Loyal fan has been with EC football through it all
Nelson Amaya
Issue date: 11/19/09 Section: Sports
Buying Warriors football tickets, $5. Hot dog at the game, $2. Seeing Ernest Thompson in his 60th year as the Warriors super fan, priceless.
For nearly 60 years, since Murdock Stadium first opened on Thanksgiving 1949, Ernest Thompson, 92, has been coming to the home games to watch the Warriors play football.
"I saw the first game ever played at Murdock Stadium. It was against East L.A. and we won the game," Thompson said.
Thompson, originally from Georgia, moved to California in 1936 where he served in the Navy and was stationed at the Long Beach Naval Base.
In his hometown in Georgia was where Thompson last played football in high school.
"That was 75 years ago!" he said, with a laugh.
Thompson married in 1940 to a woman who was originally from the Los Angeles area and after he was released from the Navy, they decided to stay in Torrance.
He has two daughters, Kathleen and Dorothy, both now grown, but who used to accompany him to the home games. Now, he comes with some friends, who have come with him ever since.
"He is very sharp and knowledgeable," Tony Barbone, EC athletic director, said.
Barbone has only known Thompson this year, but has already seen the impact his dedication has had on EC.
"It's great to see that from someone who has had more birthdays than the rest of us," Barbone said.
Barbone recalled a moment during one of the home games when he asked a security guard to help Thompson to his seat. Barbone said that Thompson told him, "Bones (Barbonne's nickname), I don't need any help."
Some of Thompson's favorite games are when the Warriors go against rival schools.
"Games against Pasadena, Long Beach, Bakersfield, we even used to play Phoenix before, they are exciting to watch," he said.
Thompson also added that players have gotten
larger and faster compared to some of the teams from the past.
"Back then, we had no more than two or three players over 200 pounds" he said. He added that back when he played, the linemen were no bigger than 190 pounds, something almost impossible today in the modern game.
For nearly 60 years, since Murdock Stadium first opened on Thanksgiving 1949, Ernest Thompson, 92, has been coming to the home games to watch the Warriors play football.
"I saw the first game ever played at Murdock Stadium. It was against East L.A. and we won the game," Thompson said.
Thompson, originally from Georgia, moved to California in 1936 where he served in the Navy and was stationed at the Long Beach Naval Base.
In his hometown in Georgia was where Thompson last played football in high school.
"That was 75 years ago!" he said, with a laugh.
Thompson married in 1940 to a woman who was originally from the Los Angeles area and after he was released from the Navy, they decided to stay in Torrance.
He has two daughters, Kathleen and Dorothy, both now grown, but who used to accompany him to the home games. Now, he comes with some friends, who have come with him ever since.
"He is very sharp and knowledgeable," Tony Barbone, EC athletic director, said.
Barbone has only known Thompson this year, but has already seen the impact his dedication has had on EC.
"It's great to see that from someone who has had more birthdays than the rest of us," Barbone said.
Barbone recalled a moment during one of the home games when he asked a security guard to help Thompson to his seat. Barbone said that Thompson told him, "Bones (Barbonne's nickname), I don't need any help."
Some of Thompson's favorite games are when the Warriors go against rival schools.
"Games against Pasadena, Long Beach, Bakersfield, we even used to play Phoenix before, they are exciting to watch," he said.
Thompson also added that players have gotten
larger and faster compared to some of the teams from the past.
"Back then, we had no more than two or three players over 200 pounds" he said. He added that back when he played, the linemen were no bigger than 190 pounds, something almost impossible today in the modern game.
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