Dear LMU — Letters From Our Readers, Spring 2019

THAT WAS CHRIS
I taught Chris Sullivan (“This Is Chris,” Summer 2018) when he was 15 years old, and I saw even then that acting was his passion. He was also quite a character. I recall one occasion when he blurted out something in class, and I had to correct him — but the comment was so funny that in the middle of my reprimand, I lost my “game face” and busted up laughing, which got the whole class to crack up. One of many times he made class fun — whether I liked it or not!
Mark Zangrando ’90
San Diego

SWANSON’S ART
Bravo for Scott Timberg’s review (“Sacred Art,” Summer 2018) of John August Swanson and his work. What a life story. As I think of the long list of serigraphs and paintings, and recall John’s love for the poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke, a few of Rilke’s lines come to mind.

“Ah, was ist das fur eich schooner Ball;
Rot and rund wie ein Uberall,
Gut, dass ihr ihn erschuft.”

“Ah, what a beautiful ball that is;
Red and round as an everywhere,
Good, that you created it.”

My own treasured Swanson is an early etching, “Morning Shave,” and I “see” the child John watching his dad shaving in front of the bathroom mirror over the crescent-shaped basin, the left profile of the man with the full face in the mirror. It has been hanging over my 1930s basin and watches me as I have a morning shave. Good, John, that you created it!
J.R.K. Kantor
Berkeley, California

RIP, TOM BUCKLEY
Father Buckley (“In Memoriam,” Summer 2018) has always been one of my very favorite instructors from LMU. He had a wicked sense of humor and loved that I nicknamed him “Buckles the Clown.” I took several classes from him, and I enjoyed it when he started each class by running up and down the aisles, stopping at a random student, and asking in a rapid-fire way: “For an A or an F, …” followed by a question you could only answer if you had done your homework. You learned rapidly that you’d better be on your toes, because he was! One summer evening, the Goodyear blimp was hovering outside our classroom. The blimp’s propeller was making a lot of noise. After several minutes, Father Buckley went to the window, looked up at the blimp and yelled, “Go away!” Which it immediately did. He then turned to the class and said, “Let that be a lesson to you. I am very well connected!” RIP, Father Buckley, you were a true gem, and you will be missed!
Mark Stanley ’88
Los Angeles

MEMORIES
Thanks for the (unexpected) notice (“Dispatches,” Summer 2018) of the book I recently co-edited, “Contingency, Exploitation, and Solidarity: Labor and Action in English Composition.” I’ve been a professor of English at West Chester University, near Philadelphia, for more than 20 years. But all of my teaching, program administration and dozens of publications and papers really have their origins at LMU. First, I was inspired by great profs like Frank Carothers, Carolyn See, Frances Gussenhoven, R.S.H.M., and Clinton Albertson, S.J. Robert Caro, S.J. particularly pointed me toward my doctoral work at the University of Washington in Seattle. And the Jesuit approach to education — from the emphasis on the whole person to the multifaceted moral and ethical dimensions of our intellectual work and the real-world effects of what we do in classrooms and in research — has always stuck with me. What I learned from the great examples at LMU is put into action every time I walk into a classroom or write an article. Thanks, LMU!
Bill Lalicker ’78
West Chester, Pennsylvania

DODGERS VS. GIANTS
Earlier this spring, we asked readers by social media to choose a side in the Dodgers vs. Giants debate — orange and black or blue and white — and defend their colors. Here’s a sampling of the replies. Then take a look at NorCal vs. SoCal (Page 17) for the two respondents who were totally prepared for a cross-state throw-down.—The Editor

Viva Los Doyers!
“It’s Time for Dodger Baseball” — Vince Scully’s famous greeting. In 67 seasons behind the mic, Vin not only became the voice of the Dodgers, but also the voice of L.A.
Sara Campos, Law ’99

Jackie Robinson — retired rather than play for the Giants.
Tony Arndt ’75

I’m a third generation Dodger fan. My mom and dad moved to L.A. in 1960, and I was born a year later. When I was 5 years old, I told Mom I was gonna marry Sandy Koufax. I’m still working on it.
Kitty Barth McClellan ’82

This is Los Angeles. That’s not even a fair question.
Chris Turkmany ’87

Grays, Bridegrooms, Superbas, then Dodgers. Jackie Robinson, Branch Rickey, Roy Campanella, Pee Wee Reese, Duke Snider, Peter O’Malley, Walter Alston, Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Maury Wills, Tommy Lasorda, Fernando Valenzuela, Kirk Gibson, Mike Piazza, Hideo Nomo, Joe Torre, Jim Tracy, Manny Ramirez, Magic Johnson, Clayton Kershaw, Kenley Jansen. Enough said.
Kathy Kenworthy Ash, M.A. ’10

What about Wally Moon?
Jesus Jess Carbajal

It’s easily the Dodgers. L.A. has more pennants (10–6) and more championships (5–3). Besides, L.A. always tops Frisco!
Stephan Pippen ’89