Bridge Generation News

  Gregg Bambo of Salt Lake City sent me a nostalgic photo of Salinas CA teens during the 1950s (see pic: from L-R Noah Encallado, Sonny Reyes, Joe Calderon, and Gregg).  Check out the gabardine suits!  What a far cry from the way teenage boys dress today………..The former Becky Asis of Seattle must be beaming.  Her son, Tim Lincecum of the San Francisco Giants, pitched his second career no-hitter against the San Diego Padres on June 25.  The two-time National League Most Valuable Pitcher threw his first no-hitter last year — also against San Diego……..It was a personal loss to learn of the passing on June 24 of George Campos, member of the old San Francisco Mangos — the ground-breaking youth club of the mid-20^th century.  A career Army man prior to his retirement in 1962, he is survived by his wife of 24 years, Gilbertine Cabreana Campos.  George was 84 years of ageand the last Bridge Generation survivor of the Campos-Delphino family……Frank Lagasca, long-time educator at Stockton’s Edison High School, passed away in July.  He was the respected role model of countless Filipino American youth at the south end school……….Congratulations to Joe Talaugon of Santa Maria who came away with a first place trophy in the vintage car competition at the Salad Bowl Festival.  Joe won the coveted trophy for the third year in a row……….A personal note: When I learned that Ed and Beverly Dacuioag Ventura recently dined at Aviator’s Restaurant located in Sacramento’s Executive Airport, it brought back fond memories.  We lived in Golf Course Terrace, just behind the airport during the late 40s and early 50s, where our six small children were raised.

Filipino American Pinakbet

  The National Basketball League’s recent draft of Jordan Clarkson was only the third time a Filipino American was drafted in the history of the league.  The first was Raymond Townsend, the UCLA All-American drafted in 1978 by the San Francisco Warriors. Townsend is the son of the late Virginia Rugnao Townsend of San Jose……..Not to be outdone by their male counterparts, Filipina Americans are also making their mark in college sports.  According to a recent University of Nevada newsletter, six Pinays participated in the World Cup of Softball IX in Irvine CA in early July.  Representing five different universities in the tournament were: UNLV’s Garie Blando and Francesca Foti, Alleah Laxama of Cal Berkeley, Leia Ruiz of San Diego State, Oregon State’s Dani Gilmore, and Gabrielle Rodas of Cal State Fullerton.  The Irvine tourney was one of three softball tournaments the women are expected to be competing in during the summer – the others being in Canada and the Netherlands.  You go girls!!!……Hopefully, readers were able to watch Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas’ CBS documentary “Documented” on June 30.  In depicting his experiences as an undocumented Filipino American, the TV show once again demonstrated the need for comprehensive immigration reform.  In July Vargas showed up at the Texas border in support for the Central American refugee children in the custody of the Border Patrol.  He was arrested because he was there without a visa and was later released………..Congratulations to Theresa P. Magno, recently elected as Superior Court Judge for the County of Los Angeles.  Judge-elect Magno’s public service began when she was elected to the board of Samahang Pilipino, the Filipino American student organization at UCLA, during the early 1990s…..Congrats also to Florante Ibanez of Carson who was appointed by California Governor Jerry Brown to the State Library Services Board……. Historical Tid-Bit.  The first Filipinos to set foot on the continental United States occurred on October 16, 1587 during the days of the Manila-Spain galleon trade when the Spanish ship Nuestra Senora de Esperanza sailed into Morro Bay.  A landing party, including persons Spaniards referred to as Luzones Indios (Filipinos), claimed the area for Spain.  The historical event is commemorated by a plaque at the foot of Morro Rock commissioned by the Central Coast Chapter, Filipino American Historical Society, on October 31, 1995.