There’s no time to waste because there’s some great USC history to get today.
- And now for some history:
If you told me a couple days ago that a Trojan was a Formula One World Drivers’ Champion, I might think you were crazy. But the best part of writing this column is discovering new facts about USC.
Phil Hill was Formula One World Champion in 1961 while driving for the prestigious Ferrari team. He is the only World Drivers’ Champion born in the United States. This is the same title won the past two years by Max Verstappen and the previous four years by Lewis Hamilton. In Europe, these drivers are superstars.
This is frankly, an extraordinary accomplishment. Hill would be a superstar today. He also won the 24 Hours of Le Mans three times (1958, 1961, 1962) and 12 Hours of Sebring three times (1958, 1959, 1961).
Now to the Trojan part. Hill attended USC from 1945-47. He majored in business and was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity. He grew up in Santa Monica, where his father was a postmaster for many years.
At age 12, he bought his first car, a Model T for $10, which he drove on a deserted dirt road.
“My family kept thinking I’d get over racing like you get over the mumps or something,” Hill said.
The sport was extremely dangerous in those days. His Ferrari teammate, Wolfgang von Trips, died in a crash at the Italian Grand Prix in 1961 that also killed 15 spectators.
In 1962, Hill said: “I no longer have as much need to race, to win. I don’t have as much hunger anymore. I am no longer willing to risk killing myself.”
- Hill was a crew member on the classic racing movie Grand Prix in 1966 that starred James Garner and Francoise Hardy (pictured below).
- Back in the day, one of the biggest events at USC was “Trolios,” which was a Homecoming talent show that featured students. It also included professional entertainers. A headliner for the Nov. 8, 1951, Trolios was Danny Thomas. But the show also featured this hidden gem: Actress-singer Dorothy Dandridge, who performed at the sold-out Shrine Auditorium event.
Dandridge had just been featured in Life magazine before her USC gig. Four years later, Dandridge became the first Black woman nominated for Best Actress at the Academy Awards for her role in Carmen Jones. In 1959, she was nominated for a Golden Globe for her role in Porgy and Bess. She remains an icon today and the fact she performed at a USC show is just fantastic.
As it happens, Dandridge died on this day in 1965.
- USC plays Stanford on Saturday. When will the teams play again after that? Here’s some photos from the 1975 game at the Coliseum, which an entire episode of the TV show Emergency centered around.
- In 1969, No. 16-ranked Stanford took a 24-23 lead over No. 4-ranked USC with 1:03 left at the Coliseum. The Trojans then drove 68 yards. And as time expired, Ron Ayala kicked a 34-yard field goal to give USC a 26-24 victory over Jim Plunkett and Stanford.
On the game-winning drive, USC tailback Clarence Davis had a key fourth-down conversion and QB Jimmy Jones completed three straight passes to tight end Gerry Mullins and wide receiver Sam Dickerson.
USC had no timeouts as Mullins caught a pass for a first down at the Stanford 17. The clock stopped to move the chains and Ayala and the kicking team ran on to the field. The ball was reportedly snapped with less than a second left in the game.
At the time, an NCAA night-game record of 83,812 attended the contest at the Coliseum.
BEAUTY QUEENS, BANQUETS AND LUNCHEONS
- Tom Harmon spoke to the USC Faculty Club in 1953 and the newspaper article promised “off-the-record reactions to controversial issues in college football.” This is funny when you consider the same newspaper attended the luncheon, so what was off the record?
Instead, the audience got pearls of wisdom from Harmon like this: “I am confident ‘SC can beat UCLA on Saturday if the team plays at its top potential.”
And this: “This will be ‘SC’s toughest game of the season — until the following Saturday when the team meets Notre Dame.”
USC ended up losing both games.
- One-time USC track team member Michael Landon, who was the honorary mayor-elect of Encino in 1965, signs a proclomation for Jaycee Week with members of the organization.
- When does Lincoln Riley get a TV show on Channel 9?
- USC football coach Howard Jones demonstrates proper blocking techniques to pro wrestler Strangler Lewis in 1929. Who? At the time this photo was taken, Lewis, Babe Ruth and boxer Jack Dempsey were considered the country’s most recognizable sports stars.
MOVIE OF THE WEEK
Soylent Green was set in the year 2022!
Remember the important role the Sports Arena played in the movie. It’s the euthanasia center Edward G. Robinson visits when he decides he is “going home.”
Ever wonder what the Sports Arena would have looked like if it were in the middle of the city?
THE WEEKLY MARILYN MONROE
- The only home Marilyn Monroe ever owned, located in Brentwood, faces demolition after the city of Los Angeles received a permit request to demolish the estate. It’s where the iconic actress’ body was discovered in 1962 after an overdose. Preservationists are trying to save the house.
- Here’s Monroe with boxer Art Aragon (left) along with actors Mickey Rooney and Dale Robertson on September 15, 1952, at the sixth annual “Out of this World Series baseball charity game” held at Gilmore Field in Los Angeles.
InsideUSC with Scott Wolf 
Channel 9? Riley was waiting for a lucrative Apple TV Streaming deal…….
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The HBO mini series, co-starring Danny McBride, fell through at the last minute.
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The weekend is upon us so you can expect many dumb comments from me re: socialist economic theory, moon landings, fruit and of course football and all with homosexual undertones.
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Exactly! Please don’t let us down, tebow!
btw, at the start of the photo shoot with Francoise Hardy, James Garner said he wasn’t sure if the pose was appropriate —but after a minute or so he changed his mind.
#”Don’tStopShootingUntilWeGetThisExactlyRight”
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So the little fingernail painting bitch doesn’t want to play for the Cardinals, huh? What a punk ass bitch!
Just for being that much of a bitch, Caleb Williams will get hurt at some point in this season and it will fuck up his and his daddy’s game plan.
Fuck That Sissy La La Caleb Williams, that clown will be a bust in the NFL…I guaranfuckingtee it!
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tebow comes through!
#BetterLateThanNever
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Lesson: It’s never a good thing when anyone sez “USC can win this game IF they play to their full potential.” The implicit premise is the other team is better unless we play the game of our lives.
Edward G. Robinson stole Billy Wilder’s Double Indemnity from the stars, Barbara Stanwick and Fred MacMurray. The only real love affair in the movie is revealed in the last scene: the father/ son relationship between the crusty Robinson and wayward MacMurray.
Who woulda won if Golden Boy Art Aragon and Micky Rooney got in a real fight? My money would be on Rooney.
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Agree on Edward G. Robinson Michael. If you have ever dealt with claims adjusters, and I have extensively, you know Robinson nailed the role. Now, as a taskmaster in Egypt in the 10 Commandments, not so much.
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“I will enjoy your company, my little mud flower.”
#NotTheWayYouWantToTalkToJoshua’sGirlfriend….
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I thought he did a good job, especially when haggling with Rameses over his price for giving up Moses.
Similar to Kevin O’Connor who played Beni in “The Mummy”. What a weasel!!
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“Goodbye, Beni”
#”Aaaahhhhiiiahh!”
#ProbabyNotTheBestWayToCheckOut
[btw, I really think we’ve got those death beetles here in Maui —saw one on the wall and stomped it with the palm of my hand—nothing happened —stomped it with my foot when it fell to the floor —nothing happened —sprayed it with Lysol —nothing happened –the whole time I’m yelling at it “what is your deal?” —- finally I picked it up with a towel and threw it outside & it ran away perfectly happy]….
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So it was Jim Harbaugh?
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Yes, Harbaugh takes on many insidious forms…. all of them will be extinguished by Lincoln Riley very soon….
#PeteWillSeeUltimateJusticeAdministered
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Lying sack of shit!
Gabby
SEPTEMBER 8, 2023 AT 5:01 AM
plow horse: Rams beat the Bucs one year 5 to 2 in the NFC championship game. My uncle had a large bet on the Rams and had to cover a three-point spread…..He bitched about that for years
The Rams and Bucs have met twice in the NFC championship game. 1980 Rams won 9-0 and in 2000, the Rams also won 11-6.
YOU JUST GOT CAUGHT IN ANOTHER LIE!
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Someone took a intentional safety that cost his uncle a bet. It ate at him for years. THAT was the gist of the story.
Who cares what teams were playing?! Or even if it was a playoff game! Only a complete loser.
Same type of loser who’s stupid enough to ask someone to prove they were at a game. No one gains anything by “lying” in either of those two instances. Get a life!
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Cowardly Gabby aka TebowObama aka The Guy who posts as So Cal’s Wife & Lawyer John & Pudly & Plow House & steveg49 & DOJ & Scott Wolf and Frank Young stayed up all night spamming and now is up this morning, grouchy and creating posts ! It’s so much fun teasing her like a bug. She is as stupid and demented as her leader Senile Joe, who decided to band Arctic oil drilling when gas just hit $6 a gallon- brilliant!
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Murray (sweating) – “You’ve known all along, haven’t you Keyes?”
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Walter deserved a better end.
#GladHeDidn’tFallForStanwick’sLastPlay,Though…
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Stanwyck got hers in, “Sorry, wrong number” Ha! Ha!
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Payback took a while….but, yeah…
#Same”Deal”WithHarbaughIHope….
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Jimmy will be tuned in to the game at the Coliseum, I believe. He still has one eye on his legacy. The gutties like to say, “It’s 13 to 9 somewhere” Case in point – It was 13 (Caleb Williams) to 9 (Michael Jackson III) @ 14:08 in the second quarter against Nevada. So it will be again many times over this season. That about sum it up for you Owns? (Dear Friend of Maui Mike) #GoAztecs!!
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But she ultimately retired to her ranch in Stockton…
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…but then got jilted by Richard Chamberlin [of all people] in The Thorn Birds….
#BestActressToNOTWinAnAcademyAward
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Who could have seen THAT coming?
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Hey 9000, I’m taking Stanford and the points.
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I’m takin’ the Aztecs in the sequel to “Apocalypto”
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Love ya, buddy – you’re the straw that stirs the drink.
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This would be a duller world if not for my pal, Owns….
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“Apocalypto”? WTF is that… Shitfaced, you got rolled in TJ.
9000, that sounds so you.
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Here’s a reply for Owns – Apocalypto is a Mel Gibson movie about an Aztec (I think) civilization that captures prisoners from surrounding tribes, and in a ritual, paints them bruin blue and lops off their heads. Kinda cool – like what I’m hoping for you tomorrow. That clear it up for you, big fella?
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I would imagine the real estate would be of higher value if they did not demolish Marilyn’s home.
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The cold, hard fact is the land is probably all the next buyer will be interested in — so many beautiful old homes are demolished just so some ding dong can build a bigger house…
#LettingYouInOnTheDirt:IHearCarolIsThePotentialBuyer
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Marilyn and her home deserve LA/CA historical significance.
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They saved the Derby on Los Feliz and Hillhurst… they should save Marlyn’s home.
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Ah, the Derby. Man, did I ever strike out with my first female supervising attorney at that place. We were the only 2 people there —which made it worse.
#HopeTheyTearItDown
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She didn’t swing dance? Well you got your revenge- the owner got so mad when they declared it a historical landmark that he turned the bar into a Chase Bank!
https://www.latimes.com/business/la-xpm-2012-aug-19-la-fi-mo-derby-sold–20120817-story.html
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Exactly 500 days left for Dementia Joe to screw things up more than he already has. That is, if he succeeds in not being 25th’d. Based on Kamala’s remarks this past week, I’d say his chances are about 4:1.
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500 days to persecute enemies of his illegitimate Regime and eliminate all dissent
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Red China To Joe: “You have 500 more days to finish [what we’ve agreed to call] your ‘homework assignment.’ Neither we nor the American voters will be granting any extensions. You need to stop energy production immediately if you have any hope of finishing on time.”
[Please thank Brad Pitt for extolling the virtues of W. H.O. in “World War Z” as a warmup for mass lockdowns….. and extolling Doctor Fauci on Saturday Night Live ….inform him there’s another Academy Award in the pipeline….]
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Did that chick at The Derby try eating off your plate?
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It was her idea to go there after work —-where she played the “come here, get back” game throughout 3 gin and tonics and a cobb salad—the next time she suggested it I asked her if we couldn’t just go to a cheap motel on the coast highway instead. After that I was given many, many un-choice trial assignments.
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I played against Ron Ayala in both Jr high and high school. I picked off one of his passes in the end zone once, took it all the way for a td. Boy was he pissed off because he couldn’t catch me.
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The only things you ever picked is your nose and ass
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..that doesn’t even make sense….
#WhatElseIsNew?
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Scott Wolf has an encyclopedic knowledge of the past goings-on at USC.
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Maybe so. But he has yet to write anything about or post any pictures of Michael Guarino. 😉
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Yeah! Scott it’s time to scour the March & April 1969 Daily Trojans [student body election time] and find cute pictures of me…and fun articles by my pre-Scott Daily Trojan hero, Elliot Zwibach.
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