STORIES FROM THE PAST
50 years ago
Christmas came early to the Pala Indians in San Diego County who gleefully received the $250,000 worth of building materials whose delivery to hurricane-damaged San Felipe was thwarted by Mexican customs law and offices closed for the weekend.
The construction materials included about 50,000 tons of lumber and cement, roofing paper, plumbing materials and about 100 bathtubs.
Some 20 Southern California Junior Chambers of Commerce had collected the supplies, donated by individuals and firms.
40 years ago
Five football coaches have placed stars in the 1977 All-Chaparral League team, finding time to select enough players to fill five years of All-League clubs for a small league.
Coaches picked first and second teams on offense and defense. Honorable mentions were also handed out, 72 berths presented to CL All-Stars at one setting.
The Chaparral League lists five members. Each club starts 22 total players, offensively and defensively. The total number of players starting for five teams reaches 120.
Totals include a punter and place kicker for each CL team. With 72 awards handed out, 60 percent of the first-team members in the league received All-League berths.
The top positions went to Art Grijalva of Imperial and Alan Timonen of Eagle Mountain. They were selected as Players of the year, offensively and defensively.
Grijalva, the offensive MVP, led Imperial to the league title (4-0). Timonen was a big reason Eagle Mountain tied Needles (2-1-1) for second place.
30 years ago
NILAND — Local and out-of-state fiddlers drew repeated rounds of applause Sunday during the final competition and awards ceremony at Niland’s first annual Old Time Fiddlers’ Contest.
The judges for the contest were Wes Nivens, president of the National Old Time Fiddlers’ Association, Charlie Worthen, of Yuma, and Roscoe White, of Lakewood.
Out of the 25 fiddlers who entered the contest, the big winner was Brian Wurst, 20, of Phoenix, Ariz., who dominated the competition in the Intermediate (age 19-49), Trick and Fancy, and Grand Champion categories.
A state fiddle champion in his home state, Wurst has earned myself a reputation as an outstanding fiddle player who regularly walks away with trophies whenever fiddlers’ contests are held in Arizona or New Mexico.
“But he earns whatever he gets,” said Lois Worthen, a veteran fiddlers’ contest organizer who came to Niland to help with the contest.
Brian’s Trick and Fancy performance with his twin brother Bruce drew loud cheers from the audience as he struggle to play his fiddle while balancing on his brother’s back. Bruce won second place in both the Trick and Fancy and the Intermediate categories.
20 years ago
ENCINITAS — Late last week, a light storm passed through northern San Diego County, raining just enough to muck up the football field at San Dieguito High.
Just when the Santa Fe Christian Eagles (7-2-1) thought it would survived the murky weather, along came a much more threatening blow in the form of Holtville High’s senior Eric Fjeldsted and the Viking defense as Holtville (8-2) eliminated the No. 4-seeded Eagles from the CIF San Diego Section Division IV playoffs, 24-13.
Fjeldsted totaled 306 yards, picking up 188 on 14 carries on the ground, catching four passes for 93 yards and launching a 25-yard pass. The senior scored all four Viking touchdowns and had a key interception to help end any attempt at a comeback by SCIF.