Our Men's basketball team was ready to bounce back from the loss to Portland. The crowd was small for our game against Tennessee Tech.
My son-in-law Gen and his eight year old son Zane, my grandson, went to the opening USC Men's basketball game versus Portland. We could stay only for the first half, since it was late for Zane.
The three of us listened to the second half of the game on the car radio as we drove home. Unfortunately, we lost to Portland.
Our men's basketball team will FIGHT ON!
Trojan Candy eagerly walked into the Bashor Lounge in Heritage Hall for the Trojan Athletic Fund Open House. How many new athletic friends will I meet this afternoon?
As soon as my husband Jim and I entered the Lounge, I saw a very familiar smiling face. Sabrina Santamaria (4/11/2014) was standing there with no crutches! She told me that she rehabbed all summer and will be ready to play by January. What good news! FIGHT ON, Sabrina!
What about a new friend? She was standing right next to Sabrina. Casey Reede, who will be a Senior just like Sabrina, is also on the Women of Troy Tennis Team. She transferred from U.C. Santa Barbara and is majoring in Marketing and minoring in Communications at USC. Casey told Trojan Candy that she started playing tennis at nine years old only because her dad won tennis lessons as a prize in a silent auction! Casey, her dad and USC were all lucky winners! On a more personal level, Casey's favorite food is sushi, and she likes all kinds of music. This past summer, Casey interned at ABC 7 Sports as a hostess for talent in NFL Sports. She has also worked at Fox Football and Baseball as a runner in the booth. What a fantastic start to a long career! FIGHT ON, Casey!
Trojan Candy was on a roll now. I saw another new friend to meet and interview. Sidney Cooke, who is from Danville in northern California, is a Sophomore majoring in Communications and minoring in Marketing. Just the opposite of Casey. However, Sidney does not compete in tennis at USC; she is a Women of Troy Swimmer. Sidney competes in two events, the 100m and 200m Backstroke. She has been swimming for only seven years, since she first started competitive swimming as a Freshman in high school. Her roommates are fellow Women of Troy swimmers Riley Hayward and Kaylee Meyers. Sidney told me that her younger sister is a competitive dancer. We talked about USC's new School of Dance. Perhaps the start of another Trojan Family! FIGHT ON, Sidney!
While some other guests were taking a tour of Heritage Hall and John McKay Center, Trojan Candy stayed in the lounge. Jim and I had a nice conversation with the guest speaker John Robinson. Trojan Candy hears him speak weekly during the football season at Monday Morning Quarterback, but it was really nice to just sit with him and talk. Coach Robinson told us that he coached at USC for fifteen years. He was hired by John McKay and worked as an assistant for three years. Then, after one year in the NFL, Coach Robinson became the head coach at USC. Two ladies sat with Coach, Jim and me. Amy Ross and her mother Joyce Ruygrok made our conversation even more interesting. Joyce told us that she acted in the 1947 movie "Spirit of West Point." It was a movie about football greats Don Blanchard and Glenn Davis. Joyce was a Samuel Goldwyn Girl! Trojan Candy took this photo of Amy, Joyce, and John Robinson. FIGHT ON, Amy! FIGHT ON, Joyce! FIGHT ON, John!
After Coach Robinson addressed the guests, Trojan Candy heard the oh, so familiar drum beat!
What a nice intimate pep rally the night before the USC-Cal football game. FIGHT ON, Spirit of Troy!
I received this email from Football All-American Keith Van Horne.
Subject: Photos with All-American Medallion
Date: Sunday, November 09, 2014 2:11 PM
Candy,
I must apologize for not getting these to you sooner. I had misplaced your information and could not find it until very recently. I want you to know how much I appreciate your efforts on my behalf in sending me my All-American Medallion from Heritage Hall. It is a wonderful reminder of great times and, certainly, something I treasure having in my possession. Thank you so very much.
The picture of me holding my medallion was taken by my neighbor Martha, who, coincidentally, also attended USC. She actually tutored me in Trigonometry. Thanks to her help, I pulled a grade of B out of that class. I did not like nor easily understand that subject!
The 2nd picture is of the two of us. I thought it would be nice to include a fellow Trojan, especially since she helped with the photos.
I hope you and your family are doing well, and I wish you a wonderful Holiday season.
Again, thank you for your kind gesture.
Fight On!
Sincerely,
Keith Van Horne - Class of 1981
Team Member of the 1978 National Championship Team
Thank you, Keith, for your email. It makes me proud to be a Trojan and to have the privilege to meet you! Indeed, have a wonderful Holiday season, also!
FIGHT ON, Keith!
Trojan Candy arrived at the Radisson Hotel for the annual Trojan Baseball Alumni Association (TBAA) dinner with one goal in mind...to deliver a Heritage Hall Medallion to USC Assistant Baseball Coach Gabe Alvarez. Anything else would be icing on the cake! Introductions were being made, so I sat down quietly at a table with my sister Pat and brother-in-law Dudley.
As dinner was being served, Trojan Candy met and interviewed a new friend who was sitting right next to me. Andrew Wright, a USC Sophomore from San Diego, is a pitcher and outfielder on the team. He is majoring in Business Administration and minoring in Real Estate Development. He likes country music and his favorite artist is Jason Aldean. Thriller movies are also his favorite. Being from Del Mar, Andrew told me that he loves going to the beach, playing some volleyball and playing golf. He told me that he knows some USC Women of Troy Volleyball and Sand Volleyball team members. So does Trojan Candy! We have something in common, in addition to our beloved USC! Then with a smile, Andrew told me that his current team beat the Alumni 19-2 this afternoon. He said that he was one for one with two RBI's. Way to go! FIGHT ON, Andrew!
After dinner, there was a short break. Trojan Candy immediately went looking for Coach Gabe Alvarez. At the back of the dining room, I saw a table full of young men. I went with my intuition....they must be USC baseball players....and they were! They also willingly posed for a group picture. Then, Mason Perryman asked me to send the picture on facebook, instagram or twitter to him. OOPS! Trojan Candy does none of them. I gave him my Trojan Candy card and told him the picture will be in my blog. Resigned to the delay, Mason was nice enough to name all of his teammates in the picture, including himself. Sitting, left to right: FIGHT ON, Mason Perryman! FIGHT ON, Jack Poulsen! FIGHT ON, Jeff Paschke! FIGHT ON, Frankie Rios! FIGHT ON, Omar Cotto Lozado! Standing, left to right: FIGHT ON, Mitch Hart! FIGHT ON, Brad Wegman! FIGHT ON, Bobby Hearn! FIGHT ON, Stephen Dubb! Fight ON, Adalberto Carrillo! FIGHT ON, David Oppenheim! FIGHT ON, Turner Clouse!
Just before the program was to start, Trojan Candy finally found him! I gave Gabe Alvarez his Heritage Hall Medallion and took his picture. I was also able to tell him that my son Gregory and I watched him play as an undergrad at USC. He was a great Trojan shortstop! FIGHT ON, Gabe!
Trojan Candy made it back to my table in time for dessert. It was a scrumptious red velvet cake encased in white chocolate. Mmmm! While enjoying dessert, I was able to interview a USC Baseball Alumnus who was sitting at our table. Jeff Pedersen won three NCAA Baseball World Series Championships in 1970, 1971, and 1972. He was a Freshman in 1969 when USC won the 1969 World Series, but Freshman could not play varsity in those days, so he did not win four championships. 
Jeff played centerfield and was a team captain in 1972. Look at his championship ring! He majored in Business Finance and owns a sports research company now. His company, Sports Research Corporation, operates in fifty-eight countries. The Chicago Cubs drafted Jeff out of high school in the second round, but Jeff said that he chose USC over the majors because of Coach Dedeaux. On a more personal note, Jeff and his wife Marie have six children. Their daughter Marie Kelly was a Midfielder on the USC Women of Troy Soccer Team in 2001-2004. Another Trojan Family! Four of their sons are also athletes. One played football at Hawaii, one played baseball at Florida, and two played baseball at Lynn University in Florida. What an athletic family! FIGHT ON, Jeff!
Now it was time in the program for the TBAA to award its 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award. The honor went to Fred Hill. Mr. Hill played two sports at USC...football and baseball, under two legendary coaches, John McKay and Rod Dedeaux. He was a member of two national championship teams, Football in 1962 and Baseball in 1963! While he was playing professional football with the Philadelphia Eagles, his daughter was diagnosed with leukemia. Along with Eagle's owner Leonard Tose and Eagle's GM Jim Murray, Mr. Hill created "Eagles Fly" for leukemia philanthropy. They completed an oncology floor at Philadelphia's Children Hospital. Then, they built the first Ronald McDonald's House. There are more than 300 Ronald McDonald's Houses around the world today, thanks to Fred Hill. FIGHT ON, Fred!
Fourteen other USC Baseball Alumni were awarded medallions for being "Two-Sport" Trojans. Trojan Candy took this picture of friend John Jackson wearing his medallion. John played football and baseball. FIGHT ON, John!
I was able to meet and take pictures of two more "Two-Sport" Trojans. Rob Hertel sat at the table next to mine. He told Trojan Candy that eighteen members of his family attended USC! Now, that is another remarkable Trojan Family! FIGHT ON, Rob!
At the door, I took this picture of a third "Two-Sport" Trojan, Don Buford. FIGHT ON, Don!
What a memorable evening!
