SIDELINES: Funny stories from the ‘40s

Don Cantrell

It can be fun sometimes circling back around the old round of

wagons in the world of local sports.

One of the amusing items out of the mid-40 arose one day when Judge

Donald Dodge had to deal with a fellow and his loud motorbike. It was Joe

Muniz, a sharp blocking back on the 1944 Newport Harbor High varsity

football team under coach Les Miller.

Muniz always loved his motorcycle and it didn’t bother him that it

made a lot of noise.

Unfortunately, he had been losing citizen support around the old town

and it finally came to the attention of the Judge, who was also a school

board member and a believer in keeping the peace.

Muniz liked the judge and chose to appear in a positive stance one

morning at court, which was then held in the old American Legion Hall.

Muniz had one idea he felt would aid his case. He didn’t wish to

broadcast it, but he stuffed a wad of steel wool up the one exhaust to

tone things down.

And it worked, or so it seemed.

However, after the judge left the court with Muniz, he said, “All

right, Joe, start up the engine.”

He did. The sound was fairly smooth.

While Muniz flashed a winning smile, Dodge soon spun his way, then

said, “Now, Joe, take the steel wool out.”

The machine roared and Muniz knew it was “case closed.”

*His younger brother, Al, often produced hearty laughs in school days.

Much laughter arose at a 1948 varsity football game one night at Davidson

Field when the Tars took on Carpenteria High, a quick and clever team.

Carpenteria also featured numerous Hispanics and Al soon took notice.

After a spell, the game became tight and Newport needed a few lucky

breaks.

Al eventually found a leak in the middle of the line. He discovered a

verbal leak.

He noticed one Carpenteria guard couldn’t remember his plays too well.

At certain moments, the guard would have to ask his quarterback in

Spanish to guide him.

Al understood Spanish.

Time and again this happened. And each time, to the amazement of the

Carpenteria coach, Al would be right (and left) on target to meet the

ball carrier.

Newport won the close battle, 13-7, but Al never said a word

throughout the contest. His mates responded with laughter in the locker

room later.

*In a middleweight game one afternoon at Newport, a Santa Ana coach

was serving as one of the referees.

He stood on one side looking calm and efficient until a pass flew his

way. No one was nearby so he chose to catch the ball himself.

His brow wrinkled when he realized that action on his part was

illegal. He soon had the teams on his back and then struggled to make it

right. He allowed the teams to run that play over again.

*Thousands of fans were mystified one night in 1949 during a football

game vs. Huntington Beach at Davidson Field.

At one point, whistles blew and the officials pulled the teams

together to explain what had happened. Unfortunately, they never told the

crowd, so it remained a mystery for many.

Harbor High’s one-eyed halfback star had been hit hard on the play and

lost his eye.

Hence, the players took the time to crawl on their knees in the

general area until they could find the artificial eye. They finally did.

Then the two clubs resumed play without saying a word.

Eddie Mayer, a Newport linebacker, always thought that was a hilarious

happening.

*Don McCallum, Class of ‘48, knew how to laugh at himself and enjoyed

one episode that came his way after three years on the track where he ran

the hurdles. And he was a fine performer.

He proved his worth as a sophomore when he won third place in the

league low hurdles. Three medals were awarded and he took one, while two

seniors captured the other two.

It was then believed McCallum would win first in his junior year,

since the rivals would graduate.

The outcome actually found him taking fourth as a junior. He was lucky

since the league awarded four medals. His name shined since the top three

would be graduating.

Five medals were up for grabs in his senior year and he took the

fifth.

He said he had to laugh at himself.