Bill Bolden...An LV Sports Legend
Bill Bolden...An LV Sports Legend
Plus: LV Family Reunion, LV News Briefs, Tandoor Restaurant, and Do You Know If You Live in Linda Vista
Ask the question “Who is the greatest athlete ever produced by the community of Linda Vista?” and chances are good one name in particular will pop up. Ask that question to anyone who grew up in Linda Vista during the late 1950’s and mid-1960’s and there is a positively, absolutely 100% chance only one name will be mentioned, and that name is Bill Bolden. Current LV residents who are not familiar with the name of Bill Bolden may not understand what a big impact he made while playing as a kid on the playing fields of Linda Vista and later at Kearny High School, where he graduated in 1966. But a quick scan of various internet sites and old high school yearbooks leaves no doubt Bolden’s athletic achievements qualify him to be considered the greatest of all Linda Vista sports heroes. In effect, he is the stuff of which local legends are made of.
A community can often be defined by its shared values, traditions, and history. One aspect that captures all three of these characteristics involves the local heroes admired by residents young and old—those special individuals who have done something so remarkable that fellow residents are eager and proud to associate them with their community. We see evidence of such heroes, for example, in the name of John Baca Park—a park named after a native Linda Vistan who received the Medal of Honor for his bravery during the Vietnam War.
Sometimes the local hero takes the form of a superior athlete. Such is the case with Bill Bolden. If you query residents who grew up in Linda Vista during those far simpler days of the 1950s and 1960’s, they will regale you with stories of Bill Bolden playing baseball for neighborhood youth leagues. As depicted in the below photo, he stood out among his peers based on his size alone.
But his athletic feats at Kearny High School are what really distinguish him as a local sports hero. He played a prominent role in the Kearny football program’s golden era. During his sophomore year in 1963, he was a back-up quarterback on a team that won the CIF AA championship for the first time in school history. As a quarterback for the Komets varsity football team during the 1964 season, the talented junior led his school to its first ever undefeated record and another CIF San Diego AA championship title. In the process, he was named to the all-CIF football team as quarterback and was selected as CIF San Diego Football Player of the Year. He was known as a quarterback who could both pass and run with the ball. Later during that school year, he also starred as a varsity basketball and baseball player. During the 1966 football season, Bolden was named 2nd team All-CIF while continuing to also play on the basketball and baseball teams. The Kearny 1966 yearbook aptly predicted he would be “long remembered by faculty and students alike.” Of course, he has since been elected to the Kearny High Alumni Association Hall of Fame.
As an aside, in a 2017 article recognizing the top San Diego region quarterback of all time, a SD Union Tribune sportswriter noted Bolden as one of the top 10 multi-dimensional (running and passing) quarterbacks in the region’s history.
After graduation from Kearny High, Bolden went on to attend UCLA where he continued to play football. While in college he enjoyed an interesting football career that may not have reached the expectations some people established for him in high school, but his exceptional talents were on display, nonetheless. Unfortunately, injuries and the talent of certain UCLA teammates kept him from achieving star status. During his freshman year (back when freshmen were not allowed to play at the NCAA varsity level), he quarterbacked the freshman team. And during his sophomore year, he had the “misfortune” of mainly sitting on the bench as none other than Gary Beban—the 1967 Heisman Trophy winner—starred as UCLA’s starting quarterback. Bolden did gain some game time experience that year serving as a returner on kickoffs. The start of his junior year found him as the team’s starting quarterback—and he won his first two games—but an injury in UCLA’s third game ended the season for him. In his final collegiate season, he was beaten out of the starting quarterback job by talented JC transfer Dennis Dummitt who led the team to an 8-1-1 record.
Even though his time at quarterback was limited, Bolden still managed to get drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the ninth round of the 1970 NFL draft.
As noted in a couple local Facebook pages, Bill Bolden passed away at the beginning of this year. He was residing in Granada Hills at the time.
Though he is no longer with us, just get a long time LV resident talking about Bill Bolden and you’ll feel like it’s 1964 and the talented Kearny Komet is about to sprint or pass his way to another touchdown.
The LV Family Reunion is Returning
A Linda Vista tradition is about to be revived. After a four-year hiatus, the Linda Vista Family Reunion will once again he held at the Linda Vista Neighborhood Park. The reunion will take place on August 14 from 11:00 am to 7:00pm.
According to Sukari Appling (who is coordinating this year ‘s reunion), this will be the 11th version of the Family Reunion. Her mother, longtime Linda Vista resident Melinda Appling, started the Family Reunion in 2009, and as we noted in a previous edition of the Linda Vista Update, LV resident Lori Walker maintained the tradition while serving as chairperson for the reunion from 2013 to 2018.
In describing the purpose of the reunion, Appling let us know that her mom started the annual event after the deaths of her husband and her best friend….”Her and her peers were tired of meeting under the conditions of a funeral. She wanted something that brought people together at least once a year without needing a death.”
The Family Reunion went on from its 2009 beginnings to become a very popular event in the community. A day full of good music, good food, a chance to socialize, and plenty of fun raffles. It also became a big fundraiser for the Linda Vista Recreation Center. As pointed out in our previous article which spotlighted Lori Walker, the Family Reunion was originally structured as a fundraiser for the Linda Vista Recreation Center’s Youth Programs. All of the monies raised, which totaled over $55,000.00, were donated directly to the Recreation Center to purchase new soccer, football, basketball uniforms, jazz dance and drama costumes, new equipment, trophies, funding for banquets, and whatever else the staff needed to keep the Center equipped for the youth programming. The funds were also used to subsidize registration fees for the youth programs for low-income families. In fact, money from previous Family Reunions is still used to fund Recreation Center events.
Sukari Appling let us know that this year’s version of the Family Reunion may not be as big as previous ones—she is labeling this year’s event as a “pre-reunion,” in preparation for next year. “The reunion will not be thrown at the rec center as usual,” Appling said. “We requested time and space (at the LV Recreation Center a little too late so we’re not partnering with the rec this year, but we will be partnering with them next year.” And this year’s reunion will be a potluck, unlike previous years when food was available for purchase. Fans of the Linda Vista Neighborhood Park and Recreation Center will be happy to know that in spite of not being officially associated with the LV Recreation Center this year, “a huge portion of the money raised this reunion will still go to the rec as well.”
No matter the size of this year’s event, as Appling described, “It is a way to start to get ready for next year while celebrating being able to be outside this year. It is a day to celebrate family with our Linda Vista family.”
LV News Briefs
——Farmers Market: The Love, Linda Vista Farmers Market will be held today (July 28) in the parking lot of the Linda Vista Plaza Shopping Center. The Farmers Market will be open from 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Come on out and see what all the vendors have available for purchase. Buy those fresh eggs, fruits and vegetables! Today, Pueblo Planning will be joining the Love, Linda Vista Farmers Market to hear from the community what their experience is with taking public transit. Pueblo Planning is currently working with the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) on a public engagement effort that aims to have the community define equity through:
Understanding community members’ experiences taking public transit and their definition of safety and accessibility;
Identifying areas of concern and priorities for MTS;
Learning how the community would like to improve the relationship between MTS and transit riders; and
Envisioning what a joyful transit experience can be.
What is shared by the community and other communities across the MTS service area will inform MTS operations, services, programs, and policies. So come on by the Linda Vista Farmers Market and stop by the Pueblo Planning booth today!
—SD Humane Society: Looking for a new family pet? The SD Humane Society at 5480 Gaines Street is waiving all adoption fees through Sunday for the final week of its “Summer is Cooler with a Pet” promotion. This includes fees for all adoptable bird species, livestock, dogs, cats, puppies, kittens, and small pets.
—SD Loyal Soccer: The Loyal Soccer team plays its next home game on August 6 at 7:00 pm at USD’s Torero Stadium. Their opponent will be San Antonio. Ticket info can be found here.
—SD Wave Soccer: The San Diego Waves play their next home game on Sunday August 7 (2:00 pm) at USD’s Torero Stadium. They will play Kansas City. You can find ticket info here.
Try Some Indian Food in Mission Valley
We were taking with our carnivore sidekick the other day and he told us he discovered the most wonderful eating establishment with good food, reasonably enough priced for his budget. The place he was talking about was Tandoor, Indian Cuisine, 5608 Mission Center Road. It is very close to Ralph’s. We had eaten there many years ago but had not been there lately so we thought since he spoke so highly of it, we would give it a try.
Tandoor features home style regional cooking of India and has a very nice menu featuring vegetarian and non-vegetarian items. They are open 7 days a week, 11 AM to 9:30 pm. They have a Saturday Dinner Buffet from 5 to 9 PM and a Sunday Brunch 11AM to 3:30 PM.
We went there for dinner about 6PM. We spoke briefly with the proprietor asking how long they have been there, and he told us 30 years - they opened in 1992. They did not close during the pandemic. Since we don’t eat meat, we checked out the vegetarian dishes of which there were about 9 menu items. They also had 4 seafood entrees and of course many chicken and lamb items featuring curry, Chicken Tikka Masala Tandoori chicken combinations and many more.
I decided on Shrimp Curry for myself, and Steve ordered Shrimp Biryani. Although they do takeout, we wanted to eat there and there are inside and outside tables. The restaurant is very nice and the service very friendly. We both asked for our food to be mildly spiced.
The food was prepared and arrived quickly. The servings were very generous. My Curry had many shrimps in a wonderful sauce. There was a very large helping of rice and green lentils on the side. We also received a generous portion of Naan bread which was warm and delicious. My shrimp curry was great. The shrimp were steaming hot and the curry a little spicy but perfect for me.
Steve’s dish Biryani was a seasoned rice dish and included large shrimp. The rice had a strong taste of spices, perhaps garam masala or saffron. It was served with naan and raita which is a yogurt-based condiment with diced cucumbers, green onion, perhaps lemon, and other spices which I would only be guessing at. It was delicious and we dipped our naan in it. It was so refreshing, and I asked the proprietor if they sold it separately and they do.
Our sidekick told us he had tried the Chicken Tikka Masala which is tandoori chicken breast simmered in a mild sauce. Coincidently, the proprietor told us this is their most popular dish. The carnivore said he also tried the Karahi Chicken which is boneless chicken breast sautéed with bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes. He said both dishes were “awesome.” They also have many other dishes such as kabobs, cottage fries, and of course appetizers and desserts.
Their prices are very reasonable with entrees from about $7 to $9. We enjoyed our meal and will certainly go back. Give it a try. Not exactly Linda Vista, but close enough.
5608 Mission Center Rd
San Diego CA 92108
619-497-0751
Commentary
Do You Know if You Live in Linda Vista?
I think we can all agree that the Linda Vista community benefits when many of its residents work together on supporting events and programs or solving common problems. The more the merrier, right?
The idea of people from the same community working together appeals to a sense of civic pride. It helps foster a teamwork approach that encourages a greater degree of participation from all sectors of our very diverse Linda Vista population. We are naturally inclined to support our fellow residents—the people we identify with as having the same community values and interests. Cultivating that communal bond is so important.
What I have recently discovered, however, is that many Linda Vista residents don’t necessarily feel that bond with fellow LV residents—and not because the Linda Vista community is so multi-culturally diverse (a unique feature of our community which might lead some to think a sense of togetherness is difficult to achieve). The real reason is much more basic. It’s because they don’t even realize they are residents of Linda Vista.
Yes, I know what you’re thinking...how can a Linda Vista resident not realize he or she is a Linda Vista resident?
Let me explain.
Just the other day, as I was walking around the Linda Vista Plaza Shopping Center, looking for potential subscribers for the Linda Vista Update, I found myself asking someone... “So, are you from Linda Vista?”
The person pointed south and responded ... “No, I live off of Ulric Street in City Scene.”
Knowing that the City Scene condo development is officially in the Fashion Heights neighborhood of Linda Vista, I replied back, “City Scene is actually part of Linda Vista.”
The person gave me a quizzical look and said “It is? Are you sure?”
I told her... “Absolutely,” and added “Linda Vista comprises much more than just the area that lies within easy walking distance of the Linda Vista Plaza Shopping Center.”
She merely shrugged, and said “I think you’re pulling my leg.” She then walked away, unmoved by my attempt to provide her with enlightenment.
Later that day, I asked someone else walking around the plaza where he lived, and he responded...”In the Overlook Heights neighborhood that sits above the Morena Business Corridor.”
I asked...”Can I talk you into subscribing to the Linda Vista Update?”
He replied... “No thanks. Why would anyone in Overlook Heights want to know about what’s going on in Linda Vista?”
Similar to my previous conversation, I explained that Overlook Heights comprises one of 16 neighborhoods in Linda Vista, as explained in the latest edition of the Linda Vista Community Plan.
He just looked at me and then started walking briskly away, as if I posed some sort of risk to his civic awareness.
As he was walking away, I yelled “But I have a copy of the Linda Vista Community Plan, the latest version of which was published in February 2020 by the City of San Diego Planning Department, and in this publication, it is stated that Linda Vista is comprised of 16 different neighborhoods, and Overlook Heights is one of them, in addition to Linda Vista Hills, Chesterton, Wheatley, Central Linda Vista, Manor Terrace, Linda Vista Village, Casa Bella, Mission Heights, University Canyon, Alcala Knolls, Fashion Heights, North Rim, Friars Road, and Silver Terrace.”
He just kept walking.
But I think I made my point—my point being that some Linda Vistans don’t realize they are Linda Vistans. Under such circumstances, it becomes a difficult challenge to appeal to a sense of LV civic pride from all of our fellow residents, which currently number 38,121, according to one source. When facing a problem that affects the entire LV community, or when working on a project that will benefit from the participation of as many Linda Vista residents as possible, how can one expect Linda Vista residents to work together if some don’t identify with their fellow residents?
What can we do to ensure all Linda Vistans know they are Linda Vistans, and thus ensure the maximum degree of LV community spirit?
I suggest the following steps be taken as soon as possible. Surely, such LV civic organizations as the Linda Vista Town Council and the Linda Vista Planning Group can help mobilize the effort required to carry out these steps:
1. Mail official Linda Vista membership cards to all residents who live within the official boundaries of the Linda Vista community. Residents would be required to carry these membership cards at all times.
2. Sell/promote T-shirts that have printed on the front... “Linda Vista” ...accompanied by the official Linda Vista boundary map (see above map) annotated with the locations of the 16 neighborhoods.
3. Form an official Linda Vista softball, flag football, or roller derby team. The team will be required to have at least one member from each of the 16 Linda Vista neighborhoods.
4. Encourage local business owners to offer occasional discounts to any customers who respond to the following question... “What part of Linda Vista are you from?” ... with the answer... “I live in the (name of particular Linda Vista neighborhood) part of Linda Vista.”
5. Encourage an official graffiti campaign which will require local outlaw spray paint graffiti artists from each LV community to include the words “Which is a part of Linda Vista” right next to their neighborhood moniker. A sample of such spray paint graffiti artwork is shown below:
Let us and our fellow Linda Vista Update readers know what you think of these suggestions. We are in need of an “I really do live in Linda Vista” awareness campaign. I personally can’t wait to wear my official Linda Vista T-shirt with the official boundary map.
Subscribe to the Linda Vista Update
We invite everyone to subscribe to the Linda Vista Update. It’s FREE. The best deal in town. Just click on the “Subscribe now” button located below. Once you subscribe, you will be on automatic distribution for all future issues.
The Linda Vista Update is a weekly digital newsletter that publishes informative, interesting and fun news about Linda Vista and its neighboring communities.