IECN9_Layout 1 10/8/12 2:51 PM Page 1 Inland Empire Community Newspapers • October 11, 2012 • Page A9 San Bernardino High Class of 1967 treated to homecoming brawl "Guests of honor" for 45th reunion By Harvey M. Kahn Bernardino has changed a lot." None of those spoken to were told IF-Southern Section offi - they would be going on record, so cials determined that San their names will be omitted. But Bernardino High School the bench clearing fiasco was a wCill forfeit its San Andreas League topic of conversation. The 1967 opening football game against class donated a new $1,100 Cardi - Carter due to a fight on the field nal mascot uniform to SBHS. The the week before between the Car - 1967 mascot flew to campus from dinals and Palm Desert High. Canada for the presentation. Sources at the game said the prob - By the time many of the reunion lem began late in the third quarter gatherers got to their alma mater when players from San Bernardino for a tour of the campus and a IECN PHOTO COURTESY SB P UBLIC LIBRARY felt that Palm Desert was running complimentary brunch, most were 1941 San Bernardino Veer offense. Number 37 running back Jack Hill . up the score in a contest that SBHS already shell shocked by the site of eventually lost 45-6. There were the town, a place where they called home in their pre adult years. Their and its students made a big deal of said the fight at the game was not ture drug addicts. Future Hells An - no reporters covering the game us being there and treated us very the image he wants his team to gels, Crips, Vagos, KKK, Black however video clips reached the trip up E Street was harrowing, then on to the Mug for the well at the homecoming game. portray and was sorry the 1967 Panthers, Communists, and many Los Angeles major TV affiliates, The public address announcer in - class had to see what happened. great athletes. They all came from the Los Angeles Times and pregame dinner. Ouch! "I thought I was in Detroit," said troduced us and we were treated Imbriani's father, Ray, was a 1965 the SBHS class of 1967. YouTube. with the utmost of respect," said SBHS graduate and knew many Some of the class of 1967 died At least one resident of Connecti - one. "The condition of San Bernardino was really sad to see," one alumnus. "They had a special from the 1967 class. Jeff Imbriani fighting in Vietnam, mostly due to cut reported seeing the raucous area set up for us in the end zone. said that in the 1960's, there were collateral effects years after the and another from the Virgin Is - said an accountant living in Tor - rance, who said also that he was Actually we were so busy visiting fights on the field, but his father conflict ended. Scores from '67 lands. It was Cardinal City's home - with each other, hardly any one told him usually combatants shook died from drug use. Many became coming game so Palm Desert told that murder is common within a mile radius of the SBHS cam - was watching the game. Those hands after and it was over. "Now, prominent doctors, lawyers, edu - didn't come to town happy. things happen at a game but how with everything filmed it's easy to cators, actors, and musicians. A Schools usually schedule a team pusWhen kickoff occurred at 7 p.m., the reunion group, many in the town decayed was just ap - edit. What you see on film is from few won medals of honor in law they think they can defeat on palling." He said that first year the Palm Desert television station. enforcement. A couple have be - homecoming. Not only was it the their early sixties were romanti - cally hoping to enjoy an innocent SBHS coach Jeff Imbriani met Palm Desert was slinging their hel - come local city leaders. Back then, San Bernardino High School with the 1967 union class the next mets. You have to see the whole the demographics at SBHS was homecoming, there were 55 grad - time at the game. So when the game ended early because of the morning and spent a lot of time ex - game. We are not out there to 30, 30, 30 and all went to school uates from the school celebrating plaining his philosophy. “He apol - fight." Jeff Imbriani said a drunk somewhat civilly for three years. their 45th high school reunion who melee, it probably didn't come as a surprise. The middle-aged group ogized." Some of the 1967 class Palm Desert fan ran onto the field According to high-school. com were guests of honor at the game. said they heard Palm Desert call - and knocked him over. about 81% of the 2,548 of the cur - A total of 148 alumni traveled to got a crash course in hometown re - ality. "Can you imagine that some ing the SBHS players bad names The San Bernardino High class rent SBHS student population is San Bernardino for the weekend during the game. Palm Desert of 1967 attended Cardinal City eligible for the government lunch from various parts of the country. of our classmates still live there," said a graduate now living in could not be reached. SBHS prin - during a high profile era in Amer - program. Only 314 students made An informal survey of those cipal Sandra Rodriguez was called ican history. The fabled "Summer it to their 2012 senior year. alumni who attended the game Northern California. "The high school administration but did not return a phone call. of Love" happened in 1967. Lyn - brought the same comment, "San Contacted at his office, Imbriani don Johnson's Great Society. Fu - Cajon routed in Citrus Belt League opener Visiting Chaffey sweeps Wolverines By R.A. Contreras quickest would have the advantage sophomore year I was rushing off in women’s volleyball battle to win the game. But we need to the edge and was running as fast as By R.A. Contreras changer,” she said about the mo - play better defense and play the I could and the other guy was try - fter decades in the San mentum difference. “It’s a two- pass a little better as well as the ing to get me so I slammed him Andreas League, the wel - point swing and I would’ve called double wing.” down. It was one of the key mo - he Lady Wolverines come to the CBL was a a timeout sooner had I known that Battin recalled the hard-fought ments of my career,” he said played catch up and never ruAde one — a very rude one for that was the score. But you know, preseason game against former proudly. regained complete compo - the Cajon Cowboys. we have to just play the next point city and San Andreas League rival DJ Burroughs, a senior offensive suTre en route to a 3-0 loss to Eisenhower’s defensive back Ar - and keep fighting.” San Gorgonio in which the Cow - lineman described why he loves Foothill Conference foe Chaffey mani Green intercepted a pass Defensive specialist/Leader and boys lost on a last-second play 28- playing football and the impact it Friday October 5. from Cowboy quarterback De sophomore Victoria Del Rio 27. has on his life. The defeat to her side in straight Juan Brooks and returned it for a (Fontana Miller) said lack of con - “We actually could have tied it “Since elementary I wanted to sets to the Panthers (25-18, 25-17, 66-yard score to ice the game as sistency lead to her squad’s de - with a PAT but decided to go for play and I love performing in front 25-19) gave coach Tricia Rossman the Eagles routed Cajon 21-0 Fri - mise. the two… you know it was a pre - of a crowd. I love playing the dou - pause for contemplation. day night October 6. “We failed to communicate and season game that’s how we treated ble wing because of the counts and “This is a good team and they And though the first game for the that lead to bad execution,” she it. If it had been a regular season the opportunities to make quick just have to keep learning the sys - Cowboys (2-4, overall, 0-1 CBL) replied. “We were aggressive at game we would’ve kicked a field hits,” he replied. “The game brings tem. Overall, they are doing quite in Citrus Belt League history was times but when we made mistakes goal and gone into overtime. But me opportunities to socialize in well and have to continue believ - an eye opener, to say the least, we didn’t shake it off, and that got there’s no reason to have a tie in a and out of school. Playing for this ing in themselves,” Rossman said. head coach Kim Battin put the po - to us.” preseason game so we just went team is a great honor because I SBVC (5-9, overall; 1-2 confer - tential result in perspective. Chaffey coach Mike Fink was for it and didn’t get it…but we felt went from barely running three ence) started a potentially decisive “We like where we are at. We pleased his team was able to re - pretty good coming out of that,” he years ago to playing varsity. I want third set well, building a 8-5 lead had our bye week and watched a bound from a loss to Rio Hondo surmised.