Michael A. Nunes '66

College Centennial Years

"My freshman year was the College's 100th year. Vice President Lyndon Johnson came to give the keynote speech at the kick-off ceremony in the fall of 1962. We were told that we must attend. It was also the opening day of the World Series where the SF Giants played the NY Yankees. So, I took my portable radio with earphones to listen to the game. I never heard a word LBJ said.

That same year, we were on the G.E. College Bowl. It was a sort of Jeopardy for college teams, hosted by Allan Ludden, Betty White's husband. It started with us getting the first toss-up question and the first points. Jim Collins, a senior friend of mine, answered a chemistry question. But, I'm sorry to say, we hardly got another question the rest of the game. I don't remember the college we played, but they creamed us. But it was just nice to see us on national TV back then.

Then, my sophomore year was the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Naval Pre-flight School. They had an Admiral come by helicopter and gave him a 17-gun salute with these huge cannons. Some of us went over to watch. Those cannons nearly blew our eardrums out. Brother Austin, who was the president during the Pre-flight School gave a speech. He said that when the Navy came to Saint Mary's, they were in a hurry and he had to keep his remarks to five minutes. But now that the Navy is gone, he had a lot to say. (laughter)

In my junior year, Brother Albert was my dorm prefect in Mitty Hall. Not many people can claim that they had an ex-college president as a dorm prefect. My class is the only class to dedicate their yearbook to him. (Just read the dedication in the 1966 yearbook.) I think it's because we really got to know him personally as our friend and prefect.

In my senior year, Bob Hope gave a benefit performance in Oliver Hall. It was quite expensive to attend. So, a friend and I went up to the infirmary, climbed out the window onto the roof and watched the show through the little window up on the east wall of the dining hall. 'Thanks for the memories…'"