Sometimes seemingly esoteric complaints can catch fire.
Community activist Chip Netzel gained the attention of City Hall immediately yesterday when he filed a letter of complaint (See: “Culver City Parks Not What They Used to be — And Here Is Why,” July 24. Keywords: Chip, Netzel) on the state of the city’s public parks and their relation to the surrounding neighborhoods.
Mr. Netzel, who is in his 40s, told City Manager Jerry Fulwood and Parks and Recreation Director Bill LaPointe that, especially during the good, old summertime, parks staffers no longer reach out to nearby families.
When he was a kid, in the 1970s, he could and did spend all day at his nearest park. Further, there were organized citywide activities. His children, as they come of age, do not appear to have the same opportunity.
Mr. Fulwood and Mr. Lapointe responded to Mr. Netzel within hours.
A History of Happiness as a Child
The newspaper wondered if a peer and former teammate of Mr. Netzel’s, School Board member Scott Zeidman, had similar feelings about yesterday and today in Culver City parks.
Mr. Zeidman was asked to share his memories from the same era.
His family moved to Culver City in 1974, and young Scott immediately plunged into the park system.
Mr. Zeidman’s powers of recollection, as you will shortly see, were extraordinary.
“I truly loved our park system,” Mr. Zeidman said, “and I would do anything to bring it back to the way that it was.
“The park system worked miraculously well back in the ‘70s and ‘80s.
“Each park, if there was enough interest, would have three boys’ teams. Initially, the Pee-Wees were third- and fourth-graders. The Midgets were fifth- and sixth-graders, and the juniors were seventh through ninth graders.
“Later, because of an incredible demand, we added high school aged teams. A
“Each park had its own team color. Lindberg wore white. Vets was blue (I think). Betsy Ross was pink. Blair Hills was orange. I think that Blanco was yellow and McManus was green, but I am not certain.
“Back in the day, when possible, each park would play against another park.
The Rivalries
“When the scheduling worked, all five Lindberg teams would play all five Vets teams. Usually, the three boys’ teams would play at one park, and the two girls’ teams would play at the other park. Teams, family and kids would trek from their home park to the other park, and watch all three games. Not only did the league standings matter, but there was also bragging rights.
“Culver West was a natural rival for Betsy Ross. Lindberg and Vets fought it out. Blanco and El Marino had their share of animosity. You get the idea.
“We played flag football (all games were on Saturdays), softball (games during the summer days), basketball (games at the junior and high school on Saturdays, and, in the later years, volley-tennis.
“We would travel to parks for water balloon fights. The citywide games were held at Vets. Ribbons were awarded to the winners. There was great pride in bringing back a blue ribbon to your home park. (I won ping-pong three years running, and I am still proud). Okay, not that proud.
“Most recreation leaders were homegrown. They had grown up in the parks system themselves.
“There was generally one male and one female recreation leader at each park. Summer hours were 10 to 5, and again 7 to 9 weekdays. Some parks (El Marino, Blanco, Vets and Lindberg) were also open on Saturdays, but that was just a fun, non-structured day. The parks were open from 3 to 5 on school days.
“At Betsy Ross, from 3 to 5 on school days, I’d average approximately 50 kids per day taking part in organized activities. The number was larger at Lindberg. During the summer, we would have over 60 regular kids on a daily basis.
All Day Long
“Many of them waited for me to open the hut at 10 a.m., and many stayed straight through until closing.
“I have made hundreds of friends coaching at the parks.
“Not a week goes by that I don’t run into someone I coached, or coached against.
“The saddest part is when I am informed of the death of one of my former ‘kids.”’
“My ‘kids’ are all now over 30, but they remain my ‘kids.’
“It makes me feel really old that my son Jason has two twin classmates who are the daughters of one of my ‘kids.’ Imagine walking into the Back to School Night and seeing one of my kids as a contemporary parent. What I didn’t realize at the time that I was coaching was that I was only from 2 to 10 years older than the kids.”
Names from the Past
At that point, Mr. Zeidman tightened his focus and traced more specifically his history in the parks system.
“From 1974 to1980,” he told the newspaper, “I played at Lindberg Park, along with, among others, Tim Layana (former major league baseball player), all the rest of the Layana clan, Jim McAnay (former minor league baseball player), Merja Connolly (All- American, UCLA volleyball), Michelle McAnay (professional softball player), and Chip Netzel.
“I recall playing against Darrin Jackson (who played at Blanco), and losing the midget softball championship when Jackson hit a grounder past the third basemen. Somehow, I failed to get my glove on the ball in left field. This gave Darrin probably his first walk-off home run (of sorts) in a championship game.
“Around 1977, I started as a junior recreational leader (at $2.43 an hour) (@$2.43/hour), dragging fields. Then I progressed to Recreation Leader I, II and III, until I left about 1985.
“During my time, I coached at Blair Hills, El Marino, Lindberg, La Ballona, Blanco, Culver West (now Richard Alexander Park), McManus (now Syd Kronenthal Park), Lin Howe, Betsy Ross, Fox Hills and Vets Park.
“While I was employed, I worked, among others, for Syd Kronenthal (yes, the Syd Kronenthal), Jack Nakanishi (now the Girls varsity basketball coach at Culver High), Mike Cohen and Elliot Hefler.
“As a recreation leader, players who played against my teams included Carnell Lake. I coached De Jon Watson (now the Dodgers’ Director of Player Development), the minor league baseball player Jorge Pedre, Elgin Leslie (Lisa Leslie’s half-brother) and literally hundreds and hundreds of kids who didn’t make it professionally, but were a joy to work with.
“The notable coaches during my tenure included Tim Hawkins, Tryon Stern, Elliot Hefler, Ken Taketomo (who went on to coach basketball at Culver High), John Seargent (now the high school Varsity softball coach), and Marty Siegel (went on as Varsity basketball coach at Culver High). I think Danny Cavanaugh was a coach when I played, but I don’t recall.”
