STORIES FROM THE PAST
50 years ago
Legend and undefeated status were wiped out at the same time. A measure of revenge was obtained.
Quarter Larry Eyer placed his name alongside Randy Palomino at Brawley last night. Passing and running, the junior put life into a football race.
Down, 13-0, after one quarter, Eyer brought his El Centro Spartans into a first-place tie in the Imperial Valley League. Larry led the visitors to a 20-13 triumph over the Brawley Wildcats at Warne Field.
Palomino quarterbacked the Spartans for two years. His memory seemed overshadowed by Eyer’s tremendous showing last night.
With fire in his voice, coach Cal Jones fused the Spartan defense into a sound unit at halftime. Central Union had given up 239 yards to Brawley in the first half.
40 years ago
MEXICALI — Plans are being completed today for Tuesday’s inauguration of Roberto de la Madrid as the next governor of Baja California. De la Madrid, born in Calexico, is the first American-born governor in the history of Mexico.
Mexican President Jose Lopez Portillo is expected to arrive early Tuesday at the Mexicali International Airport accompanied by at least four high-ranking federal officials. Portillo and govern-elect de la Madrid have been close friends for 25 years.
30 years ago
CALEXICO — It was a long, long evening for the home crowd here Friday night.
A few seconds into the final period, Bulldogs quarterback Alfie Silva having just been sacked for a loss of six yards one coach mumbled, “The only good thing about this game is it’s the fourth quarter.”
The bad thing was on the board: Central 56-Calexico 0. Before the game ended, the Spartans would score three more times.
When it finally did end, Calexico had what they had before they came onto the field, 0. Central had 11 touchdowns. Seventy-six points. And, no they didn’t miss an extra point. Their final score came on a 75-yard run by Gerald Robinson as the clock ran out, so they didn’t have the chance to kick the final extra point.
The Spartans didn’t miss anything the entire evening, except one bad pass. They overpowered and out-ran Calexico’s defense all night.
Robinson alone accumulated 349 yards on 15 carries. He made four touchdown runs from scrimmage, including the final 75-yarder and another 59-yarder, as well as a 59-yard touchdown return on a punt.
20 years ago
CALEXICO — When the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing found inadequacies in the teacher-credentialing program at San Diego State University-Imperial Valley Campus, university officials quickly responded.
Olga Amaral, coordinator of teacher education at the campus, said, “The review team found some areas in need of improvement and gave us a year to make those improvements.”
Amaral submitted an outline in August to the commission describing how campus officials plan to remedy the weak areas. The commission is expected to visit the campus within the year to check if the program has made progress.