Elephant Racing Pioneers Honored at CSUF 40th Anniversary Event 75 Cal State Fullerton alumni and their guests celebrated the schools' 40th Anniversary on Saturday April 15, 2000 at a benefit event at Goeller Alumni House on campus. The group then attended the  baseball game at Titan Field (rededicated as 'Goodwin Field' during ceremonies held on the same evening), cheering the Titans on to victoy over rival Long Beach State. Over $1000 was raised for scholarships and the Hole In The Wall Gang Camps. The program honored Elephant Racers of the early 1960´s:  Jack Hale, CSUF Class of '62, who rode the CSUF entry in the first Elephant Races in 1962, Jack Clement '63, who rode for CSUF in the second edition of the Races at Los Alamitos race track, and Merritt Grimm '65, who as President of the CSUF Elephant Racing Club in 1964-65 managed the last two Races on a field in then-rural Placentia (Related article in GO Gazette). Many of the 35 Phi Tau alumni who attended the dinner/baseball game also gathered later at the Phi Tau house ('The Barn) for dessert. CLICK HERE TO VIEW ARTICLE FROM CSUF CAMPUS NEWSLETTER, 'COMPENDIUM'.

CSUF was represented by Dr Robert Palmer, Vice President of Student Affairs, Dr Chuck Buck, AVP Student Life, Ryan Alcantara, Coordinator for Greek Life, Tom Tinker, Assistant Coordinator, Greek Life, and David Reid, a member of the 40th Anniversary Committee, who provided the event's attendees with commemorative "40th" pins. Representing the Alumni Relatiions staff was Lori Toth '94, who also helped with the event organization. Former Alumni Associaton President Ramona Schneider also attended the dinner with her husband John. Notable alumni present were Peggy Hammer '71, a CSUF Distinguished Alumni awardee and her husband Joe; Bob Sandoval '69, former ASB President, Joe Tatar '63 former Senior Class President, and "Most Traveled" alumni Bill O'Malley '67 with wife Gayle '66, who is a world-renowned analyst for Rand Corporation, specializing in countries of the former Soviet Bloc. Bill left the next day for Khazakistan, at the request of Secretary of State Madeline Albright. The program included contests for answering CSUF Trivia Questions, with 40th Anniversary mementos donated by the Titan Book Store. Questions like: "Where were classes first held?" (Sunny Hills High); "When was the last year football was played at CSUF?" (1990). Peggy Hammer '71 won the grand prize (a holiday weekend donated by the Newport Marriott) by identifying all 5 names that the University has had since 1959. (Can you??). Another special guest was James Cook, Director of Development for the Valencia-based Painted Turtle Camp, who thanked the attendees for their participation. Painted Turtle is the latest affiliate of the Hole In The Wall Gang Camps, founded by Paul Newman, who's Newman's Own Foods donated lemonade and salad dressing for the dinner. Other donors were: Mike Stieger '67, VP Sales for Barilla USA (Pasta/sauces); Carl Arena '74, VP CKE Restaurants (desserts); Greg Vaughn '66 IFSA Food Brokers (antipasto); Larry Rovira, Manager SLO Brewing Co (Beer/Wine); Leslie Boersma '94 Marriott Hotels (salads), and Lisa Flood of Alpha Delta Pi, who donated the table decorations (along with Ryan Alcantara). Other thanks go to undergrad members of Phi Kappa Tau who assisted at the event; Tom Fong, David Lee, Cosmo Kaminski, Matt Johnson, and Chris Tyni, who donned the Tuffy Titan costume when the alumni volunteer couldn't make it at the last minute. Click HERE to view the Program for the day.

Click HERE to view article from CSUF campus newsletter, 'Compendium' .

Click Here to View the 40th Anniversary Dinner Program