Kapp & Crum
RIP Joe Kapp, 85. Born in Santa Fe, NM, of German-Mexican extraction, he grew up in California. All-America at Cal, he led the Golden Bears to the 1958 Rose Bowl, a loss to Iowa. He also played basketball, a member of two conference championships. He earned a degree in Phys. Ed.. He played in Canada from ‘59-’66, winning the Grey Cup in ’64 as a member of the BC Lions. He signed with the Vikings in ’67, struggled that first year. In ’68 he led them to their first ever playoff appearance. In ’69 he had a dream season, 19 TDs, 12–2 record, and a Super Bowl berth, a loss to the Chiefs. His career went downhill from there, ending in 1970 with the Boston Patriots. His overall NFL stats are unimpressive, but he is one of only seven players to throw seven TD passes in a game. His CFL numbers were much better. From 1970-’82, he amassed 27 credits in movies and TV, including the football game at the end of M*A*S*H and a role in The Longest Yard (1974). In 1982, despite no experience as a coach, he was hired by his alma mater. He was coach of the year, leading Cal to a 7–4 mark, his only winning season, his record 20–34–1 in five seasons, but 3–2 vs archrival Stanford. In 1990 he was hired and fired as GM of the British Columbia Lions after eleven games. In 1992 he coached Arena Football for one season. He was part owner of Kapp’s Pizza Bar & Grill. A colorful character, his career includes unzipping his pants in front of the Seattle media after Cal was routed by Washington, and a fistfight with Angelo Mosca at the 2011 Canadian Football League Alumni luncheon, stemming from a cheap shot Mosca leveled in the ’63 Grey Cup that knocked the BC Lion QB out of the game, leading to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats victory. Mosca was a shady character, frequently in trouble but loved by pro wrestling fans. Kapp was a father of four. Well done, Sir. Photo from Google Images:
RIP Denny Crum, 86. Born in California, he transferred to UCLA in 1956 to play for the legendary John Wooden. Upon graduation in ’59, he immediately went into coaching, leading the Bruins’ freshman squad. He was head man at Pierce Junior College from ‘64-’68. He was then hired as chief assistant and recruiter at his alma mater. UCLA won the national championship in each of the three seasons he served. In 1971 he became head man at Louisville and achieved great success from the get-go. His teams won 15 conference championships and fought to six appearances in the Final Four, winning the National Championship in ’80 and ’86. He was conference coach of the year five times, and Sporting News Coach of Year twice. At Louisville his teams went 675–295. He is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame and the College Basketball Hall of Fame. He co-hosted a radio program, raised horses and was a co-founder of the Louisville Eccentric Observer, an alternative weekly newspaper. Married twice, he was a father of three. Few are as successful as Crum was. Kudos, Sir.
Apparently “Save the Whales” no longer applies.
Back at my usual book nook today, and the outgoing and incoming were about equal. My thanks to the donors and buyers. Here’s what sold: seven books in Russian, including translations of Franz Kafka and Danielle Steel; four kids’ books; The Testament by John Grisham; Mary Mary by James Patterson; How to Be Your Own Home Electrician by George Daniels; The Language of Letting Go: Daily Meditations on Codependency by Melody Beattie; Laughter Is the Best Medicine by Readers Digest; Los Osos Exploradores by Alex Bell; and To the Nines by Janet Evanovich.
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