Football season...it's the bomb!!!

Burnett Stadium -

It looked bigger than life back then.  Burnett Stadium named after a Dr. Thomas Burnett (a call to Mission's Speer Library has not yielded any info yet) still stands on the same corner only its Mission Junior High now.  I look at the space and try to remember how in the world everyone came and parked at the game.  I remember the visitor bleachers, and the football players, with their one knee down, their helmets resting on their leg waiting for coach to send them in.

Luckily for us,  Mary Alice Martin (David Martin's mom and you know David was MHS Class of 1970), contacted me through Medardo de Leon, Jr. and we got a little more information.  It seems Dr. Burnett was the team doctor...he was at all the games.  He also had a son named Thomas, Jr. who passed away from polio at a young age.  (Thanks Mrs. Martin!)

Then there was the band.  Introduction into band came by way of band personnel recruiting visits made to our schools our fifth grade year.  If your kids were interested and the instrument you picked could be bought privately - you were in band.  For all others - the option was whatever instrument was available.

The latter was my case.  You could rent an instrument for $9 for the whole year...a dollar a month.  Plus, $9 for insurance...that's how the school could recover their money and/or instrument in case of an accident.  My family could afford that but the only instruments available were, french horns, drums, baritones, and tubas..oh, and a few trombones.  French horn it was...

I remember being patient - riding the bus everyday to the high school, which is Mission Junior High today, during my sixth grade year.  Two more years and I could be with the BIG band simply because it would provide me an opportunity to go to all the football games.  I really didn't know what that entailed other than going on bus trips with the community to all the football games.  I just wanted to make it possible and inexpensive for me to experience Mission Eagle football.  Who knew I would fall in love with my French horn and its melodic sounds.

So here we are - its 1966-67 and we're about to embark into the BIG grown up world of Mission High School.  Gene Lewis, Band Director.


But the memory I want to share the most is the one that took place in the fall of 1968, I believe.    That year, the City of Mission organized a, "Support America Rally."   The City of Mission had lost its first son in the Viet Nam War and it was decided to pay tribute to a fallen hero.  It was the first and only support America rally I have ever been to.  It happened at Burnett Stadium. The band was there, students, families, the whole community came out to honor Marie Gonzalez's dad and other sons of Mission who were in Viet Nam.  Marie, a freshman at Mission High School, and her family gave the ultimate sacrifice.  Her dad was a sergeant and the first Mission casualty.

There were military personnel, dignitaries, and priests.  It was a somber celebration; tears for a father gone missing amidst cheers supporting the great U.S.A.

We need more Support America Rallys.....without the casualties.


Here's a treat...  The September 29, 1967 Mission Eagle Newspaper.  Click the link below...
* Hurricane Beulah had just done its deed...
*David Merrill (MHS - Class of 68) was editor of our newspaper. 
*Sandra Roth was named editor of our school annual.
*Our class of 70 were sophomores.
*...and lots more
(Its not easy to read but if you put it on full page, you can read most of it)
LINK:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/411453/92968-Mission-Eagle-Newspaper#fullscreen:on


Don't forget - Mission Eagles Homecoming is Friday, October 29th, 2010...


Oh, two more photos....I was the Band Sweetheart - MHS Class of 1970

 

 

ooooooooooo.....and...

                                            Goodnight Mrs. Calabash...wherever you are...





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