Saturday evening, our Spartans enjoyed a Holidays Dinner at San Jose’s Tied House Restaurant, micro brewery and sports bar. For a pictorial review, go to the photos page. Several wide screen monitors treated us to images of overgrown football players lumbering around bumping into each other, however, no track meets were on any of the “sports bar” monitors.
In keeping with a Spartan tradition, “Late or Lost, but Never Last”, 24 attendees arrived just in time to conclude the social hour. After all were seated to dine, our newest Spartan, Victoria Tran-Sood, and her husband Manush made their grand entrance, thankfully relieving more established Spartan members of being in the dreaded LAST PLACE. Victoria’s really late entrance fully qualifies her to be a SPARTAN.
As the many Spartan team members wolfed down delicious dinners, they recalled past exploits. From the cross country teams were Nick Butterfield, Pat Buzbee with his wife Fabia, Kurt Gravenhorst, Steve Radigan with wife Barbara and son Bob, Jerome Woehl with ladyfriend Teri, Art Sanchez, and Leroy Daleen. The ENTIRE woman’s cross country team was there – Susan Hu. Various road race teams were represented by Leonard Marrufio and Ken and Chris Irving. From the track pack were Huy Nguyen with Mai, and Bob Gilbert. Party people (only seen at parties) were there to spice things up – Gil Katzen, Camile Ortiz and her aunt Estella. And last, on the injured reserves team, Carlos Siqueiros.
Huy was given a hand (and running gloves for both hands) for his work on the new web site. Huy narrowly missed doubling – another award for getting lost. On the way to the Christmas Relays in San Francisco, he missed a turn and was on the way to Santa Cruz with his entire team until rediriction via a cell phone call. The coveted Lost Spartan Award went to Art Sanchez for consistency. This year, he again got lost. This time on the way to the Christmas Relays. This time he missed the very last turn, so rather than driving a short 200 yards to the parking area, he drove five miles, all around the course, to get there.
Two hands (running gloves) were awarded to Mike King as benefactor and Home Run teams captain. The final two hands award, for Cheers, was presented by Kurt to Teri for her almost single handed cow belling and cheering at the cross country races. Injured Carlos was in the running, but he lost on style points. Also considered was Carmen, Francisco’s better half, but she wasn’t present – scant hours before the dinner, a garbled phone message from Francisco said something about her being stuck in the shower and not able to come.
Jerome