This past Sunday, Linda Jackson performed as soloist with the Southeast Symphony singing Beethoven’s Ninth. Then, with a bit of the day remaining, she came back to Pacific Palisades for a recording session with her daughter, Mimi, singing backup on three songs. This is Jackson’s world”a magical life, buoyed by the sureness and clarity of her voice. She will share the range of her repertoire with members and guests of the Palisades Woman’s Club on Tuesday, October 14 at 11:45 a.m. at the clubhouse, 901 Haverford. As with so many professional singers, Jackson’s talent emerged early, in grammar school. Later, as a young single mom with a 2-year-old son looking for a job that would allow her to spend time with him, she turned to her voice. She was hired by the venerable Santa Monica eatery, the Great American Food and Beverage Company, which was infamous for its singing wait staff, and ‘scored the best schedule”’Wednesday through Saturday evenings. She could spend time with her son, volunteer at his school, and eventually move to the Westside. Jackson has literally sung through her life, expanding her repertoire while deepening her knowledge of music theory and composition. In 2001, she was accepted in the mentoring program at Santa Monica College, by both the voice and composition departments, and, two years later, she moved on to UCLA for her bachelor’s degree in voice, and master’s degree from Cal State Northridge. Her discipline of choice is opera, which she hopes to perform as the recently announced Los Angeles Metropolitan Opera takes shape with its debut staging, William Kraft’s ‘Red Azalea,’ planned for October 2009 on the Broad Stage in Santa Monica. Jackson, who is the president of the company, and founder Ella Lee, the renowned soprano whose husband Arturo Romani is the great grandson of the famous librettist (‘Norma,’ ‘La Sonnambula,’ ‘I Puritani’) are in the fundraising stage of the venture. For the Woman’s Club program, Jackson will mix it up, offering opera (‘Un Bel Di’ from ‘Madama Butterfly’), musical theater (‘As If We Never Said Goodbye’ from ‘Sunset Boulevard’), and a jazz medley of the work of baroque composer Henry Purcell. The program is free to the public. For $10 lunch (12:30 p.m.), call 310-454-1659.
Town Celebrates Post’s 80th Anniversary
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer
Even the prospect of a Palin/Biden dust-up failed to make a dent in a well-attended event last Thursday evening, as nearly 300 people swung by the Palisadian-Post’s offices to celebrate the newspaper’s 80th anniversary. Party guests represented a wide swath of the community, including members of organizations and schools, local business owners and employees, and past Palisadians, such as film historian and author Harry Medved, who enjoyed his first visit to the Post’s offices. ‘This newsroom looks straight out of those 1930’s screwball comedies about news reporters,’ said an impressed Medved, head of public relations for Fandango.com, as he toured the Post’s offices and on-site press facilities. ‘The core of Pacific Palisades is this wonderful newspaper,’ said Chamber of Commerce President Toni Balfour before introducing Post Publisher Roberta Donohue to partygoers. Donohue, in turn, paid homage to a very special guest: 93-year-old former Post owner Charlie Brown, who ran the newspaper from 1954 to 1981 with his late brother, Bill Brown. ‘He was my mentor, my second father, my teacher, my first boss,’ said Donohue, who lived on the same street as Charlie Brown in Marquez Knolls, when she was growing up. ‘I’ve known him since I was two years old.’ Dressed colorfully in a bright blue blazer and a necktie festively illustrated with snare and bass drums, Charlie Brown cut quite a figure at the festivities. Post Production Manager Jim Reynolds, a current employee of nearly 30 years, was excited to reconnect with his former employer. ‘We built this from nothing,’ Brown said, surveying the newspaper’s assembly-line machinery from his chair in the pressroom. When he and his brother purchased the Post, they greatly expanded the facilities and installed a letterpress. ’Ten years later, we junked all of it and put in the off-set press,’ Brown told Reynolds with a laugh. The Browns, who bought the Pacific Palisades Post from Paul Weaver and, in 1960, acquired the Palisadian, almost did not buy the newspaper, as Charlie said they had been considering purchasing a community paper in their Minnesota. Despite the repeated insistence of an intermediate party, who pleaded with them to visit Pacific Palisades and consider the Post, the Brown brothers resisted until they visited the third party’s Beverly Hills office, where Charlie Brown asked the secretary two questions. ‘I asked her, ‘Did you grow up in Los Angeles?” Brown recalled. ‘She said, ‘Born and raised here.’ Then I asked her where she would like to live if she could live anywhere in the city. She said, ‘No question, Pacific Palisades.’ So my twin brother and I finally drove out to Pacific Palisades. We were sold.’ Nearly 170 journalism awards later, Charlie and his brother sold the newspaper (and commercial printing business) to its current owner, the Small Newspaper Group of Kankakee, Illinois. Today, Brown agrees with that secretary. He told the Post that while he enjoys his current Lake Forest address, ‘Nothing compares to Pacific Palisades.’ In addition to Brown, distinguished guests included 10 Citizen-of-the-Year recipients: Kurt Toppel, Emil Wroblicky, Mike Martini, Phyllis Genovese (founder of The Letter Shop in 1947), Flo Elfant, Carol Leacock, Dottie Larson, Palisades historians Randy Young and Betty Lou Young, and current Citizen-of-the-Year Bob Jeffers. Carol Hurley, one of the founders of the Palisades AARP chapter, joined the festivities, along with Palisades High CFO Greg Wood and American Legion member Hal Vieau, accompanied by his wife of 63 years, Beverly. Welcoming all arrivals was the Post’s staff, assisted by the publisher’s daughter, Jennifer Donohue. You couldn’t miss a Post employee, as all staffers, from Production and Reception to Advertising and Editorial, wore matching navy-blue polo shirts created to commemorate the occasion. The employees gave guests informal tours of the newspaper’s various departments and manned several bars set up throughout the building. One guest who had his hands full was David Williams, owner of Mogan’s Caf’, who personally catered the event. The Post’s parking lot, converted into a burger-and-salad bar, became the party’s most popular destination. ‘I’m totally excited about catering the 80th, I look at it as kind of an honor,’ said Williams, who grew up in the Palisades and graduated from PaliHi in 1983. Dick Wullinger, a Palisadian of 32 years, said he values the Post’s contributions to his organization, the Pacific Palisades Historical Society, noting ‘We’ve been scanning archival photos from the Post.’ Appearing cool and casual in a mint green dress shirt and black slacks, the always-presentable Chris ‘Mr. Palisades’ Alexakis was all smiles. ‘Every Thursday, I learn something new about the Palisades,’ said the PaliHi grad, now a freshman at Cal State Channel Islands. ‘The newspaper is exciting, edgy and funny but most of all, it’s informative. It’s the best way to find out what’s going on in town.’ Guests took in the press plant, where the most popular libations came courtesy of J.J. Reynolds, son of Post employees Jim and Sharon Reynolds. J.J., who worked in that same press room from 1987 through 2000, served up the special 80th anniversary microbrew that he created just for the occasion. So how popular was his beer? Reynolds brought 10 gallons of his pale ale, which was all gone by evening’s end. ‘It’s great to be back!’ said Reynolds, a graphic designer. ‘This is where I got my start. It’s great to meet some new faces and still see a lot of the old faces.’ There was even a celebrity sighting at the party, as Pacific Palisades Honorary Mayor Gavin MacLeod stopped by to catch up with friends, including Andrew Frew of Theatre Palisades. The ‘Love Boat’ actor remarked how his Thursday night tradition is to read the Post. The festivities may have been enough to give MacLeod flashbacks to playing in Blake Edwards’ ‘The Party,’ but fortunately, this party did not end up submerged in soapsuds. So was the Post event worth missing the debates for? ‘Yes! Absolutely,’ Medved said. ‘It’s rare to find a newsroom that has its own printing press as colorful as the Palisadian-Post’s. It would make a great movie location!’
Palisades High Budget Is in Better Shape than Expected
Palisades Charter High School will receive $200,000 to $300,000 more in funding from the state than school leaders had anticipated. PaliHi Chief Business Officer Greg Wood had calculated that the school would receive about $400,000 less, based on Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposed budget last May. The governor, however, decided to increase education funding when he signed the 2008-09 budget on September 23. The state pays schools a certain amount per student based on their attendance rate. PaliHi was paid about $8,300 per student last year and that amount increased to approximately $8,500 for this year, Wood said. ‘I have been told that the governor could make cuts mid-year, but I think it’s pretty safe,’ Wood said. ‘It would be tougher to collect the money back in the middle of the year because those who received it may have already spent it.’ The PaliHi board of directors approved an operating budget of $22.5 million in June, expecting a tight financial year. The board did not lay off any staff and set aside a $3.8 million reserve. ‘It is indeed good news that the budget picture is slightly better than anticipated,’ Executive Director Amy Dresser-Held told the Palisadian-Post. ‘However, this one percent increase in our anticipated budget could easily be offset or absorbed by increased health benefits costs or increased facilities costs.’ Meanwhile, she said the Los Angeles Unified School District has also decided to cut its integration funding for the Permits with Transportation program. The district provided $179,000 in funding for the PWT program last school year, but the amount for this year is $26,600. Last year, the money was used to pay for the salaries and benefits of teachers who were hired to reduce freshman class sizes. ‘The loss in funding from LAUSD is being supported by the general fund and our reserve,’ Wood said. ‘PaliHi is coordinating with the six other conversion charter schools [Granada Hills Charter High School and five elementary schools] impacted by this ruling to engage LAUSD in their rationale and lack of input on this unilateral decision.’ ‘Additionally, PaliHi believes that, given its charter agreement, which requires the acceptance of large number of PWT students in our enrollment, we are in a unique position to retain this funding as well,’ Wood continued. ‘We will initially engage the district en masse, then look to our individual situation with our LAUSD board member [Marlene Canter] or the charter office at LAUSD.’ The PaliHi board voted this spring to increase enrollment in order to generate more money for the school. If the school maintains a daily attendance rate of 2,600 students for the year, Dresser-Held said it should end the year in solid financial shape. At the end of September, the school had a total enrollment of 2,736 students with a daily attendance rate of 2,662 students. PaliHi has 37 more students enrolled than last year at this time. Dresser-Held said the school is able to accommodate the additional students, while keeping class sizes reasonable. School counselors try to cap class size at 37 students. To provide additional classroom space, the meeting room off the study center has been converted into a classroom and another bungalow was added near the baseball field. ‘We are spreading the campus out more,’ Dresser-Held said. The high school also has a partnership with West Los Angeles College and offers courses online for students. The counselors review the courses students take at the community college or online to make sure they are rigorous and meet standards.
Polo Champions Crowned Sunday at Will Rogers
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer
The 16th Annual Chamber of Commerce Polo Tournament was held at Will Rogers State Park last Sunday, which is the site of the last remaining grass polo field in Los Angeles County. The winner of the Chamber of Commerce Championship trophy was the Body Inspired Fitness team, who beat the Wells Fargo Private Bank team 10 to 8 in a dramatic come from behind effort. In the Will Rogers Polo Club Championship game, the Perennial Financial Service team went into overtime with the Amalfi Estates’ team, and finally won with a score of 8 to 7. The free event drew a large crowd, who watched riders change horses between chukkers (time-outs), as well as participating in the divot stomp. ‘You have to be careful what you step on, because it isn’t always a divot,’ said attendee Tom Hofer. Tradition dictates that champagne is served during the stomp and the crowd was not disappointed as champagne flowed freely. Honorary Mayor Gavin MacLeod, and Mr. and Miss Palisades Chris Alexakis and Elena Loper, Chamber President Antonia Balfour and Steve Ghysels, whose team won last year, threw out the ball to start the different games. Loper sang the National Anthem and Al Epstein announced the play-by-play. Six teams vied for the championship including: Anthony Marguleas at Amalfi Estates, Body Inspired Fitness, Jennifer Lowe at Metrocities Mortage, John Petrick at Perennial Financial Services, Pacific Palisades Lions Club and Wells Fargo Private Bank. In addition to polo, a silent auction was held, and there were face painting and pony rides for the kids.
Lester Gritman Boyd; Delivered Mail to Reagans’ Riviera House
Lester Gritman Boyd, a former 30-year resident of Pacific Palisades, died October 5 in Camarillo. He was 93. Lester served as a letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service in Pacific Palisades for 30 years, and was honored for a perfect driving record. His route in the upper Riviera neighborhood included the home of Governor Ronald Reagan, before he moved to the White House. As a teenager living in the state of Washington in 1930, Lester rode down Pacific Coast Highway in a Model A Ford with his parents and two older brothers to live in Hollywood. He graduated from Hollywood High and briefly attended the University of Southern California. In 1943, Lester joined the U.S. Army and after graduating from radio repair school served as an airplane electrical mechanic aboard a Navy repair ship. He served in the Pacific campaign under threat of attacks and endured several typhoons at sea. Upon being honorably discharged in 1946 with the rank of sergeant, Lester came to the Palisades to live with his brother and sister-in-law, Robert and Clara Boyd, on Hartzell Street. He soon met Otilia Lucy Reynolds, better known as ?Tillie,? and they married in 1951. They lived on Galloway Street until moving to Via de la Paz in 1956. In 1976 they retired to Camarillo, where they lived together until Tillie?s death in 2000. Lester and Tillie shared an appreciation for church, music, travel and golf. They loved to visit Hawaii and enjoyed exploring the world as far away as Israel and Japan. At home or away, they golfed wherever they could find a course. Lester scored a hole-in-one three times during competitive play. As founding members of the Christian Church of Pacific Palisades on Via de la Paz that eventually became Calvary Church, Lester served on the church board and Tillie taught Sunday school. They were also founding members of Sunset Baptist Church, which held its Sunday services in the Marquez Elementary School auditorium until it closed in 1965. They returned to Calvary Church until they moved to Camarillo. Lester Boyd always knew how to have a good time and enjoyed his 93rd birthday party. He was described by his good neighbor and Palisadian friend, David A. Grimason, as ?one of a kind.? Anyone who knew him would most likely agree. He is survived by his nephew, Larry Boyd (wife Sue and son Larry Jr.) and his niece, Colleen Boyd Turner (children James and Kim Turner and nephew David Boyd). A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 11 at Pierce Brothers Valhalla Memorial Park, 10621 Victory Blvd., North Hollywood. A period of remembrance and viewing will start at 9 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Paralyzed Veterans of America, 801 Eighteenth St., NW Washington, D.C. 20006-3517, or by calling (800) 555-9140.
Paul Richards, 53: Native Palisadian
Paul Russell Richards, 53, passed away suddenly at his home in West Los Angeles on Friday, September 26. The cause is undetermined. Richards, the oldest son of Russell and Jan Richards, grew up in Pacific Palisades on Mt. Holyoke Avenue, near the Via bluffs. ‘He loved the Palisades,’ said his sister, Anne VanMiddlesworth. ‘My parents bought the house in 1952 and ours was the only family ever to live in it. We used to play on the bluffs; it was like our own private playground.’ According to VanMiddlesworth, Richards was proud of their home’s single-family history, and he even wrote an essay about it that was published in the Palisadian-Post. Part of it read, ‘We grew up in a house that nobody had lived in before, so everything that ever became of that home was solely our doing.’ He detailed the joys of growing up on the bluffs, including his memory of ‘Jimmy Olsen taking me down into Temescal Canyon (before the highway was built) to show me how to trap raccoons.’ When the house was sold, the new owners tore it down, and Richards concluded, ‘That house was unique, that was our house. So, I’m glad the house is gone, because nobody else can try to make memories in the home I grew up in.’ Richards attended local schools, including Palisades High, before enlisting in the U.S. Army. After his service, he worked at the family business, the Barrington Hardware Store. For the last 15 years, he managed Wally’s Cigar Shop in West L.A. A memorial service was held on the Via bluffs last Thursday. Richards’ sister recounted how customers and people the family had never met told stories about his kindness and how he always remembered their birthdays and details about their lives. One customer told the gathering that on his 40th birthday, Richards handed him a 35-year-old bottle of Scotch and wished him a happy birthday. The customer recounted that it was the only gift he received that day. In addition to his sister Anne and his brother Robert, Richards is survived by his daughter, Heather Anne Richards, who is attending UC Riverside. ‘He was incredibly proud of his daughter,’ VanMiddlesworth said.
Elizabeth Robinson, Former Palisadian
Elizabeth Marie Robinson, who lived in Pacific Palisades for nearly 50 years, died on October 5 in Bradenton, Florida. She was 94. Robinson was born in Chicago to Ruby and Dr. Albert Luckhardt. Known as ‘Libby’ to friends and family, she lived her early years in Chicago, where she met her husband, Vern Robinson, while in college. The Robinsons resided briefly in New England and spent most of their years in California. Robinson moved from Pacific Palisades to Florida last October to live closer to her niece, Betsy. She loved to travel, enjoyed nature (especially birds) and music. A people person, Robinson never met a stranger. She was predeceased by her husband of more than 50 years, Vern, and her siblings, Hertha, Helen, Leo and Bob. She is survived by her nieces and nephews, Jean Roland, John Monnier, Bob Wahlgren, Betsy Chartier, Carl Luckhardt, Jerry Luckhardt, Janet Johnson, Bill Luckhardt, Herbert Beck and Avis Dearing. A memorial service will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 16 at Corpus Christi Church on Carey Street. Family members ask that memorial contributions in Robinson’s name be made to a charity of choice.
Eletra Casadei, 55; Palisades Fashion Designer, Retailer
Eletra Casadei, an acclaimed designer of glamorous evening wear, lost her fight with brain cancer on September 27 at her home in Pacific Palisades, where she had been a resident since 1980. She was 55. Casadei was born in Hayward, California, and as a child designed and sewed clothes for her Barbie dolls. As a teenager she won the title ‘Maid of Hayward.’ She attended Cal State L.A., then did graduate work at Loyola Marymount in international business management before working as a store buyer. She began designing clothes during the disco era, and her label during that time, TD4 (To Die For), was an instant success; one of the top stars during that time wearing her label was Donna Summer. ‘Donna was singing, I was designing her gowns,’ said Casadei, who remained good friends with the singer/songwriter. Her clothes were also an instant hit with American teenagers, who put away the Sweet Sixteen prom dress look and replaced their formals with Casadei’s affordable strapless, backless, updated styles. A former fashion model, Casadei wore her own designs, and during the 1980s her fashions were carried in more than 7,000 boutiques and department stores. Actresses in television shows like ‘Golden Girls’ and ‘Dynasty’ wore her flaunt-it fashions. Casadei was also the first to use fashion-music videos that allowed designers to show their clothes in a new venue. The videos played in stores and wholesale showrooms as well as on MTV. In the 1990s, Casadei continued making fashion affordable for women who wanted to look great but couldn’t afford haute couture as she sewed remakes of the most popular celebrity dresses. According to the L.A. Times, a Casadei remake of the Valentino gown that Julia Roberts wore to the 2001 Academy Awards sold for $169. Two years ago, Casadei opened a store on Via da le Paz, which carried not only evening gowns, but skirts, pants and tops made of satin, cotton and lace. ‘I’m known for my romantic lace design,’ she told the Palisadian-Post. Her evening-gown line was sold under the Eletra Casadei Black Label, and her ready-to-wear line was under the Casadei label. She told the Post that one of the reasons she liked having a retail store was seeing what clothing people responded to. ‘I’m kind of experimenting in my own store,’ said Casadei, who started carrying T-shirts as a direct result of having a store. ‘Palisades women really got me going on T-shirts again. This is a very casual group who lives here.’ After Casadei was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in the summer of 2006, her philosophy of fashion changed. ‘I’m not supposed to be here,’ she told the Post in a February 2007 interview, noting that part of her brain had been removed the summer before in an operation. ‘They told me that I had a cancer that would kill me and if somehow I survived, I’d be paralyzed. I’m on record at Cedars-Sinair as a medical miracle.’ Casadei felt that one of the reasons she was still alive after the initial diagnosis was because she needed to take care of women, to work with them. ‘We’re in a time where fashion is about a feeling’a feeling of who we are,’ she said. ‘When you walk in a room, before I even speak, you’re going to be judged. It’s not about what Vogue magazine says is in style. Today it is about who we feel we are and what we feel good in.’ Survivors include her son, Nico Roe, a graduate of Loyola High School, who now attends the U.S. Naval Academy; her mother, Verna Casadei; and sisters Andrea Casadei Best and Janelle Brunelli. A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, October 11 at Corpus Christi Church on Carey Street.
Bowling Over Granada Hills
Dolphins Defeat Rival Charter School for First Time in 21-0 Rout; Reseda up Next
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer
It’s almost as if the first three games of the season were merely dress rehearsals for Palisades High’s varsity football team. Each was full of mistakes but there were also signs that the Dolphins were on the verge of a breakout performance. That finally came last Friday night in Charter Bowl III, the annual “grudge” game between the City Section’s two charter schools. Palisades came away with a 21-0 victory–by far the team’s most impressive win in Head Coach Kelly Loftus’ two seasons. “I felt last week the offense was starting to come together but this is the first time it really clicked,” said Pali quarterback Conner Preston, who threw for 147 yards and two touchdowns. “You’re never going to play a perfect game but that’s what you strive for. We had them off balance and controlled the line of scrimmage all night.” Palisades (2-2) got on the board early when Preon Morgan recovered a fumble at the Highlanders’ 31-yard line. Receiver Loren Artis caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from Preston three plays later and Alex Anastasi kicked the extra point for a 7-0 Dolphins lead. Offensively, Khalid Stevens was an unstoppable force, rushing for 124 yards in 20 carries, including the Dolphins’ final score on a 4-yard run with 10 minutes left in the third quarter. Tyquion Ballard added 92 yards in just six carries and Joseph Hyman had four receptions for 86 yards, including a 31-yard touchdown catch midway through the second quarter. “Our offensive line was amazing,” Stevens said. “They [Granada] were bringing their linebackers up to stop the run, so there shouldn’t have been any holes but there were. I don’t know how our line did it but they deserve all the credit.” As good as the Dolphins looked on offense, however, they were even better on defense. The Highlanders (1-3) penetrated Palisades’ 20-yard line only twice, both drives ending on missed field goals by Chris Slagel. “Goose egg, fellas!” elated defensive line coach Ron Evans told his players in the post-game huddle. “That’s the best defense I’ve seen over here in five years.” The Dolphins’ pass rush pressured opposing quarterbacks Joe Moulton and Francisco Corletto for the full 48 minutes. Their tenacity was rewarded on Granada Hills’ opening possession of the second half when Moulton was hit as he threw and his pass wobbled into the arms of senior defensive lineman Bryce Williams, who rumbled to Granada Hills’ 10-yard line. “It’s a tribute to our offensive and defensive lines that we started to wear them down late in the game,” Loftus said. “Conner [Preston] played like he’s 18 and he just turned 16. The running game was great and the defense did a great job of containing their two running backs.” Palisades not only won the game, it got to keep the coveted Charter Bowl trophy for the first time. Granada Hills had won the first two contests by a combined score of 58-13. The one negative was 16 penalties for 170 yards. Pali had three scores nullified, including a 78-yard pass play from Preston to Hyman and a 48-yard scamper by Ballard. The frosh/soph team scored a late touchdown to nip the Highlanders, 21-14, improving to 3-1. The Dolphins host Reseda on Friday at Stadium by the Sea. F/S kicks off at 4 p.m., followed by the varsity at 7.
No Ordinary “Ghost” Writer
Palisadian Gary Andrew Poole Authors First Major Biography about Red Grange
He played back in the 1920s in an era known as the “Golden Age” of sports. He was to football what Babe Ruth was to baseball, Bobby Jones was to golf, Jack Dempsey was to boxing and Bill Tilden was to tennis. His name was Red Grange but he became known as the “Galloping Ghost” and Palisadian Gary Andrew Poole has written a biography of this unexplored superstar who changed the face of his sport. “He was the king of college football,” Poole says of Grange. “Some say he was more popular than Babe Ruth, if you can imagine that.” Poole, who graduated from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, has written for the New York Times, GQ, Time, USA Today, Wired and other periodicals. He has spent the last several years, however, working on his first book, “The Galloping Ghost: Red Grange, An American Football Legend,” which he’ll talk about next Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Village Books (1049 Swarthmore Avenue). “Can you imagine the best college football player today being criticized for turning pro?” Poole asks. “Of course not. Nowadays they’re criticized for not leaving early. But back then Grange’s decision was greeted with skepticism and outrage. People thought he was selling his soul. Why would someone play pro football and risk getting injured for money? See, in those days players only made about $100 a game.” As Poole points out in his book, Grange played at a time when football was more like rugby. There were no hashmarks on the field, there were no situation substitutions and it wasn’t uncommon for teams to punt on first or second down. How does Poole think Grange would’ve fared in today’s game? “Grange was such a phenomenal athlete, I think he would’ve done just fine. You have to remember he played both ways–running back and defensive back. He was an outstanding breakaway runner and if he were around today I’m sure he would’ve just played offense.” One of the qualities Poole most admired about his subject through all of his research was Grange’s humility. “He grew up in Wheaton, Illinois and came to represent rural values,” Poole says. “He always credited his blockers, saying ‘My Aunt Matilda could run for all those touchdowns.’ But the truth is, he gained a lot of his yardage on his own.” Having started started his booksigning tour with four stops in Illinois last month, Poole is happy to be coming home. Future locales include Denver (where Poole grew up) in November and New York in December. As a kid, Poole frequently browsed at a local bookstore similar to Village Books. “Everyone knew your name when you went in,” Poole recalls. “Village Books has that same small-town feel. I take my kids there all the time. That’s why I’m really looking forward to next week.”
