Memories Triggered of Wartime Santa Anita

Thanks for Shav Glick’s beautiful story about Camp Santa Anita.

As an 11-year-old, I too remember the day Joe DiMaggio came to play ball at Camp Santa Anita. The game was played on the spacious ball field in Santa Anita Park, which was just across from the camp and as always “us kids” got to stand in the outfield during batting practice.

And there was Joe, a god-like icon if there ever was one, taking his swings. The balls soared to the outfield and the gang would take chase. I can still remember how high and how long those balls were in the air.

Then there was the game itself. My gang sat right behind the dugout and listened to every word and watched every move and expression of Joe’s. We listened to the voices but understood little. I’m sure we were being treated to a great wealth of locker-room talk and we ate it up. I cannot tell anything about the game, only that it was a magic day. Thanks again for this long-ago bit of history.

Harold Shapiro

Studio City