USD Magazine, Spring 1999

t ALCALA , - , ,. •,.,. Ji-·,'t"t-~ ,"-',I. ll;i>'_., ·.$:',-~,m , --~ ,. I • -~ -. -II ."r:~ '"C,T'A1;-·,

Event Highlights Five Decades W hat do a network news anchor, the bishop of the San Diego diocese, an astronaut, in San Diego, and what if Mother Rosalie Hill hadn't said 'yes' to Bishop Buddy's invitation to start the College for Women here?" Crier asked

a Fortune 500 executive and a former "Brady Bunch" kid have in common? They all were on hand to wish USD happy birthday during a 50th anniver– sary tribute hosted by BusinessLink USD, the university's corporate affilia– tion program. Catherine Crier, who headlines Fox News' "The Crier Report," hosted the March 25 event at the San Diego Hyatt Regency, setting the tone for USD's aca– demic and social achievements by telling the 460 in attendance how the determi– nation of the individual can change the world. "What if a bishop hadn't had a dream of an institution of higher learning D I GD B efore returning to his social services job from a recent lunchbreak, Al Smith '89 iced his knee on a bench outside the USD Sports Center. After seeing the group of guys he just spent an hour playing pick-up bas– ketball with, it wasn't hard to under– stand why. "We aren't just messing around in there," says Smith of the 15 to 20 USD graduates, faculty, staff and community members who gather for lunch-hour games three times a week. "This is pret– ty good basketball." For nearly four decades, the open gym period during the day has been a USD tradition. Known as the "Noon– ballers," current Torero players drop by and basketball alumni make regular appearances. The crowd even includes some former pros, including two-time NBA All-Star Don Kojis.

alumni, corporate constituents, 50th anniversary sponsors and university trustees, administra– tors and staff. Between video tributes from well wishers like singer Gladys Knight and former Attorney General Edwin Meese, co-hosts took various stages to give their

USO President Alice B. Hayes, Barry Williams and Sally Ride. Left: Most Rev. Robert Brom, bishop of San Diego

perspective on each of the five decades since the university's founding in 1949, and USD's contribution to them. The Most Rev. Robert Brom, bishop of San Diego, recalled the university's humble beginnings on a dusty hilltop and efforts by its founders to build a Catholic NOON

university around an ethics-based curricu– lum. Astronaut Sally Ride, who made history by becoming the first woman in space aboard the space shuttle Challenger in 1983, urged those in attendance to do as she did: Never stop dreaming, never stop learning, never stop teaching. HOOP S The group is so well known and respected, in fact, that the games are regarded by those in the know as some of the best pick-up hocips in San Diego County. Dozens of Torero stars have tested their mettle against players like Kojis, a 59-year-old, 12-year NBA veter– an who made the All-Star team twice. Kojis is not a USD alumnus, but he serves as the ad-hoc dean of the group, which at times has included real USD deans and currently includes professors. Foreign languages professor Richard Stroik has been playing since he arrived at Alcala Park eight years ago. "They didn't let me shoot my first two years," says Stroik with a laugh, prompting one of his teammates to won– der aloud why they started letting him shoot at all. The "Noon-ballers" don't just run and gun. They set picks (hard picks),

Noon-ballers in action

"I started playing my first year of law school," says Dave Golia '84, "and just kept coming. At first, I needed it for the competition, but now I need it to keep in shape."

N E

U S D

M A 6 A Z