1975.
There were many fine individual athletes, including Glendale High
track and field sensations Dwight Stones and Lee Balkin, under the
watchful eye of Coach John Barnes. Stones set a state record in the
high jump, and later set a world record with a jump of 7 feet, 7 1/4
inches and competed in three Olympics.
Balkin turned in a record-breaking performance at Sacramento's
Hughes Stadium on June 2, 1979. Balkin recorded a leap of 7 feet 3
1/4 to win the CIF state title. The record still stands.
The News-Press ran features and photos of the two track and field
stars, and thoroughly covered the CIF championship football squads.
Crescenta Valley won the Division AAA title under Coach Gordon
Warnock with a 14-7 victory against Monrovia at Citrus College. The
Falcons were led by quarterback/ safety Brad Holland and running back
Mark Miller. Holland would go on to star in basketball at UCLA before
helping the Los Angeles Lakers win the 1980 championship. Miller was
named CIF Player of the Year.
The News-Press wrote previews leading up to title game and capped
with a game story on Crescenta Valley's lone football crown.
La Canada took the Northwestern Division title with a 21-7 win
against host Lompoc. The Spartans featured Coach Marty McWhinney and
athletes Jon Paton, Chris Myers and Ron Hause.
La Canada became the first squad in CIF history to finish a
championship season undefeated.
Under Coach Chuck McMichael, Hoover won a CIF baseball crown in
1975.
Glendale College's football team enjoyed a renaissance in the
middle of the decade.
The Vaqueros advanced to the Mission Bowl in 1977 under Coach Jim
Sartoris and quarterback Bob Gagliano.
The News-Press also ran box scores from professional baseball,
football, basketball and hockey.
The paper decorated the front page with Associated Press photos of
the Lakers, Dodgers, Angels, Kings, USC and UCLA.
