Page 78 - Firehouse Pond

I was a poor skinny kid with marginal grades but somehow managed to be

chosen to play high school sports. Baseball was the best sport for me; it only
cost the price of a glove, which I already had.

Mom and my stepfather worked hard, but they were only making do and
California was not really “the” place to be.

We moved between Iowa, Colorado, California, back to Colorado, and finally

returned to California to stay. Just about the time, I’d settle into a new
school, we were on the move again.

ALL THAT TRAVELING PAYS OFF

My attendance at out of state high schools resulted in me having taken

advanced math and science classes. I was ahead of my California high school
classmates and taking three study hall classes every day.

During my senior year of high school, the state of California began a program
in which some high school kids, including me, could attend a state junior
college and finish high school requirements concurrently.

We had to take an extra physical education class as this was a pre-requisite to
graduate high school. As it turned out; this was an important requirement that
would later hinder me.