STORIES FROM THE PAST
50 years ago
CALEXICO — The Calexico Bulldogs dedicated a new gym last night and at the same time won their first league game in two years with a 4842 decision over the Brawley Wildcats.
The new basketball gym, named the Carl Varner Memorial after the former superintendent of Calexico schools who passed away last year replaced the old cracker box.
Calexico started fast with a back door play working well and jumped off to a 13-8 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Brawley, led by Robert Allen, tried a late charge in the second period and managed to cut the lead to 24-20 at half-time.
The Bulldogs took charge in the third period behind the scoring of Jorge Hernandez, Mark Bonesteele, and Luis Cota and scored 17 points to go ahead by nine, 41-32, at the end of the third period.
Brawley with some outside shooting by James George cut the Bulldog lead in the fourth quarter and Calexico led by 46-42 with three minutes to play.
Three times Brawley players managed to get their hands on the ball while Calexico was passing it around looking for the easy shot but each time the defender knocked it out of bounds giving the Bulldogs control.
40 years ago
Learning to play without scoring-rebounding ace Lerna Thames, the Imperial Tigers managed a 45-40 Chaparral League girls basketball win over the Calipatria Hornets Tuesday during four quarters of high caliber thrills.
Tiger Country fans saw Thames sit out much of the game with four fouls. She never received the fifth.
Calipatria came into Imperial to play basketball and proved as much from the start. The Hornets had the Imperial girls by the tail, 24-20, at halftime.
Coach Dave Perkins wasn’t happy with the way his girls played in the first two quarters. Some changes were made and Imperial dominated the second half.
Calipatria lost several scoring chances to turnovers after intermission. The Hornets didn’t hit well from the field and lost to many important rebounds.
Pattie Jones was the mainstay of the Calipatria attack. She kept the Hornets ahead before intermission but failed to hit consistently in the final two quarters.
Imperial received strong play from Elsa Grijalva and Doris Goodwin while Thames was sidelined. Lerna did see enough action to score 10 points.
Goodwin connected for six of her 12 points in the deadly (for Calipatria) final quarter. Grijalva finished with three goals, five free throws and 11 points.
30 years ago
CALEXICO — The City Council has ordered the immediate closure of the Calexico Hotel, 28 E. Second St., until earthquake-related repairs are completed.
The move forces 28 senior citizens to find alternative shelter until the repairs are completed, said City Manager Robert Cruz. Approximately 60 other hotel residents, most of whom are transients and field workers, are also having to find lodging elsewhere, he said.
Mayor Antonio Tirado said the closure is necessary to protect the city from legal repercussions in the event someone is injured from falling debris.
City Building Inspector George Mitchell was out sick today and could not be reached for comment on when the city inspection was completed, or why the closure is taking placing now, 14 months after the November 1987 earthquakes.
20 years ago
Wrestling is a competition of isolation. In the end it all comes down to two grapplers, two single souls, struggling with all of their might for a victory.
Imperial High School wrestler James Guizar, the defending state champion has excelled at the individual art of wrestling.
“I just picture myself alone and you wrestle the guy in your head before you go on the mat,” said the 17-yearold senior of how he prepares for a match. “I picture what is my first move. I get rid of the fear that everyone is looking at you. You know you are next. You clear your mind and get ready. It is important to clear your mind.”
“It puts pressure on you, being in front of everyone,” continued Guizar, who wrestles in the 125-pound weight class. “You get past that. It is you and him and you either get the embarrassment of losing or the victory. You have to get the butterflies out of your stomach. In basketball and football, you can blame things on your teammates. In wrestling you can’t blame anyone. It is just you and him.”
Guizar had a great week of wrestling, finishing first in the Jim Londos Tournament in Escondido and coming in second in the Five Counties Tournament in Los Angeles. He made it to the final match of the Five Counties competition but lost because of an injury.