My Dad's Birthday

In honor of my Dad's birthday you see above a photo of the USS Chevalier, one of the ships my Dad sailed on during his time in the US Navy.

According to the website where I found this photo, it was taken circa 1969 near Point Loma in San Diego. It's possible my Dad was on board when this photo was taken.

We celebrate my Pops around here because it was he that moved to San Diego to join the Navy in the late 1960s, thus solidifiying a love for the San Diego Chargers that had started while, from his sofa in frigid Central Illinois, he watched Lance Alworth and the rest of the Bolts play in sunny Balboa Stadium and dominate the AFL with their high-powered passing attack.

A love for the Padres followed as he witnessed first hand their struggle as a fledgling franchise throughout the 1970s.

In 1978, facing economic pressures, he moved his family from San Diego back to his hometown of Peoria, IL.

The moral of the story is this: if my Dad doesn't spend those years in San Diego and become a passionate fan of the Padres and Chargers, I probably grow up as a Cubs and Bears fan.

Oh my.

Happy birthday, Dad.