June 20th in Seal Beach History

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9 responses to “June 20th in Seal Beach History”

1. 

   June 24, 2019

   Lonnie Brownell

   Oh man that was a big deal! I was in 6th grade when it opened. The pool was cool, but most (all?) of us boys were NOT fans of the red speedos we had to wear. There was a wooden cart with bins sorted by size. You’d reach in and grab one, which seemed a bit…er…impersonal. We trusted/hoped they’d been properly laundered.

   Were the handball courts built at the same time? In the suspect calendar of my mind, it seems like they might’ve been.

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   1. 

      June 28, 2019

      Michael Dobkins

      I think the handball courts were built around 1971.

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   2. 

      January 29, 2022

      Michael Collins

      I remember that summer, the beach or the new pool? Mike Collins

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      1. 

         January 29, 2022

         Lonnie Brownell

         Mike Collins, how you doing?!? Assuming you’re the Mike Collins in my grade all thru Zoeter, McGaugh and HBHS.

         This was about the pool and PE. At the beach I was in shorts. Did the swim team do rough water workouts?

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         1. 

            January 29, 2022

            Mike Collins

            Hi Lonnie, it’s me from 205Surf Place. I’m living in Farmington, N.H. I was talking about when the City opened the pool up for us during the summer. Oh yeah… I remember having to swim in those nasty speedos! I ended up lifeguarding in town from 73 through 76 ,then spending the next fifteen years working on Maui. What are you up to? Good to hear from you. Mike😎

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            1. 

               January 29, 2022

               Lonnie Brownell

               I’m living in Encinitas with Mrs B and our dog, Cody, and some times the boys when they come home from college. Maui no ka oi! Plan to retire at the end of this year then downsize to a smaller place, in this area. That’s the plan, anyway…
            2. 

               January 29, 2022

               Mike Collins

               Sounds great, I’m retired now too, just the Misses and myself in the boonies enjoying New England. Say Hi to our classmates back there for me… and take it easy. M.C.✌
2. 

   June 28, 2019

   Cindy Baker Nodson

   We lived close to McGaugh at the time. It seems to me that we already used the side of the gym for handball or practicing with our tennis rackets. The tennis courts (with basketball courts) were replaced by the pool. Pool was well-used by the kids in town.

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   1. 

      June 28, 2019

      Michael Dobkins

      Cindy, I’m looking at a 1963 aerial of Seal Beach, and it looks like all of the lot west of the gym was playground with no tennis or basketball courts. I think the existing tennis/basketball courts were either built at the same time as the pool or shortly thereafter. Are you remembering different courts from the ones that are still there next to the pool?

      
      And I think you’re right about the side of the gym being used for racquetball and handball. I was at McGaugh when the handball courts were built, and I remember one of the reasons for building them was that handball/racquetball playing on the gym interfered too much with other recreational and athletic activities there.

      Reply