Ultra-talented USG contributor Andy Dolich submitted an article last week which chronicled family member Jonathan Livingston Seagull’s early years high above the Oakland Coliseum and updated Jonathan's preferences of Bay Area sporting venues. Aware of Mr. Dolich's fan base, it was no surprise our mailbox filled up with appreciative comments. Here are several. (To enjoy Jonathan's far-flung family report again, click here.)

Andy,

Each Monday I look forward to the Ultimate Sports Guide's journal and once again I have been entertained.

What a clever overview of the Gull's perspective of life at the Coliseum. Loved it! While flying around and landing when and where they darn well pleased they did have a permanent place of which they didn't have to pay one single cent. They owned the place. Here's to a standing ovation.

They are ones to watch now and during the playoffs... and the team is on fire... like the weather. Keep 'em coming...terrific read.

Doris Messina, Realtor

Former Director of Season Ticket Sales

Oakland Athletics

Andy,

I truly enjoyed this as a veteran of the Gulls and because I know where most of them come from originally. I have a large collection of the Seagulls on both sides of the Bay. In San Francisco the best results for scattering them is when the PA system plays loud clapping. It only causes the Gulls to swing out over the McCovey Cove area and then fly back within several minutes. In Oakland, with the smaller crowds and the third deck mostly empty, the use of the fake hawks has worked fairly well. Nevertheless, you still have enough skeptical Gulls to come in anyway.

Steven Eigenberg

Oakland

Editor

It is always a pleasure to take a break and read your paper – I need a break! Everybody is overloaded with the virus and the weather, the fires, etc… What a world we have these days! My only pleasure is being outside. However, I can’t even do that with the smoke, etc. I just go back to cooking for people who help me and that’s my only thing but your paper comes and it helps a bit and I appreciate it so much. Take care of yourself and “Carpe Diem”!

Elisabeth (Betty) C.

Livermore

Veteran first baseman Brandon Belt has turned his opening season woes around, raising his average and delivering much needed power to the offense. On Sunday Belt went three-for-three, added a double, drove in two runs and raised his average to .274. Photo by Rich Yee.

Brandon Crawford completes a swing, minus his bat! Photo by Rich Yee.

The San Francisco Giants celebrate the game's end and another victory, extending their campaign win streak to a record six games. Next up are the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers, in for a three-game series which begins on Tuesday evening at 6:45 p.m. To view a game photo album, visit our Facebook Page and be sure to LIKE us or visit www.ultimatesportsguide.net.

San Francisco Giants pitcher Tyler Anderson recorded the first complete game of his career, limiting the Arizona Diamondbacks to one run on three hits in the Giants' 5-1 victory at Oracle Park on Saturday, Aug. 22.

First baseman Brandon Belt collected a pair of hits and drove in a run with this single in the seventh inning. Caption and photo by Darren Yamashita.

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Tyler Anderson (31) warms-up in the bullpen as Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen (23) warms-up before the game at Oracle Park. Caption and photo by Darren Yamashita.

Top prospect Joey Bart pinch-hit in the seventh inning, hitting a double off the top of the center field wall. Bart has collected a double in each of his first three MLB games. To view a game photo album, visit our Facebook Page and be sure to LIKE us or visit www.ultimatesportsguide.net.

https://www.ultimatesportsguide.net/2020-san-francisco-giants-schedule

https://www.ultimatesportsguide.net/2020-oakland-as-schedule

I was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers after graduating from Amador Valley High School in Pleasanton, but decided to attend Stanford University. I set career highs in home runs (27) and RBI (88) with the Oakland Athletics in 2018.

Concept and photo by Darren Yamashita.

-- Arnie Passman

Timothy Reynolds and Larry Rosa 

10-foot pole. "Interestingly, the original peach baskets did not have their bottoms knocked out, so whenever someone would get the soccer ball in the basket, the game would be temporarily paused while someone climbed a ladder to retrieve the ball. This obviously soon became annoying, so a hole was put in the bottom of the basket. Bizarrely, when they put this hole in the basket, they did not initially think to knock out the entire bottom and instead still had to use a long wooden dowel to poke the soccer ball out of the basket, which was at least less annoying than needing to climb a ladder."  ~https://bit.ly/34twiw2

Prevention  -- 100 Cleanest Packaged Food Awards

Men's Health -- 125 Best Foods for Men

Prevention -- Eat Clean Best Packaged Foods

Every Day with Rachael Ray -- Brand New Buy

Better Homes and Gardens -- Catch of the Day

Clean Eating -- Clean Choice Awards

Natural Health -- 3rd Annual Good Food Awards

Runner's World -- Good Catch

For more information, visit www.wildplanetfoods.com

Golden Gate Fields, Serean Kimmel, Re/Max Accord; 

Bemer/Ann Cooke; Informational: 20 Secrets to Success for NCAA Student-Athletes Who Won't Go Pro;  100 Things Sharks Fans Should Know Before They Die; Disqualified: The Incredible Slip Madigan, The Flamboyant Coach Who Modernized Football; Michael Zagaris

Photo credit: Shane Micheli / Vassar Photography.

* * *

“MA-GO-WANNNN! Remember, no one cares about the Twins and Angels here in the Bay Area! You gotta keep those updates light, tight and bright!

LTB! Remember, LTB!” (KNBR program director Bob Agnew talking to Bruce Macgowan in the hall outside the main studio on an summer

afternoon back in 1991. "LTB" stood for "Light, Tight and Bright!)

Trying to recount 18 years of working at THE Sports Leader is like being a glutton at a buffet table. Too many things to talk about but not enough time!

Let me start by saying that the time spent at KNBR 680 AM, in my hometown of San Francisco, was without a doubt the BEST stretch in my 45 years of working in the media.

A good place to start would be the personalities who made up this unique station. The 50,000 watt AM outfit had always been a force in the Bay Area, going as far back as the 1920s.

In the 1970s and most of the 80s, KNBR was one of the more stable operations in Northern California. Owned by network giant NBC, the station was a mix of music, talk, sports and news and was mainly driven by distinctive personalities, such as morning guys Frank Dill and Mike Cleary. KNBR also carried the Oakland Raiders, Golden State Warriors and most importantly, the San Francisco Giants. KNBR has been the Giants’ flagship station for over 40 years.

In 1989 NBC sold off most of its radio properties and a smaller, ‘boutique’ radio outfit, Susquehenna/Pfallzgraff, a bone china company out of western Pennsylvania, bought KNBR and its FM affiliate, KFOG, as well as about three dozen other large and medium market stations around the country.

After the sale, KNBR’s new management decided do something radical. They followed the example of radio station WFAN in New York, the first ‘all sports’ station in the country. They decided to go with a heavy accent on sports, with five-six key hours of Drive Time and evening listening which consisted of two shows devoted to sports; ‘Sportspage 68’ from 4-7pm and then from 7 to 10pm, or post-Giants or post-Warriors until midnight on the nights those teams’ games were being carried KNBR.

Having done a lot of freelance work out of the Bay Area for WFAN when it began its new format in 1987, most of their talk show guys and producers were really happy for me when I hooked up with KNBR.

I found out about a job doing afternoon sports updates at KNBR from a professional acquaintance of mine, KNBR newsman Steve Bitker. Bitker, who was newly married and had just starting a family, had been working as a reporter in the KNBR news department. Bitker loved sports, especially baseball.

One of the smartest and best radio reporters I know, Bitker was the perfect fit when new program director Bob Agnew moved him from news to the mornings where he did the sports updates on the popular Frank and Mike Show.

Steve phoned me at home and told me to contact Bob Agnew immediately. Agnew and I had crossed paths a few times. Back in 1974-75 I was just getting started in radio and Bob was interning and being groomed for an assistant program director’s job at KCBS. We would run into each other frequently at Warriors games, as Bob was helping KCBS sports by getting postgame interviews from the locker rooms. We were both just kids in our early 20s and we had some interesting conversations about sports and radio.

Bob and I also presented quite a contrast as far as appearances went. Bob was well groomed, clean cut, and always wore a sports coat and a tie. I, on the other hand, was always casually dressed, had longish hair and a beard. Bob short and aggressive. I was tall and laid back. But we both had a passion for radio.

Six years later, after returning home from New York City, I applied for a weekend news anchor job at KCBS and it was Bob who interviewed me.

Because I had been doing sports, I really was not qualified to do major market radio news, but at the time I needed full time job. I was only doing a little freelance work and some teaching at a broadcast school in San Francisco. The news job, as expected, went to someone else but I kept in touch with Agnew over the years.

By the time we talked in person again, I had built up a strong group of radio stations and networks and TV outfits for whom I was freelancing. These included Mutual Radio, CBC in Canada, RKO Radio, the Associated Press Radio Network and NBC, plus local radio stations KSFO, KEST, KGO in San Francisco and KICU-TV in San Jose, as well as KFCB TV 42 in Concord. I had hosted a half hour sports interview show at the Concord TV station and paid for the airtime by selling, producing and voicing the commercials that ran on the program.

After calling KNBR, I made an appointment to sit down with Bob Agnew and talk about a full time position. Bob was sitting at his desk. He was wearing a white dress shirt rolled up to his sleeves, his tie was loosened and he had a bunch of papers organized on his desk.

“Nice to see you again Bruce, after all of these years. How are you doing?” he asked.

We got right down to business.

“We would like to hire you to do our afternoon sports. How soon can you start working for us?”

Seriously, it was that short and sweet of a conversation.

I was kind of shocked and then asked him what the hours would be as well as the salary and the benefits. They all sounded pretty fair but having done freelance work now for almost seven years, I was really getting used to the informal and flexible routine that allowed me to take time off when I needed it. I was not required to go into an office during the day. The ballparks and stadiums and arenas of the local pro and college teams of the Bay Area were my ‘offices’ and I really did not want that to change. Plus I loved having free time on weekday afternoons to surf and hike in the area.

Nonetheless, I was flattered and asked Bob, “How soon do you need to know?”

“Now, if possible.”

I hesitated but then realized that this was the first time I had actually ever been offered a full time radio sports job in my hometown. I was 36 years old, had already spent 7 of my 14 years in the profession freelancing after moving all over the country. Having some stability after years of having to hustle could not hurt. Plus I had always wanted to work in the sports media in the Bay Area since I was kid.

So I simply said, “OK.”

“Great!” replied Bob while beaming. “Here are some papers you need to go over, sign them and give them back to me and I’ll get them to our HR person right away. We’ll see you at 1 pm on Monday?

Thus my 18-year KNBR career began...

* * *

SAN LEANDRO (CBS SF) — A well-known San Leandro sports bar may have to close after 74 years because of the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic on business, the bar’s owners said last week. Financial struggles could shut down Ricky’s Sports Theatre and Grill at 15028 Hesperian Blvd., which has been

Last August the World Dog Surfing Champions took place at Linda Mar Beach in Pacifica, where everyone was a winner. Like many cherished events in our lives, it is presently on hold. Here are several photos and why we can't wait for its return! Photo by Rich Yee.

This ain't easy. I think it's time for a meal... Photo by Rich Yee.

Now if I just barrel-roll to the right... Photo by Rich Yee.

Obviously a family activity! To view a game photo album, visit our Facebook Page and be sure to LIKE us or visit www.ultimatesportsguide.net. Photo by Rich Yee.

In the last seasons of the Oakland Raiders in Oakland, Ultimate Sports Guide photographer Ed Jay collected images and stories of some of the Raiders most passionate and beloved fans. To view and read their stories, click on this link and revisit your all-time favorites. Above, Azel Wendell Grasty, Sr. aka Oaktown Pirate. Photo by Ed Jay.

To view a game photo album, visit our Facebook Page and be sure to LIKE us or visit www.ultimatesportsguide.net. Concept and photo by Darren Yamashita.

Imagine Having Your Very Own Raiders Football Cleats. Enter the SportStars NOW app & Social Media Giveaway Today!

Download the FREE "SportStars NOW" App. Users have a shot at winning brand new Raiders Cleats provided to our buddies at Strapemup Sports before the team left for Las Vegas.

GET THE APP and Enter Often!

GET EXTRA ENTIRES on the website!

Sports Today - #321 -- March 23 - March 29

* Click here for 2019 editions.

have been cancelled.

San Francisco Giants v. Los Angeles Dodgers, 5:05 p.m.

Oakland A's @ Texas Rangers, 3:07 p.m.

Oakland A's @ Houston Astros, 6:10 p.m.

Oakland A's @ Houston Astros, 4:10 p.m.

Oakland A's @ Houston Astros, 11:10 a.m.

 Ultimate Sports Guide website!

Under the ultra-skilled leadership of Cal graduate Ricky Liu, a team of talented Cal students assembled the elegant Ultimate Sports Guide website for your readers. Ricky's team included Natalie Leung, Yafei Liang and Kasey Woo. Visit www.ultimatesportsguide.net

The vast majority of student-athletes dreaming of athletic stardom won't make it to the pros. Yet, the discipline and skills they've developed while balancing a sport and academics make them ideally suited for satisfying careers elsewhere. In 20 Secrets to Success for NCAA Student-Athletes Who Won't Go Pro, the authors draw on personal experience, interviews, expert opinion, and industry data to provide a game plan for student-athletes through key transitions at each stage of their careers, from high school through college and beyond. Modeled on Stephen Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, this book provides a much-needed strategy for achieving career success. Readable and concise, it will be a valuable tool for students, parents, and sports administrators. To order, click here.

The Ultimate Sports Guide is very appreciative to the ongoing contributions made by former staff photographer Kenny Karst, now retired. Mr. Karst continues to contribute through helpful ideas and his archives.