Joe DiMaggio's 95th Birthday Celebration

Joe DiMaggio’s 95th Birthday - November 25, 2009

Joe DiMaggio, one of baseball’s legends and a San Francisco favorite, would have been 95 years old this year.  Francis “Lefty” O’Doul, a San Francisco native, baseball legend, and friend of DiMaggio’s, started his own restaurant here in 1958—so it was only appropriate that Lefty O’Doul’s commemorate DiMaggio’s birthday in true San Francisco style!

Lefty O’Doul’s invited GOTC to join the celebration by bringing out a couple of historic SF Fire Department vehicles: a 1942 Chevy Coffee Unit No. 1 and a 1956 Seagrave Tank Wagon. Members of the GOTC, including Paul Barry, Mike Braun, and Jamie O'Keefe, were on hand to answer questions about the vehicles and to share information about the SFFD Museum, where other interesting vehicles are stored.

Jack LaLanne's 95th Birthday Celebration

Jack LaLanne’s 95th Birthday Celebration- October 7, 2009

Jack LaLanne, fitness icon, was born in San Francisco in 1914. He is well known for amazing feats of strength, like swimming from Alcatraz while handcuffed and doing over 1,000 pushups in 23 minutes. He also hosted one of the fitness shows on television, encouraging viewers to exercise at home, following his lead. Many people in the Bay Area remember Jack’s television show while others know him from his electric juicer infomercials.

Since Jack is considered a San Francisco legend, members of GOTC were delighted to help celebrate his 95th birthday. SFPD Inspectors Liane Corrales and Darlene Alaya donned turn of the century police uniforms, while museum consultant Jamie O’Keefe dressed as a Victorian lady, to bring a historic touch to the occasion. Firefighter Paul Barry brought the 1956 Seagrave Tank Wagon  so Jack and his wife Elaine could ride through the City in style.

Sunset Parkside History Day

Sunset Parkside History Day- November 7, 2009

Sponsored by the Sunset Lions Club and in partnership with Friends of the San Francisco Public Library, the Sunset Parkside History Day benefited the Ortega and Parkside Library Campaigns.

Guardians of The City (GOTC) was invited to participate in the Sunset Parkside History Day event held on Saturday, November 7, 2009 at Dianne Feinstein Elementary School in the Sunset. Firefighter Paul Barry brought out the 1960 American LaFrance Turbo Chief, always a favorite as San Francisco's only “jet-powered” fire engine. The beautifully-restored 1931 Lincoln Phaeton of the San Francisco Police Department also made an appearance, to the delight of visitors.

The Broderick-Terry Duel Reenactment

The Broderick-Terry Duel- 150th Anniversary Commemoration- September 13, 2009

The duel between David Broderick and David Terry, the last recorded duel of its kind in San Francisco history, took place on September 13, 1859.  On this day, State Senator Broderick and State Supreme Court Justice Terry dueled, with pistols, near Lake Merced. The duel played an important part in United States history and much has been written about its consequences.  You can read more about it here.

The History Guild of Daly City/Colma commemorated the 150th anniversary of this historic event by hosting a reenactment of the duel at the same spot it had occurred 150 years prior.