Happy New Year, 2012!

Forty-two years ago today, USC defeated Michigan University in the 56th Rose Bowl Football Game. 10-3. The score was tied 3–3 at halftime; with three minutes to play in the third quarter, USC quarterback Jimmy Jones threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Bob Chandler to give the Trojans the 10–3 victory.

12/22/69-ANAHEIM, CALIF: The University of California and Michigan U. football teams pose in front of the castle at Disneyland. L-R, Michigan head coach Bo Schembechler, shaking hands with Mickey Mouse, Captain James Mandich, TE, Rose Queen Pamela Tedesco, USC Captain Bob Jensen, LB, Jim Gunn, co-captain and assistant coach Marv Goux. The two teams clash 1/1/70 at the Rose Bowl. UPI TELEPHOTO.

Pamela Tedesco, the 52nd Rose Queen of the 81st Tournament of Roses, was from Arcadia and a student at Pasadena City College. Interviewed 30 years later, she was quoted as saying, "every little girl growing up in California dreams of being Rose Queen. You grow up watching the parade, reading about it in all the papers."

Disneyland & The Rose Bowl have been connected since the 1959/60 season when the Rose Queen and Royal Court began visiting the park annually. In addition, Disneyland hosts college football teams visiting Southern California to compete in the Rose Bowl game.

See more vintage & current Disneyland Castle photos at my regular website.

December 1960, Town Square Rose Parade Queens

Just to show Patrick that I am a tolerant man, I am posting this December 19, 1960 view of Town Square which shows a tiny portion of the Stroller Shop that used to be located where the Mad Hatter is now. Mind you...just a tiny portion. Driving around the square are the Tournament of Roses Queen (Carole Washburn) & her court. Naturally, I couldn't feature such a photo without zooming in on these lovely ladies...you can tell that the driver is mighty happy right now!



If you can tear yourself away from these lovelies long enough, you'll also notice that the Opera House has posters promoting the Subs and the Monorail on either side of the entrance. I am also including a detail shot featuring the Portrait Shop & Wonderland Music.



See more vintage and current Town Square photos at my website.

Roses & Liz

Happy New Year to you all; today is a little bit of a departure in honor of today’s holiday. Here’s Joan Culver, the 1956 Queen of the Tournament of Roses Parade. Shot #2 is Joan with her Royal Court:



The Tournament of Roses is an annual tradition that dates back to 1890, with the football part being added in 1902. Back in January 1980, I actually marched in the parade itself. My high school rehearsed endless hours the one turn that we would have to make right where the TV cameras would be rolling. Our director expected nothing less than precision from us, and for the 3-5 seconds that our band was on TV, we looked great! What a rush...of course the next 2 hours of marching was not so fun. Here’s a shot from that morning, including a detail of me on the saxophone:





Our band was staying at the Marriott in Newport Beach; after the parade was over, everyone was back at the hotel flipping on the TVs to watch the rebroadcast of the parade; when our band was on, you could hear the shouts roar throughout the hotel (we were obnoxious high school students...what do you expect). We traveled many miles from Philadelphia to Los Angeles; our trip also included a day at Disneyland, which unfortunately I only have a few horrible Polaroid One-Step photos as remembrances. Back to the Blog Topic...last time we saw Liz Taylor at Daveland, she was munching popcorn. Today, she’s flying in a pack of helicopters and eating at Club 33. Here’s Liz and her children at the posh Club 33:



Could they be any more excited?!? This photo is from July 18, 1973. Peter Lawford was with Liz and family, but apparently didn’t want to be in the photo. Here is a current photo of the room that Liz was in:



Here’s to a fantastic 2008; may all your resolutions come true.

See more vintage and contemporary Disneyland photos at my main website.