My Hometown

01 SEP 23: My hometown (Burbank, CA) has a celebration going on today, 115th anniversary of the senior high school that saw fit to diploma me back in ’65. Congratulations to the many that have passed through their halls and sung “Hail Burbank High School…” Above photo is recent volunteer effort at McCambridge Park, which you'll hear more about below.

I’d like to take this opportunity to cruise down part of memory lane. Some CONTEXT: my experiences there were centered around our family’s kennel (Fremar) on north Lima Street, just off San Fernando Road, near Hollywood Way, Lockheed and the Hollywood-Burbank Airport. When people hear we had kennels in Burbank & Malibu (pictured), they think money. We certainly didn’t have it: centered in mid-middle class we were always working, but getting by OK. Usually short on extravagance (like the kids seeing a dentist every half-decade or so). For those of you not familiar with it, Burbank is wedged between Glendale (where our parents met in high school), Hollywood, North Hollywood, & Sun Valley (all part of L.A.). My Dad worked as an engineer for Pacific Bell Telephone during the day and with “the dogs” at night Mom managed the kennel: 25-dogs in Burbank and a hundred more than that in Malibu. The Malibu kennel was not ours: we managed it with an option-to-buy. After a couple of years commuting to his “day job” in Burbank, we made the tough decision to consolidate back to “the Valley”. My sisters (Chris & Laura) & I spent many a weekend at AKC Dog Shows, and we had some winners, especially with our Bedlington Terriers (one of which made the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1960).

The Burbank kennel was in a one-block area. AKA “kennel row”, surrounded by many small factories and machine shops. Many of those industries have expanded to swallow the homes and kennels of the late 50’s and early 60’s. When we were residents the Vrooms had Doberman’s, the Fancy’s Miniature Schnauzers, the Martins'... etc. My first outside-the-kennel job was at Burbank Plumbing Supply, around the corner on San Fernando Rd., next to Kenny’s Plumbing & Joe’s Plumbing (things were concentrated).

03 NOV 23: Now, for the record, I can’t overstate how important sports were to me while growing up. Many memories of catching, throwing or shootin’-the-ball. If not in the yard or street, at either Bryce or McCambridge Park (usually the latter). My present sojourn this weekend out to the Southland is to remember and say hello & Ga’Day: one thing the pancreatic cancer journey has reminded me is that we don’t have that long a stay.” Embracing the day, on Saturday I hope to reconnect with the “McCambridge Park Boys” (an annual informal gathering of 1960’s athletes coordinated by Don Ludwig, ’64 basketball & all-around gentleman: photo is from ten years ago). BHS in my day was known athletically for excellence in Cross Country, Basketball and Swimming: we had some top-notch talents. I remember many a late night game of hoops under the coin-fed lights at McCambridge with Jim Cochran, John Kunert, and the Gary’s (Pinnel & Walter) + others I’m surly forgetting, Good times, no great times.

On Monday I plan to attend the monthly luncheon for Senior BHS Bulldogs, where I’ll see more fellows alums, classmates & teammates (John Coyle, Kirk Harris, Ray Magee, Danny DeMonbrun and so many others): we’ve lost some along the journey, which makes reconnecting increasingly important: Carpe diem! We’ve ALL helped each other through the years“…break on through to the other side…”

Now, for some “other thoughts”: I know apologies aren’t really necessary, but I’ll make them anyway: THANKS to the young ladies that shared some time with me on dates my/our senior year: classmates Phyllis Rehrig & Susan Long (Senior Prom date) + Donna Luce (Class of ’67) come to mind. You spent at least some time & mental energy with this shy & introverted kid-from-the-kennel, long before he’d discovered “Powder Milk Biscuits”. I was 17 and my personality hadn’t shown-up yet (I still might be waiting for that). Plus, there were other classmates I always longed to talk with, but it never found the words: one was Chris Powers (I can still hear a sigh when I hear the name). I remember her watching her brother Ken pitch for the Burbank Bullets baseball team, while I patrolled the “Hot Corner” at third base (we were 14 and I was tongue-tied). Another sister of a baseball teammate was Leigh Rugee (Class of ’67): Dave’s younger sibling. Another tip-of-the-sombrero goes to Janet Bauder that helped me through an extremely awkward phone call initiated by a fellow ’65-er & neighbor Dennis Bandy.

We’ve all moved on and done well, at least I hope we all have. THANKS for the many positive memories ALL… Phil