Pasadena Quarterback Club Turns 70, No Plans to Retire Anytime Soon

The Pasadena Quarterback Club held their 70th anniversary celebration on Friday at the Brookside Golf Course Clubhouse adjacent to the Rose Bowl, celebrating the organization’s founding in 1945. Longtime St. Francis Coach Jim Bonds spoke first about the Golden Knights’ upcoming season.

The Pasadena Quarterbacks are local sports enthusiasts who meet every Friday during the football season (September through November) to hear prominent speakers from the sports world discuss current and former issues of interest to local sports fans. The Mediterranean room at Brookside is the setting for a delicious lunch and inspirational talks featuring speakers who are legends of the gridiron.

Also, former UCLA and USC coaches, broadcasters, and players from local high schools attend this function; a jovial and fun atmosphere is always present and with the stunning golf course as the background.

The Pasadena Quarterbacks’ Director of Marketing, Joan De Souza, who is also on the Chamber of Commerce, discussed the group’s birthday with her colleagues. Since 1945, the PQC continue to donate to and support local athletic causes.

President Bill Payne was thrilled by the speakers who spoke on the 4th.

“Mr. Bruin,The POPPA Bear, UCLA’s Athletic Director, Dan Guerrero will be one of the stellar guests we have this season,” said Payne.

Twelve years and 25 NCAA Championships later, Dan Guerrero’s mantra of ‘image and substance’ has clearly been established at a level that few others in his profession can approach.At the department’s helm when UCLA Athletics became the first to 100 NCAA team championships, the Bruins’ current total of 111 NCAA titles is a figure unmatched by any institution in the nation.

Payne also lauded the other speaker, St. Francis High school head football coach, Jim Bonds. Coach Bonds spoke of that night’s opponent: ” We are facing a very good team tonight at home against West Covina, and we are going to have our hands full”.

(That game, held after the luncheon on Frisday night, was contested at St. Francis with the Golden Knights victorious in the contest by the score of 36-24 over the visiting Bulldogs.)