Dallas Cowboys Work Out in L.A.’s Back Yard

With Al Davis’ team encamped but a few miles down the road in Oxnard, you’d figure that this is Raider territory, right?

Wrong.

And with the Dodgers, Angels, Rams, Clippers and Lakers just over the hills, you’d think that one local sports team, at least, would have this area pretty much sewn up.

Wrong again. This time of year, Thousand Oaks is Cowboy country.

Since 1963, the Dallas Cowboys have held their summer practice at hilly, breezy Cal Lutheran University campus. The fans love it, and in case you think that “America’s Team” has any trouble attracting an audience, just stop by some weekday and join the crowd.

While nearby Raider practices are closed to the public, the Cowboys’, like the Los Angeles Rams’ at Cal State Fullerton, are open.

Last Tuesday, the bleachers alongside the close-cropped playing field just off Olsen Road were full. Fans--mostly locals but some who had come from as far away as Oakton, Neb.--wandered the field’s periphery, watching through binoculars and cameras as their favorite players worked out during morning practice.

Actor Gary Busey, an avid fan, watched from the far side of the field, stalking the sideline, hand on hip and cigar in hand.

Just inside the fence, five boys sat by their bicycles. Identical twins David and Jeff Watts, 15, and their 7-year-old brother, Michael, watched the proceedings on the field attentively. You got the impression that the twins knew more about what was going on than the average TV commentator.

You wouldn’t be far wrong. The blond and freckled Wattses have been stalwart Cowboys fans--or, more precisely, quarterback Danny White fans--most of their lives.

“We’ve been coming for years,” said David--or maybe it was Jeff. “We all live right over there,” he said, indicating the housing complex across the road behind him, “and we bring water to the players and stuff.”

“Yeah,” agreed Jeff--or maybe it was David--”and we carry Danny White’s helmet. And Mom bakes cookies, and we bring them over to the players at night.”

“They really like that,” little Michael pronounced solemnly.

“And we went up to Dallas two years ago and stayed at Danny White’s house for two weeks. . . .”

”. . . For the two preseason games,” the twins continued, “and this year we met Michael Irving, Mike Renfro and Robert Williams.” Michael nodded in agreement.

Sitting with the Wattses were friends Michael LaSala and Aaron Newing, who come to watch whenever they get the chance.

In the parking lot, which borders the playing field on two sides, many people watched the workout from their cars. One of the cars sported Utah plates.

Sure enough, Rick and Sandy Poll and their daughter, Carson, had driven from Ogden to see their team in practice.

“This is our second year coming down,” Rick Poll said. “We’re probably going to try to come every year. We got quite a few autographs last year.”

Cowboy autographs are a hot commodity in Thousand Oaks. As soon as the team broke for lunch, the field was flooded with fans. Everybody followed the players back to the locker-room area--pens, paper and tape recorders in hand. Each big player had an attendant youngster carrying his helmet: Don Smerek with 6-year-old Alison Hammand, Jimmie Simmons with 10-year-old Eric Goldman--an acolyte for every idol.

The Watts boys waited for their movie-star-handsome hero Danny White to join them at the far end of the field. David carried White’s helmet as the quarterback good-naturedly allowed himself to be besieged by autograph seekers, radio-station announcers, cameramen and journalists.

“David’s been hanging around me now for--for how long, David?” White asks his young friend.

“Eight years.”

“Yeah, eight years. I’ve watched him and his brothers grow up. His whole family.” White smiles. “That’s what keeps me from getting in shape. I can’t resist those cookies.”

Other Teams

Sometimes the Raiders come down to Cal Lutheran for the day to scrimmage, as they did last Monday. Sometimes other teams stop by. Otherwise, the Cowboys keep up a pretty regular schedule during their annual six-week stay (which ends Aug. 20). Monday through Friday they work out from 10 a.m. till noon, and again from 3 to 5:30 p.m.

Community dinners and special receptions for the team--such as one last Wednesday in honor of the Cowboys’ 26th summer camp here--keep much of the team busy nights as well. Some of the players eat dinner at local residences, such as the Watts’.

Today, the Cowboys play a preseason game in San Diego against the Chargers. The game will not be shown live, but a tape-delayed broadcast can be seen Sunday at noon on Channel 10 (San Diego).

Of course, having a passel of great big Cowboys descend on your local college campus every summer has a real impact on a community--particularly on the pizza business.

Don Feeley, assistant manager of the Domino’s Pizza on Moorpark Avenue, says the Cowboys “order a lot of pizza. On average, I’d say about 10 to 15 a day.”

Are those large pizzas?

“Yeah. Large.”