The arrival of San Diego County’s first 30-points-a-game scorer this year was via a curious journey, from Iceland to Pacific Beach, to Linda Vista, and to North San Diego, where Marshall and Mitchell Lilly landed at Madison High.
The twins, who spent the 1974-75 school year in the near-Arctic Circle country (see 1975-76: Patrick Henry, University Played…) before leading Mission Bay to a 22-7 record and the second round of the section playoffs in 1975-76, transferred to Kearny and helped the Komets win the Summer League title.
Then they moved again, to the awaiting whistle of Warhawks coach John Hannon, who played on championship teams at Coronado in the early ‘fifties and had started the Madison program in 1962-63.
Marshall had the most cachet, having averaged 16.4 points at Mission Bay, but Marshall sustained a season-ending broken navicular bone in his right wrist in Madison’s second game.
Mitchell scored 26 points and Marshall 19 in an opening-game, 71-59 loss to Helix. Marshall scored 6 points but was injured in the second quarter of the next game, a 75-62 win over Poway, as Mitchell scored 23.
Marshall’s season was over, but Mitchell’s was just getting started.
Mitchell scored 27 in a 56-50 win over Monte Vista, 35 in a 59-55 tightrope with University, and followed with 32, 36, and 38, the latter in a 73-59 Kiwanis Tournament loss to eventual CIF champion Santana.
Madison then moved to the South Bay and the Baron-Optimist, post-Christmas tournament hosted by Bonita Vista.
THE BIG FIVE-OH
Lilly earned a seven-column headline in The San Diego Union after scorching Torrey Pines for 50 points in an 86-75, opening-round victory.
Lilly made 15 of 24 attempts from the field and was 20×23 for free throws. He had 22 points in the second quarter and was at 48 when the 6-foot, 1-inch senior launched a 25-footer with seconds to play to reach the half-century mark as the game-ending buzzer sounded.
Crawford was on the receiving end of Lilly’s 38 points in a 98-70 loss. Madison then upset 12-0 Bonita Vista, 92-75, as Lilly knocked down 42 points.
MITCHELL WHISTLED
Lilly had 22 points but fouled out driving to the basket with one second left in the first overtime in a game that went three overtimes before the Warhawks edged Pleasanton Amador, 72-70, for the championship.
Amador took a physical approach to Lilly, defending the Warhawks’ sharpshooter with four different players, who acquired multiple infractions. “At times they would double and triple team me,” said Lilly. “Even on my last foul I was hit pretty hard.”
Lilly’s teammate, Remond Wells, scored a season-high 30 points, including 10 in the extra sessions. Anthony Roberts’ basket with 30 seconds left in the third overtime finally decided the game in favor of the Warhawks.
Lilly’s 130 points in the four games (32.5 average) broke the Barons-Optimist tournament record of 100, set by Bonita Vista’s Jim March in 1972.
THE BIG SIX-ONE
Three weeks later, the 6-foot, 1-inch senior guard broke the County record with 61 points in a 117-80 rout of visiting San Diego.
Evening Tribune writer Nick Canepa broke down Lilly’s outbursts with contributions from the scoring king:
First quarter, 10 points. “I was off to my usual miserable start.”
Second quarter, 13 points: “I felt better, but, still, there was no special feeling.”
Third quarter, 16 points: “I started warming up. Things started clicking.”
Fourth quarter, 22 points: “San Diego was in a full-court, man-to-man press. I was hot. Everything I was putting up was going in.
“At the end of the third quarter they told me I had 39. Coach Hannon told me to go for it, but (to) take my time.”
Lilly also was informed when his total reached 55: “So everyone on the team just gave me the ball after that.”
Lilly, who averaged 12.7 at Mission Bay the previous year, retired with 1:24 remaining in the game.
The sharpshooter was 24×41 from the field for 59 per cent and 13×17 on free throws. He was averaging 32.9 points a game and 37.5 in the Eastern League.
The 61 points topped the record of 60, shared by Tom Shaules of St. Augustine in a 102-38 win over Crawford in 1957-58 and Rob Petrie of Julian in 115-76 win over Mountain Empire in 1968-69.
Lilly would end the season with a CIF-record 31.9 average and his 893 points were second only to the 958 by Helix Bill Walton in 1969-70.
Lilly’s sniping kept Madison in every game but his 47-point effort days later against Kearny was not enough as the Komets, winners of 20 in a row at home and 45 of its last 46 at home, scored an 86-80 victory.
BELIEVE IT
There were defenses and other maneuvers to stop Lilly, sometimes with unintended consequences.
Lilly scored Madison’s only point in the fourth quarter, after he was fouled as the game ended. He converted a single free throw to give the Warhawks a 32-31 win at Point Loma.
The Pointers had stalled much of the game and for almost all of the fourth quarter and made 2 free throws with 40 seconds left for a 31-31 tie.
Point Loma’s accomplishment in defeat was to hold Lilly to 12 points, his lowest total of the season.
CAVERS REVENGE
San Diego, 5-16 on the season and experiencing its poorest stretch since the John Hobbs-coached clubs went 2-10 and 4-9 in the mid-1920s, upset Madison and knocked the Warhawks out of the playoffs, 67-66, in a rematch of Lilly’s record contest.
San Diego’s Caesar Scott scored only 6 points but was credited with holding Lilly to 26, six points below his average, and only nine points in the second half.
NO POSTSEASON?
The Warhawks were mathematically eliminated largely because CIF bosses had again changed the playoff format, reducing participation from 24 to 16 teams and, in a strange twist, extending the postseason to two weeks.
Madison was out of the money despite a season record of 19-9. Oceanside (18-8) also was out and Orange Glen (14-12) and Hilltop (14-13) were in.
The bosses had created 4 “conferences”, moving away from the “City” and “County” conference format, at the start of the school year.
Sixteen teams from the 6 major leagues, City East and City West, Grossmont, Avocado East and Avocado West, and Metropolitan qualified.
This meant the East and West, representing the City conference, would qualify two each. Same for the Avocado East and West.
However, there would be four teams from the Grossmont and Metro conferences.
Madison was third behind Patrick Henry and Kearny in the City East, and Oceanside finished third in the Avocado West behind Fallbrook and Vista.
PLAYOFFS
FIRST ROUND
Santana, 0-2 against Grossmont “Conference” rival Monte Vista, defeated the Monarchs (19-8), 48-38.
Vista 49, Mt. Carmel (22-7), 47. The Sundevils took their first home loss.
Fallbrook 63, Orange Glen (14-13) 45.
Marian 66, Sweetwater (15-12) 57.
Lincoln 71, Patrick Henry (21-8) 59.
Hilltop 70, Bonita Vista (27-2) 59. Disregarded Hilltop stunned the Barons with a 31-15 third quarter.
Helix 68, Mount Miguel (16-12) 49.
Kearny 69, St. Augustine (21-7) 59.
QUARTERFINALS
Kearny 68, Hilltop (15-13) 55.
Santana 57, Fallbrook (24-1) 44. Not as much a surprise as Hilltop’s win over Bonita Vista, but the Sultans were proving, as they did last year, a formidable team in the playoffs.
Jack Sandschulte, in his 21st season, won his 300th game as coach at Fallbrook, 84-66 over Torrey Pines, and could rely on his son, John, who averaged 22.8 points, and big man Bob Bartholomew, 18.0.
“Any time the other team (Santana, with CIF player of the year Todd Harper, Mark Price, and Barney Hinkle) has three good players and you have two, the odds are against you,” said the elder Sandschulte. “The odds have been against us going unbeaten all season and it finally caught up with us.”
There were 2,500 persons at Grossmont College, including many red-clad supporters of Fallbrook, which trailed by three points with six minutes to go.
Helix 75, Vista (19-11) 52. The Highlanders, 16-0 in Grossmont conference play, had lost only to Kearny, 68-64, in the Kiwanis tournament.
Marian 68, Lincoln (21-5) 64. A near overflow crowd at Chula Vista, saw the Crusaders overcome a 62-59 deficit by outscoring the Hornets, 9-2, in the last 1:54.
Kearny 68, Hilltop (15-13) 55, at Torrey Pines.
SEMIFINALS
Helix 63, Kearny (27-2) 57, before 3,000 persons at Cal Western University. In previous playoffs, the No. 1 and No. 2 teams would have been seeded to meet in the finals.
Santana 52, Marian (21-9) 40.
CLASS 1-A
Army-Navy 64, Mountain Empire (14-8) 42.
Francis Parker 58, Christian (8-16) 36
FINALS
Santana (26-5), 54, Helix (27-2) 42. The Sultans had lost to Helix, 44-40, 72-66, and 51-40.
A surprised gathering of 7,233 in the Sports Arena watched patient, deliberate Santana make only 12 shots from the field but 30×38 from the free throw line.
Helix converted 17 field goal attempts but only 8×14 that were free.
Helix led 14-5 early in the second quarter but 6-10 center Mark Snow got into foul trouble and Santana, behind Harper and center Mark Price, took a 26-20 halftime lead.
Snow took a seat after picking up his fourth personal with 6:13 remaining in the third quarter. Santana coach Bart Hare went to what was known as a four-corners offense.
Hare said he took this approach because his center, Price, also had 4 fouls. No Santana players fouled out, but Helix’ Snow, Mike Durden and Mark Barnes did.
The Sultans held a 39-28 lead entering the fourth quarter against a team that averaged almost 70 a game.
THIRD PLACE
Kearny (28-2) 91, Marian (21-10) 82.
Typical of the consolation games, Kearny and Marian let it all hang out. Komets coach Tim Short played everyone and 12 players scored.
1-A
Francis Parker (15-7), ahead, 25-8, at halftime, topped Army-Navy (14-4), 35-30.
TOURNAMENTS
Forty-seven teams accepted invitations to the 30th annual Kiwanis, with El Centro Central, Calexico, and Brawley comprising a visiting contingent.
The Kiwanis still held sway but it was feeling pinched.
There were 12 different December tournaments, four of which, the 10-team Mt. Helix Invitational, Jim Mitchell San Dieguito Mustang-Optimist, Julian, and the Southern Prep League, even got on the calendar before the venerable Kiwanis took its place just before the Christmas holiday.
Winners and championship scores:
Mt. Helix, Helix 60, Oceanside 39.
Julian: Julian 69, Mountain Empire 58.
Southern Prep, Francis Parker 43, Mountain Empire 34.
Jim Mitchell Mustang Optimist: Fallbrook 60, Oceanside 53.
Kiwanis: Unlimited, Kearny 68, Helix 64; Limited, Bonita Vista 69, Granite Hills 57; Classified, Lincoln 47, University 33.
University: Huntington Beach 69, Kearny 59.
Grossmont-Santana: Santana 82, Grossmont 64.
Eagle: Granite Hills 60, Mira Mesa 58.
Chino: Pomona Ganesha 70, Mt. Carmel 58.
El Centro Elks: El Centro Central 46, Vista 43.
Baron-Optimist: Pleasanton Amador 78, Madison 72.
Western Association Christian Schools: Western Christian 47, Christian 46, OT.
THAT’S A NO-NO
Bonita Vista coach Bill Foley had his team practice on Sunday and later admitted that he misread a rule against activity on the Sabbath.
Bonita officials reported the gaffe to the CIF, which suspended Foley with no contact with his team for a period of the Barons’ next six games.
MILESTONES AND MARKS
–Escondido’s Jerry Hacknal scored 44 points in a 76-72 loss to San Pasqual and broke the school record of 35 points by Rich Gehring in a 74-44 win over San Dieguito in 1952-53.
–Fallbrook’s John Sandschulte was over 30 five times and reached a career high 39 points as San Dieguito fell, 74-44.
–On the same night that Mitchell Lilly scored 47 against Kearny, Michael Gay of Henry had 36 in an 81-53 rout of Morse, and Rod Dingler of Mt. Carmel had 32 in a 90-45 win over Orange Glen
–Seventy-seven fouls were called during Madison’s 86-66 win over Morse. The Warhawks’ Mitchell Lilly scored 23 points but fouled out in the third quarter.
THROWBACK
These weren’t scores from decades past, but were typical of the eras cited.
–1930s-‘40s score: Mt. Carmel 25, Chula Vista 23.
–1920s-‘30s score: Francis Parker 25, Palos Verdes Chadwick 10.
BROADCASTER’S NOTE
It’s Brazil, as in “frazzle”. That’s how Bonita Vista’s Scott Brazil pronounced his last name.
Leading scorers:
| NAME | TEAM | GAMES | POINTS | AVERAGE |
| Mitchell Lilly | Madison | 28 | 893 | 31.9 (1) |
| Mike Stockalper | Marian | 31 | 719 | 23.2 (2) |
| Michael Gay | Patrick Henry | 29 | 641 | 22.1 (4) |
| Scott Brazil | Bonita Vista | 29 | 614 | 21.2 (6) |
| Rich Beeson | Poway | 28 | 596 | 21.3 (5) |
| Bob Bartholomew | Kearny | 31 | 596 | 19.2 |
| John Sandschulte | Fallbrook | 25 | 562 | 22.5 (3) |
| Barney Hinkle | Santana | 30 | 552 | 18.4 |
| Rod Dingler | Mt. Carmel | 29 | 539 | 18.6 |
| Jerry Haynal | Escondido | 26 | 536 | 20.6 (7) |
| Dave Sullivan | El Capitan | 27 | 514 | 19.0 |
| Joe Naylor | Oceanside | 26 | 508 | 19.5 (10) |
| Allen Gates | Marian | 31 | 503 | 16.4 |
| Van Note | San Pasqual | 26 | 501 | 19.3 |
| Gary Davila | San Marcos | 25 | 493 | 19.7 (9) |
| Eddie Mendoza | St. Augustine | 28 | 483 | 17.3 |
| Joe Lehr | St. Augustine | 27 | 474 | 17.6 |
| John Laidlaw | Torrey Pines | 26 | 468 | 18.0 |
| Oscar Lopez | Montgomery | 24 | 464 | 19.3 |
| Ron Hoag | El Capitan | 27 | 463 | 17.1 |
| Terry Thomas | Orange Glen | 25 | 462 | 18.5 |
| Mark Snow | Helix | 28 | 456 | 16.3 |
| Bobby Dean | La Jolla | 26 | 455 | 17.5 |
| Todd Harper | Santana | 31 | 453 | 14.4 |
| Bob Bartholomew | Fallbrook | 25 | 449 | 18.0 |
| Bob Taylor | Chula Vista | 25 | 431 | 17.2 |
| Ceasar Scott | San Diego | 23 | 392 | 17.0 |
Class A, minimum 15 games: Chelette, San Diego Military, 17×339, 19.9 (8). Looten, Borrego Springs, 18×321, 17.8. Bauers, Mountain Empire, 22×352, 16.0. Nettles, Army-Navy, 15×256, 17.1.
JUMP SHOTS
Alhambra High of Martinez, located in the north East Bay area of San Francisco, won third place in the Jim Mitchell event, behind the steady play of guard Stan Van Gundy, years later a head coach in the National Basketball Association…Fallbrook had its Bob Bartholomew and Kearny its Bob Bartholomew…they were not related…Marcus Allen was known for football but he was an effective forward for Lincoln, averaging 14 points … Helix’ 6-foot, 10-inch junior Mark Snow, who scored 34 points in a 72-66 defeat of Santana, started as a sophomore at Poway…Helix’ 28-3 record gave coach Gordon Nash a career record of 230-67 and winning percentage of 77.4….
CENTURY CLUB
| TEAM | OPPONENT | SCORE |
| Army-Navy | San Miguel School | 122-31 |
| Madison | San Diego | 117-80 |
| Grossmont | Granite Hills | 114-79 |
| Bonita Vista | Marian | 106-85 |
| Torrey Pines | Ramona | 101-42 |
| Mt. Carmel | El Camino | 101-62 |
| Borrego Springs | Cal Lutheran | 100-14 |
Hey Guys,
Bob Bartholomew here. Kearny class of 77.
Rick, this article brought back some good memories and some bad. Had some good battles with these guys.
Competing against original Big 3 at Santana (Barney, Mark Price, and Harper). Playing against AND with the Lilly’s (summer league at Muni), and banging under the boards against Remond.
Bobby Harutunian – I recently ran into you old coach at Mission Bay (Coach Willis). He was at funeral for Rusty Whitmarsh’s dad (Jim Hill). I recognized Coach Willis immediately, he looks the same as 45 yrs ago. I go up and introduce myself, told him I was on the Kearny team that they beat in the USD tournament my junior year. He remembers the game vividly, was one of his biggest coaching wins. He remembered 3 or 4 of our players (Trammell, Marty Hughes, Trousdale). But he does not remember me (was a blow to my ego because I thought I had game).
Anyway, I broke my ankle in that game and Tram got ejected. I am convinced that Kearny would have gone undefeated that season if we had not lost that game. Still one of those losses that stays with you forever. But mainly just remember competing against and playing with many of you guys and how fortunate we were to grow up in a great city, pickup games at South Mission, PB Rec, summer league at Muni. Good Times.
Glad everyone is alive and doing well.
Rick, great article. Thank you!
Nice words and thoughts, Rob. I remember Larry Willis from when he played for Jim Sams at Crawford. Thanks for writing.
Lilly had 22 points but fouled out driving to the basket with one second left in the first overtime in a game that went three overtimes before the Warhawks lost to Pleasanton Amador, 78-72, for the championship.
We WON the game, Rick. I’m still in Da Nang, Vietnam. I now have heart disease with stents placed in two blocked arteries a year-and-a-half ago. My doctor is giving me 5-10 years. I’ll go to my grave believing that the only way they could stop the Lilly twins in 1977 was by injuring them. We had close games against all three top teams without Marshall, who got low-bridged by accident. Bob’s flagrant foul against me was recklessly intentional. In three years of varsity hoops that was the only time a player did that to me. And I’d been friends with the guy. Bob had his game face on, but that foul was uncalled for. It’ll haunt me to the end of my days.
Mitchell, thank you. I also had the wrong score. Madison won, 72-70, instead of losing, 78-72. I appreciate you taking the time to correct my error. All the best.
To: Bob Bartholomew
Hi Bob !
We enjoyed some great times on the court at PB rec center & Muni Gym during the Summer League.
I always enjoyed playing against other ranked opponents.
In 1976, Kearny was the clear # 1 ranked team.
For those sports fans reading this, Bob Bartholomew was one of the best basketball players in the mid 1970s.
One of my fondest memories was Bob B., Mitchell Lilly & I were all selected to the 1st Team All-Kiwanis team during the 1976-77 season.
Mission Bay was ranked #4 most of the ’76 season, including a 16-game winning streak (which includes our HUGE win over your talented #1 ranked Kearny Komets).
Bob…I was so proud of your career, incl. great success at USD. You proved you had the ability to continue at the collegiate level.
USD Coach Jim Brovelli was a genius offensive coach. I was lucky to have both Coach Brovelli AND Coach Bob Kloppenburg as my coaches while playing in the Summer Camp at Idylwood (over 2 summers).
I started coaching high school basketball, under MB Head Coach Mike Seaman, while I was a student at SDSU. I enjoyed a 21-year career of teaching Math & coaching basketball, tennis & golf at Mission Bay H.S. We had a dedicated group of coaches, incl. Mike Seaman, John Labeta, Larry Willis, Dennis Pugh, Dan Ungricht & many more.
Now enjoying my golf membership at Morgan Run Golf Club, inc. 2-time Senior Club Champion.
Our Era of basketball in 1976 & 1977 was so different than today. We were so much more dedicated to playing the SPORT of basketball, inc. 7 days a week ! Now, the current players are superior athletes, but they are not basketball “purists” like we were in our prime !
Best Wishes.
Robert Harutunian
MBHS Class of 1977
Retired Coach
Do you remember our game against you guys at Madison when you body slammed me to the floor as I was going for a layup after a steal? It was under the same basket where Marshall had broken his wrist earlier in the season. You clobbered me with the full weight of your big body so hard it knocked the wind out of me. In retrospect, it also stopped me from driving into the lane for the rest of the game. Unsportsmanlike but effective, I guess. That’s why we didn’t want you guys to win in the playoffs. We hated Randy Bruno and you’d gone out of your way to hurt me on that play. It was dirty foul and you should’ve been ejected for it. But it’s all ancient history now. I’m glad you commented. It was indeed an incredibly marvelous time for us all, our halcyon high school hoop days!
Great reliving history
From: Robert Harutunian
(Mission Bay HS Class of 1977)
(Varsity Basketball & Varsity Tennis)
A. To: Rick Smith…Our family always enjoyed spending time with you during your years with the Chargers.
My dad, Al Harutunian, Jr., was a civic leader that was so proud being the Founding Chairman of San Diego Stadium Board of Governors.
B. Wow…Mitchell & Marshall Lilly.
Hi Mitch…We spent so many hours together as basketball teammates at PB Junior High & Mission Bay HS winning the 1976 Coast League Title.
We loved playing a 3-guard offense against taller teams like Poway & Mt. Carmel. Our team averaged 75 pts. per game BEFORE the 3-point line was in existence. Just think how many pts. we would have averaged if we had the 3-pt. line.
C. I am retired now (since 2015)…I enjoyed a 21-year career as a Math Teacher & Coach at Mission Bay.
(Varsity Golf Coach. Varsity Tennis Coach. Asst. Varsity Basketball Coach – under Mike Seaman)
D. I enjoyed working the past 9 years (2011 – 2020) with the CIF San Diego Section…as a volunteer consultant & on the Basketball Championship Committee under the great leadership team of Commissioner Jerry Schniepp & Asst. Commissioner John Labeta.
(They both retired in June 2020).
Best wishes to all of you…
Robert Harutunian
Thanks for writing, Robert. I see your brother Albert at St. Augustine basketball games (when they play and hopefully if and when they will play). I enjoyed a terrific relationship with your father, the good and gracious Al Harutunian…and his wife. I believe her name was Sophie. Al was the driving force in the get-out-the-vote drive for the Stadium. You’re part of a great family. All the best.
Hi Rick.
Thanks for the kind words about my father. He passed away in 1998.
My mom, Elsie, was a wonderful person. She passed away in 2014.
Note. My older brother, Arthur, is the one who attends the St. Augustine games.
My oldest brother, Albert III, is a San Diego Superior Court Judge since 1995.
Keep up the good work.
Robert Harutunian
I should have known her name was Elsie. I spoke with her often when calling Al. I thought the sibling I see at Saints games was the judge. Oh, well. Thanks again for writing.
Hi Robert, so heartwarming to see your comments here. I’m saddened to hear of the passing of your parents. I remember your dad used to take us to the movies and sit in the front row with us. Our pop, Tom Lilly, died in 2013. Mom left us in 2016. I recently learned of coach Pugh’s passing. Do you remember our friend Earl Williams, the 6’4″ fellow who played with us in Summer League in 1976, when we lost to Kearny by one point? He died in 2017 at the age of 57. The first time I ran across you was at the PB Rec Center in a 6th-grade hoops tourney on the outdoor courts. You were so poised and confident, dropping your classic set shot from just above the free-throw line one after another. We couldn’t stop you! I’ve tried to track you down over the years and I think I read about your retirement at one point. Congrats on your career as a teacher and coach. So cool. I was at SDSU in 1987-88 going for a teaching credential, with plans to become a coach, but I gave up that dream along with a few others. I sent this article to coaches Willis, Seaman, and Labeta. I’m not sure if they ever read it. The traveling twins were traitors at such a young age! What happened came straight out of a Greek tragedy, with the flaw being simply that the grass is always greener. Perhaps the greatest tragedy in sports is when athletes fail to reach their full potentials. I’m so glad for the life and career you had, and continue to have there in our amazing hometown of San Diego. Please say hey to your brothers and try not to let your meatloaf! Your friend always, Mr. 61.
Hi Mitch.
Sorry to hear about the passing of your parents. We had a lot of fun at your house playing POKER in Junior High.
The reason our team was so good at Mission Bay was because we were dedicated…playing basketball 7 days a week…inc. when Jim Purdy would let us play at P.B. Rec hours before the gym was open to the public.
After you & Marshall returned back home in 9th grade after a year in Alaska, I knew we were going to be successful at Mission Bay.
If they had 5 CIF divisions in 1976 like they do now…we would have won CIF in the division based on our small school size back then.
Sadly Coach Pugh passed away unexpectedly in May 2020…and Bob Gallaher also passed away in early 2020.
I live in Carlsbad…Coach Seaman lives in Oceanside…and Coach Labeta lives in Pacific Beach (he just retired as CIF Assistant Commissioner – San Diego Section).
Finally…I heard some stories of Marshall’s struggles. Hopefully he is doing well.
Robert Harutunian
Hey Mitchell Lilly,
Barney Hinkle here. I played at Santana. This was fun reading the banter between you and Rick. I think of you and Marshall often. Some fun times at PB rec center, summer pros up at Cal State LA, etc. I remember asking you after our high school game, when you scored a ton of points against us, if your arm was sore from shooting so much. I also remember we were both smiling when I asked.
Rick,
Nice job with all the research and old photos. I have no idea how I ran across this article, but I sure am glad I did.
All the best, guys.
Barney
Hey Barney, great to hear from you. I’ve tried to track you down a few times over the years but always came up empty. Yeah I remember one summer your coach (what the heck was his name?) brought the team down to the beach one summer and we played plenty at the P.B. Rec. I remember seeing you sometime later there, you were driving one of those early yellow Hondas. I remember you telling me about your brother playing pro golf. As I recall, you’d landed a job with the PGA, which must’ve been an amazing career. Great to hear about the athletic success of your siblings too. Of course I also remember our game against you guys in our senior year. It was an off night for me; I choked way too many shots! As I remember it, it was fairly close but your center (Mark Price?) was just too tough for us to handle. Such awesome memories. Thanks for reaching out, brother. And thanks again to Rick for starting it all.
The peak of my fame as an athlete.
https://vault.si.com/vault/43464#&gid=ci0258bef2e00726ef&pid=43464—097—image
I can only imagine with envy how incredible the lives and careers of your siblings were. After my senior year, coach Hannon got me a tryout with SDSU (what was that coaches’ name?). In the scrimmage, he put pro beach volleyball hall of famer Mike Dodd in my jock full court and I couldn’t do a thing. Not one assist or basket. It was so discouraging to find out that I lacked the athletic chops to play at that level. I played one year at Arizona Western College in Yuma, where I was the fourth guard and got into a few games. Marshall sat at the end of the bench all season with a bad attitude. He was never the same after breaking his wrist. Such as sad story. But life goes on, and I’m in the Vault!
Rick,
This is Remond Wells, teammate of Mitch Lilly at Madison HS. I wanted to know how can I research old Union Tribune newspaper articles?
Thanks
Remond, the three libraries in San Diego that have The San Diego Union or Evening Tribune microfilm of the 1976-77 season are the Central branch downtown, the El Cajon branch, and the San Diego State library. All are closed, which is why I haven’t done any research or written since last March. Library staffers at those three branches,when they open, would be able to help you. Let’s hope they’ll open soon.
I never knew Bruce. He was a few years ahead of my time in Humboldt County. I remember those pics from a prep magazine that came out preseason. Nice touch, thanks for adding them. Noticed a couple errors in the rewrite. Wells’ first name is spelled Remond, and a period is missing at the end of this sentence: Anthony Roberts’ basket with 30 seconds left in the third overtime finally decided the game in favor of the Warhawks. Thanks for taking the time to update it. To the best of my knowledge, coach Hannon died in 1999 at age 69 due to complications following open-heart surgery. I’m sure he would’ve gotten just as big a kick out of your article as I did.
Hannon graduated from Coronado in 1953, I believe, and played at San Diego State. He won almost 400 games at Madison. I should have caught my typing finger error on Remond Wells. I saw that unique spelling several times doing the research for that season.
Hey Mitchell Lilly,
Barney Hinkle here. I played at Santana. This was fun reading the banter between you and Rick. I think of you and Marshall often. Some fun times at PB rec center, summer pros up at Cal State LA, etc. I remember asking you after our high school game, when you scored a ton of points against us, if your arm was sore from shooting so much. I also remember we were both smiling when I asked.
Rick,
Nice job with all the research and old photos. I have no idea how I ran across this article, but I sure am glad I did.
All the best, guys.
Barney
Barney, I copied your note and sent it to Mitchell Lilly, whose email address that I have is mitchlilly@gmail.com. I hope you two can touch base. Did you have a brother who went to El Capitan? I remember another East County Hinkle.
Hi Rick,
Thanks for the info on Mitch Lilly.
Yes, I had brothers and a sister that played sports. Lon played golf. He went to El Cap and then to Santana when it was built. Then he played at SD State then the PGA TOUR for 25 years.
Another brother Geoff was first team All-CIF in basketball senior year. He averaged around 25 points jr and sr year. Got kicked out of school jr year-caught with marijuana.
Jennie was the best athlete in the family. She played pretty much everything. Went to SD State and did the same there. Played pro golf and pro softball in the 70’s – 80’s. A pioneer in women’s sports. Pre Title 9.
The four of us were inducted into Santana HOF about 4 years ago.
You also were no slouch. About 1,100 points in your last two seasons and all-CIF choice in senior year, 1976-77.
Mitchell, I’ve added a photo to the 1976-77 narrative. You might check it out.
Got a big kick from reading this nicely written and mostly well-researched article largely about… me! But it contains a couple of misfires: My twin brother Marshall broke the navicular bone in his right wrist, not his hand, and indeed missed out on making 1977 a whole different story had the traveling twins both been on the court. Additionally, we actually beat Pleasanton Amador in the final game to win the Barons-Optimist tourney that year. One of our starting forwards, Remond Wells, hit a string of clutch buckets down the stretch to give us the victory. Talk about a trip down memory lane!
Mitch, thanks for writing and for helping me set the record straight. I went back through my files and updated that Amador game and score. I don’t know how I missed that one. I didn’t follow through on the report that Marshall left the Poway game and was to have x-rays on his wrist. I was in the NFL as a PR man for almost 30 years and witnessed a couple navicular injuries, which do not heal quickly because the flow of blood to that point in the wrist is slow. At least that what one of our team doctors told me and may be why your brother waa out for the season. You had a great season run at Madison. All the best.
Thanks for writing back. You’re an excellent writer. Congrats on your long haul in the NFL. I majored in print journalism with a minor in public relations from Humboldt State University in 1984. Did a short stint as a weekend sports anchor at KVIQ-TV in Eureka, then worked briefly at an L.A. PR firm. Got married, had a daughter, got divorced, then got back into broadcasting as a reporter and sports anchor at KGNS-TV in Laredo, Texas. That gig lasted 19 months. Leaving it is the second biggest regret of my life. Back in San Diego, I spent the next 10 years or so as a wedding and corporate DJ before taking a job in South Korea as an English teacher. I became an expatriate and have never looked back. These days, I’m teaching in Da Nang, Vietnam, where I live with my fourth wife and her stepdaughter. Giving up on my first marriage and leaving my only child is my biggest regret. I’ll retire here in the next few years and hopefully live out my days swimming, bike riding, and eating healthy home-cooked Vietnamese food.
You should think of Frank Sinatra’s words, “Regrets, I have a few…but I did it my way.” You’ve had a remarkable odyssey. It appears that you got it right and that you’re in a good place. Speaking of Eureka, did you ever meet a TV sportscaster there named Bruce McGowan?” I think he finished at KPIX in San Fran. I worked 20 Super Bowls for the NFL and met Bruce when he worked in Eureka. I think he was at the Super Bowl covering the Seahawks or 49ers. We used to greet him with a “Eureka”. Thanks again for writing, Mitch.
Mitch, I added a picture that includes you and your brother in the 1976-77 basketball narrative. Handsome pair.