The Rat Line is an independent San Jose State alumni magazine, first published after the 1987 Stanford game by “early sixties friends” of three independent houses on or near South 11th Street—”Greek row”. They were: The Rats Nest, Lions Den and Surfrider, three houses owned by two sororities in the early sixties—Kappa Kappa Gamma, then at 211 South 10th St. and Gamma Phi Beta, at the NW corner of 189 So. 11th at San Antonio.
The Rat Line magazine is entirely donation funded. The editor donates his time. His former roommate and fraternity brother is trusted with the checks. All of your donations are used to pay for printing and mailing of the magazine and the directory...and now, even the annual hosting fees for our new website, and to help pay to host our Friday night reunion party.
Tower Hall Quad in 1942. An image most of us remember.
Note “Legend of Sparta” player/coach Walt McPherson’s name on the ’42 yearbook. We bought it on Ebay last year. It was probably left over from Walt’s office in the old gym. Walt moved up to Santa Rosa after his wife died to be near his kids.
Reunion Tailgate Sept. 13th against the Aztecs
It’s official. The SJS Rat Line Reunion XI will be held Sept. 12-13, 2008 at the San Diego State game which tentatively kicks off at 1 PM (unless there is a need to televise it.) We haven’t yet picked a hotel, but we’ll be hosting a cocktail party Friday evening in whatever hotel gives us the best deal. Since Spartan alum Claude Gilbert is a Hall of Fame coach at both universities, we need to make sure Claude is present at this “Gilbert Classic.”
If you wish to leave comments for others to read, please read our SJS Rat Line blog pages linked at the top of this site, then email your comment and photos to Pat O’D. If you wish to receive issue #31, our 32-page SJS Sesquicentennial issue, that was mailed last summer, email us at: ratline@mac.com with your address, phone numbers, greek or sports affiliation (if any) and your years at San Jose State. We’ll mail you a copy at no charge.
Bobby Taylor: Busy in Beijing preparing for Olympics
If you recall in our Sesquicentennial issue of the Rat Line, ATO Jim Thompson of Crown Worldwide ran into 1960 San Jose State alum and unofficial ATO Bobby Taylor when he was singing in Capone’s Italian restaurant and wine bar in downtown Beijing. We mailed Bobby Taylor some back issues of the Rat Line and he loved them. Here’s the latest from Bobby T.
“This is the wall outside my studio in Beijing, China. Working now more than ever—7 days and 6 nights. How about that? Will send more pictures as they come to me.”
and this just came in on January 11th:
“I've received your mail and this is the correct address..we sometimes have a problem with Yahoo here in Beijing. If at all possible can anyone out there get me to the whereabouts of —at the time she was Les Ann Coffin? I would like to know how she is doing. If there is anyone who wants music from my new CD, please give them my e-mail address, to the attn: Cherry Lau, and you'll receive it before the public. God Bless the RATLINE. —Bobby T
Someone needs to send Bobby a San Jose State Spartans shirt to replace his blue “Dook”.
Saunders returns to Rams
Sixties Theta Chi SJS DB, Al Saunders rebounded to the Rams after Joe Gibbs retired and the Redskins let their OC go.
Al, who played for Harry Anderson from 66-67-68, and wife Karen might be lucky to have kept their Leawood, KS home.
Shea rejoins Rams as QB coach
St. Louis Rams coach Scott Linehan completed a staff reorganization this month, hiring former San Jose State (1990-1991) coach Terry Shea (Bellarmine Prep, Univ. of Oregon) to coach quarterbacks, Bob Saunders as an offensive assistant and Chuck Faucette as assistant strength and conditioning coach.
Shea was quarterbacks coach with the Dolphins the last two seasons, and also coached the quarterbacks during two stints on the Chiefs' staff. He was offensive coordinator for the Bears in 2004.
Before moving to the NFL, Shea was head coach at Rutgers from 1996-2000 and was Big East coach of the year in 1998.
Shea was quarterbacks coach with the Dolphins the last two seasons, and also coached the quarterbacks during two stints on the Chiefs' staff. He was offensive coordinator for the Bears in 2004.
Before moving to the NFL, Shea was head coach at Rutgers from 1996-2000 and was Big East coach of the year in 1998.
Saunders, the son of new Rams offensive coordinator Al Saunders, was an offensive assistant with the Redskins in 2006 and 2007. He will also be an assistant wide receivers coach..
