OSUSD Newsletter
May, 1999
Volume 6 Number 1
Published quarterly by
The Ohio State Alumni Club of San Diego
P. O. Box 16102
San Diego, CA 92176
Moondoggies Completes Renovation
Buckeye fans will be watching football in style this season as Moondoggie's of Pacific Beach has just completed a major remodel. Brett Miller, owner, initiated the project to improve the comfort of the patrons and update the style of the restaurant.Improvements to the facilities include: a new entry, cabana bar, heated courtyard with firepit, booth style seating, increased restroom capacity and of course a new giant TV screen.
Many of us were able to preview the new restaurant when Moondoggie's hosted the club as we watched the Buckeye basketball team reach the final four.
The renovations were designed by Tim Wilson, Architect, OSU alumni and member of our local club.
Student Recruiting On A Roll
After inviting two of our new freshmen students to the first football game at Moondoggies last fall, the alumni group fired up a bigger and better committee to rebuild our local recruiting program. Watching the Buckeyes wipe out Penn State and seeing how our members were inspiring the next members of the class of 2002, we put together what should be a very effective team of recruiters for the coming years.The first objective was to completely update all of the information on the local schools and to give them up to date information on Ohio State. Gary spent long hours in the county
Office of Education researching names of counselors, phone numbers and up to date
addresses. We narrowed down a target list of the most potential schools to visit and made that the first priority to accomplish.By the time Thanksgiving came around and the fall recruiting season was completed, we personally visited 12 public and private high schools and presented at least 4 evening college fairs. Phone contacts were made to the other non-visited schools and mailings went out to all of the remaining schools. Believe it or not, there are over 85 public high schools in San Diego county and another score of private ones. They can all say now that Ohio State has invested in their seniors.
A lot of work was done this year and it should pay off more than ever in the future. A special thanks to all those who volunteered to help during the hectic fall season and especially to Bob Bates who was our roving ambassador to the High School classes. David Happ has agreed to head up a program for us to keep in contact with enrolled students and keep them involved with our San Diego Alumni club. Drew Osborne, Mark Basford, Mark Eckert, Jera Ratliff, Nancy Fink, Shelly Zimmerman, and Dave Happ all helped out at the College Fairs. Telephone contacts were made by Carol Miller, Bob Bates, Nancy Fink and Drew. It takes a lot of people to do this rewarding job and we sure thank the many volunteers. It will take many more this coming fall, starting in August. If you can help please feel free to give us a call: Dave Fenner 575-1543.
Sugar Bowl Party
More than 50 local Buckeyes provided a wide variety of scrumptious food for the club's 1999 Sugar Bowl Party hosted at Gary Rectenwald's home in La Jolla. The food and the crowd were both first-class. What a great win over Texas A&M, and what a great way to start 1999 !!Annual Padres-Reds Game
On Friday May 21 come out to the Q and join the alumni club in watching the National League Champion Padres take on the Cincinnati Reds. Game time is 7:05 PM. Tickets will cost $16.00 and we will get the best seats available. We will try to get Plaza or Loge along the baselines. A portion of the price will go toward the scholarship fund. Before the game we will hold a tailgate party, time and exact place to be announced later. This is one of our more popular events. So come on out to the old ballgame, meet old friends and make new ones. Any questions call Ed Olander 619-565-6056. Ticket order form is attached to the Newsletter. See you at the Q!OSU GRADS TO CALL SAN DIEGO "HOME"
Tom Hollinger, Anna Gerber, Ahn Sang-OK, and Shriram Narayanan are all recent Buckeye graduates. They have earned their degrees in Sports Management, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Business and Finance. They not only have their degrees, they have practical work experience, AND they plan to join the over two thousand Buckeye grads who have chosen to call San Diego home.We can help them and Buckeye students achieve their dreams, and by doing so contribute to Ohio State in a practical and meaningful way.
Did you also know there are more than twenty San Diegans attending OSU? And with the success of the club's high school recruitment program there will be more.
The OSU Alumni Association's "Current Students" Program helps current students with mentorship while in school, and networking and employment opportunities upon graduation. Your San Diego Alumni Club is busy developing its Current Students Program,and it needs your help!
CLUB MEMBERS CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE for current students in several ways. We need volunteers to: Lend your skills to managing the Current Students Program. Be a current student's mentor. Form a relationship with a student from the San Diego area whose major is related to your profession. Answer their questions. Help them network. Perhaps even learn from them about the latest developments in your professional field. Receive and distribute Buckeye graduates' resumes. You may have a need for their skills in your business or you may know someone who does!
A minimum commitment of your time can make a big difference. If you'd like to participate in the program, please contact Dave Happ at 619-576-0019 or e-mail 103267.1643@CompuServe.com.
A Very Special Parade of Lights
Our traditional holiday gathering for the Boat Parade of Lights became much more than a celebration of the season. Around forty Buckeyes got together in December of 1998, not only to experience this festive tradition, but to say "Happy Birthday" to Anna Franklin. Anna was celebrating her 100th birthday and attended the party to enjoy the company of Buckeye family and friends. Anna graduated from Ohio state in 1922, and on that evening she shared her memories and photos with our club members. The birthday celebration took place as decorated yachts cruised along San Diego Bay and Buckeyes toasted to another year of friendship and tradition.Moonlight Kayaking
The third annual Moonlight kayaking will be held on Sunday, Aug. 1, during the week of the full moon. We will start with a BBQ/Potluck dinner. Dinner will be followed by a casually paced and peaceful trip by kayak around Mission Bay under the moon and stars.This great event starts at the Mission Bay Aquatics Club. The cost will be $27.00 per person. Children welcome when accompanied by responsible parent. Hope to see you there. Please RSVP via the registration form on page 5.
Buckeye Basketball at Moondoggies
Moondoggies, huge crowds of scarlet and gray clad fans, cheering and yelling, Gary playing fight songs, in March? That's right, the surprising 1998-99 Buckeye Men's basketball team made it all the way to the NCAA Final Four for the first time since 1968, and the new and renovated Moondoggies proved that it's not just a place to watch football. The Buckeye presence was made known for all games. The locals were joined on Saturday March 27th by the Ohio State Women's Crew team, that was in San Diego for a big meet. The huge crowd cheered on the Buckeyes against the Connecticut Huskies. Although the Buckeyes fell short they gave us a wonderful season to remember. Thanks to Coach Jim O'Brien and his team for a great run and good luck next year.Special News
About 15 Buckeye alumni gathered at honorary Buckeye, Dan Stone's (Vickie's Dad) home in Cardiff for the third annual Buckeye SuperBowl Bash! All enjoyed a stunning view of the San Elijo Lagoon and Pacific Ocean, yummy munchies (with buckeyes of course) and a well...., OK game between the Broncos and Falcons. Oh, and thanks to Ed Olander for fresh apple pies, direct from Julian that very day!Superbowl Party
The AFC Champion Denver Broncos, returned to the SuperBowl to play the NFC Champion Atlanta Falcons. It's a pretty good story line, the defending champions going against the Cinderella team in perhaps John Elway's last game. But having watched the game, it was dull enough for most of us to agree, that it was the commercials that won, as usual. Oh come on, you've noticed that in the recent Super Bowls, there's been more media hype and endorsements for the commercials than for the actual game. We admit we deliberately quieted down for the commercials during the Super Bowl because we knew that the companies would be premiering their newest and best commercials then. And when we talked about the game we talked more about the ads than the plays in the game. M&M's , American Express, the Budweiser frogs, the mouse with the goggles being slung shot through the apartment window, so the guy could share the frightened girl's beer. Quite entertaining. The half time show with all types of music was great too. Vickie favored the swing dance band Royal Crown Revue. And Stevie Wonder can still belt out a tune as well.Overall, good food, folks and FUN. See you all next year, if you missed this one.
Annual Meeting
Dr. Jon Woods, Director of world-famous Ohio State University Marching Band, will be this year's guest speaker at our 1999 Annual Meeting to be conducted at Charlie Brown's from 5:30 - 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 27, 1999.Dr. Woods is in his 15th year as Director of "The Best Damn Band In The Land" and is the longest serving Marching Band director in the Big Ten Conference and one of the longest serving in the nation. Jon served as associate director for 10 years before becoming director. In addition to his awesome and demanding responsibilities for the Marching Band, he also serves as conductor for all Athletic Bands which provide music for various campus sporting events. As a faculty member in the School of Music, his teaching responsibilities include graduate music courses, graduate advising for master and doctoral students and secondary instrumental methods. A recipient of the School of Music Distinguished Teaching Award, Dr. Woods is recognized nationally as a clinician and adjudicator for both marching and concert band festivals. He received his Bachelor's Degree from Indiana University, his Master Degree from Penn State and his Ph.D., from ummmm, "that school up north".
Jon's presentations are always very exciting and visually stimulating. Don't miss this ONE!!!!!
Message from the President
What an exciting fall and winter season for The Ohio State Alumni Club of San Diego. Over the course of the past 6 months, we hosted 12 football TV parties, our annual Holiday "Parade of Lights", a Sugar Bowl party, a Super Bowl Party, 5 NCAA basketball parties, a reception for Michael Wiley at Seau's and a party for the Ohio State Women's Crew Team.In addition, we hosted a 100th birthday party for Anna Franklin, who graduated from Ohio State in 1922. Anna was actively involved in a fundraising campaign for the "new" stadium during her tenure at Ohio State. Anna shared many very special memories of her experiences at Ohio State during World War I. As of January 1, 2000, Anna is looking forward to being one of the very few to have lived in 3 centuries. We're all looking forward to Anna's 101st birthday in December.
A special surprise reception for Michael
Wiley, starting running back on the Ohio State Buckeye football team, was held in March at Seau's in Mission Valley. We were introduced to Michael's family and his girlfriend, also attending Ohio State. Michael was very surprised and gracious - he signed many autographs for more than 75 Ohio State fans who attended the event.We're looking forward to seeing all of you at our upcoming Spring Events: the Padres-Reds Game on May 21st and our Annual Meeting on June 27th. I'm especially excited about our guest speaker this year, Dr. Jon Woods of The Ohio State University Marching Band - a personal friend of mine for more than 25 years. Jon was an associate band director of the band during my band days in the mid 1970's.
Gulls Hockey Game
On January 17th the alumni club sponsored it's first ever group night at the Gulls. During what promises to be an annual event, club members enjoyed an exciting game watching San Diego's three time Taylor Cup Champion Gulls. Before the game many members met at the Olive Garden for dinner. The event raised $30.00 for the scholarship fund. We will hold this event next season and we hope you can join us.
Buckeye Hotline Help Us Make Your Club Better, Please Get Involved
(619) 685-2056
If you wold like to volunteer to fill or help with any of the positions below please contact Gary Rectenwald (619)454-4758, Kim Best (619)475-0189 or send in the form on page 5.
OSU Women's Crew Compete on Mission Bay
Third year Coach Andy Teitlebaum brought 22 members of the OSU Women's Crew Team to compete in the San Diego Crew Classic on Mission Bay March 27th and 28th. They brought two shells (eights) that came from Ohio via Michigan on Michigan's trailer! The racing teams came in fifth and third in the 2000 meter race which qualified them to compete in the Petit Finals. The team joined our San Diego Alumni Club at Moondoggies on Saturday afternoon to watch the Buckeye Basketball team battle it out with U Conn. This was the Women's Crew's second trip to the Crew Classic and we hope they'll visit us every year!Michael Wiley Night at Seau's
On March 19th something special happened in San Diego. It was Michael Wiley Night at Seau's Restaurant! For those of you who don't know him (what kind of Buckeye are you?), Michael is the electrifying tailback who wears No. 5 on football Saturdays for the college team ranked number 2 in the nation in 1998, our very own Ohio State Buckeyes! Michael is a 1996 graduate of Monte Vista High School here in San Diego and is a Buckeye senior majoring in Sociology.Approximately 70 San Diego Buckeyes, family and friends gathered at Seau's to enjoy great food and to give Michael a great welcome home. Special guests included Coach Cooper (no, not John Cooper), Michael's High School football coach, Bernard Cooper and his wife Bobbie (I wonder if Coach Cooper and Coach Cooper know about each other!!!); Michael's teammates from his Pop Warner football and little league baseball teams; Quiana Moore, Michael's girlfriend and, of course, Felicia and Eddie Wiley, Michael's parents. Three member's of the OSU men's soccer team even flew in to greet Michael ... or maybe they were here for spring break!!
Michael graciously signed autographs and took time for several pictures. What a thrilling time it was for all of us to personally meet our home town hero! We love you Michael! Only 134 more days until Buckeye football begins! (But who's counting?) See you at Moondoggies on August 29th! GO-O-O-O-O BUCKS!