...and their memories

Darryl Adams
I first joined the DT in Spring of '80. Robin Oto was my 1st editor,and I go back to The R. Jane Zacharys', Linda Lebovics, Steve Padillas of the world. Made my USC mark by serving as BSU President from 81-84. One of very few staffers to write a Page 1 story and later become a Page 1 story. I remember... My first semester being in awe of Rich Bonin, Michael Schroeder, R. Jane Zachary, Carol Long, Holly Houston (Boy did I have a crush) and Margaret Bernstein.. As one of a handful of African Americans on the staff at the time, Margaret mentored me and became a good friend. Over the years, Casey Wian, Steve Padilla, Mark Gil, Mark Ordesky , Marci Brown, Carmen Chandler, were very influential and enjoyable to work with. Some of the articles that we first dealt with included the story of the USC football team getting placed on probation for courses they did not take, Black Student Services, The Student Senate and Apartheid divestment issues. Thanks to Mr. Cray and all the editors on the DT who allowed me to dabble as a writer and political operative. Shouts out to Carmen Chandler, Steve Padilla,The Marks (Brown, Gil and Ordesky) Belma Johnson & Margaret Bernstein. ( A classy writer for the DT, now in Cleveland) Add your own memory

Kahlil Bendib
Guest remembrance: "I remember first seeing Bendib's work in the DT when I was a freshman in the fall of 1980. Particularly memorable was a cartoon he drew after John Lennon was murdered...it showed the three surviving Beatles walking with their heads down. Powerful stuff back then. Another cartoon I remember was one that showed people dancing in the streets in the rain saying, "The trickle-down effect! It's happening!" (or something similar). The last panel showed President Reagan standing on the roof of a skyscraper, urinating over the edge. -- Submitter: Trisha Duron (Trisha Martinez), class of 1984 Add your own memory

Carmen Ramos Chandler
If I remember correctly, I started out as a news side reporter at the DT, then served as assistant city editor and investigations editor. The big news at the university, at least at the DT, was the booing of Walter Mondale and a harassment of his supporters by Trojan Republicans during a presidential campaign visit, the rape of a female student during a fraternity party and at sit-in in the Bovard by about 160 students to in support of fellow students at UCLA who took over their administration buildings to pressure the UC system to divest from South Africa. The protest occurred during my last semester my senior year, and I ended up leaving the DT to help lead the protest. We, the protesters, spent a week living in Bovard outside of administrative offices. It was during finals week and we were stunned by how many students participated, including South African students whose families faced reprisals if the South African government found out. We made the news, even more than our colleagues at UCLA because USC was known as a major Republican campus. The rape led to a heated argument among the DT editors regarding. I remember distinctly arguing, along with Laura Castaneda who was opinion editor at the time, with some of our male colleague over what constitutes a rape. By the way, the riots were in 1992, I covered them, and the preceding verdict in Simi, for the Daily News, and I'll never forget them. Add your own memory

Jennifer Cray
Thanks for putting my info up so fast. What more would you like to know about what I've been doing for the past 13+ years? Newspaper jobs? Titles? Why I got out of the biz? As for the DT when I worked there, I'd have to say the most memorable moment was my first day in the DT newsroom, when I showed up to try to get onto the news staff as an incoming freshman. I introduced myself (I think it was to Steve DeSalvo or Rich Ramirez) and said I was Jennifer Cray, Ed Cray's daughter. Hans Tesselaar, overhearing the conversation, blurted out, "Ed Cray has CHILDREN??!!" I still laugh about that. The most memorable person on staff would be DT Editor Marc Igler, who I started dating after a memorable DT Halloween party. He endured numerous jokes about robbing the cradle (He was a senior, and I was a freshman). Marc and I married in 1990. I also remember Monday night shop nights. Specifically, I remember eating so much Domino's pepperoni pizza (anyone remember Monday night madness?)that I swore it off after that. Haven't had Domino's in 15 years. The most infamous event was when Walter Mondale came to speak during the '84 presidential campaign. The persistent heckling from rude, boneheaded students in front of Tommy Trojan was so deafening that Mondale could hardly give his speech. The incident made national news and was replayed on the networks that night. I remember taking phone calls in the DT newsroom from distraught alumns who couldn't understand how students could be so intolerant and disrespectful. It was humiliating to be a Trojan that day. There was good news, too, in the years I was there. The Olympics in '84 was a great time on campus. I seem to remember special DT editions coming out during the games. Scott Howard-Cooper would know. Add your own memory

Karen Crouse
I attended USC from 1980 to 1984, worked at the Daily Trojan in 1983 and 1984 as part of an illustrious staff that included Scott Howard-Cooper, Hans Tesselar and Kelly Carter. I was competing on the swim team those two years so I basically did my stories and got out of there because I had workout early the next morning. Add your own memory

Mark Feldmann
I actually never graduated from 'SC -- got my degree from Marquette University in 1986. But I had a great time in two "seasons" with the DT. Some memories: Covering the crappiest baseball team in SC history (1982)...Seeing then-minor leaguer Darryl Strawberry hit a home run out of Dedeaux Field that almost hit the parking deck behind the fence.... John Robinson retiring in 1983...SC beating Oklahoma in the last 10 seconds (Mazur to Cornwell TD pass) in 1981...Beating UCLA when George Achica blocked a field goal...Watching Marcus Allen gain 2,000 yards in 1981...Watching Sean Salisbury throw his first college TD pass vs. Tennessee 1981. I can't remember the name of the sports editor my freshman year. I worked with Scott Howard-Cooper, Brad Hollingsworth, Hans Tesselaar. I remember Terry Murphy worked in production - what ever happened to her? I went to a Dodgers-NY Mets game with her. Hans became sports editor in fall 1983, which would have been my junior year, and was supposed to cover men's water polo. I covered womens' gymnastics for two seasons. I loved going to SC and would have stayed if I could have. I had a blast working at the DT - the people - and the parties - were great. Thanks for the interest! Add your own memory

Joann Gekko
Say, thought I'd share a memory from my DT years. Perhaps others will remember who was involved. I recall one night when someone threw a beer (I think) bottle while standing on that odd ledge outside the DT office. I think they were aiming at Tommy Trojan. I think they broke someone's window. Am I remembering this correctly? =) Add your own memory

Thomas "Tom" Hoffarth
Maybe the highlight of the time on the DT was the Blood Bowl against the Daily Bruin when we recruited this gangly baseball player who happened to take pictures to be our tight end. Randy Johnson wasn't very coordinated, but we thought he'd be good. QB John Soo-Hoo, who is now the Dodgers' official photographer and his art is used alot by the team, kept hitting RJ over the middle, but he kept dropping the passes. Add your own memory

Tina Kannarr
What was the DT like in those days? We had a lot of fun, I do remember that. There were some amazingly talented people there, like Pauline Yoshihashi, Steve Padilla, Casey Wian, John Lamb, Paul Vercammen, Mark Gill, George Aguilar, and Darren Leon. I felt very lucky to work with them. Add your own memory

Gary Karr
[I've got] fond memories of late nights/early mornings. Was there along with Casey Wian, now CNN business reporter, Paul Vercammen, now CNN Entertainment reporter, and Mark Gill, now film honcho. I'm wondering in that article on Randy Johnson and his story on The Who concert whether I'm the guy who wrote the review. I was Entertainment Editor then, I believe. I remember going to that show. The Clash opened up... Add your own memory

James Lee
As for memories, I was at the DT from 1982 through 1987, I was editor the spring of 1987. During my tenure the big issues were: reports of nuclear contamination at the Med School, date rapes at the frats, giving campus security police powers, rising tuition and building an on-campus pub. Add your own memory

Joe McDade
I have two distinct forms of memories at the DT. The first was of the women. I had come from an all-boys' high school, had come to the DT to see if I could cut it on deadline and spell everyone's name right and all that, but, good Lord, the women. I had never been in touch with such gorgeous brilliance. Jennifer Cray I met freshman year. And the others. Karen Kucher. Alison Adato. Roseanne Tellez. Melissa Morrison. Susan Lambert. Karen Kuettel. Allison Dolgas. I showed up in the city room and they were just THERE. And the final one--senior year. You know who you are, my grand passion. Then, the guys. Steve DeSalvo was my city editor, he put up with much more of my crap that he needed to. Chris Perez set me loose on movies and TV and I have not let him know the debt of gratitude I owe. Kevin Sweeney, Johnny-on-the-spot a hundred times or more: the best sort of friend. James Lee: my last editor, and a class act all the way. Still, what I think of now is senior year: the group that formed, of Jon Caplan, Ken Jorgensen, Frank Buckley, and me: the group that protected one another against all kinds of crap. Fellows, here's to you. Add your own memory

Ellen Plotkin
I do remember: Ron, THE man in the back who had a heart bigger than anyone and who put up with our obnoxious anxiety attacks when we couldn't see straight to edit late at night. Does everyone at 'SC know Ron is really the only editor of the DT? ... Putting together the Bogus Bruin, trying to find dirt on those crosstown rival journalists. ... Putting out our own Daily Bugle (is that right, the staff produced faux Daily Trojan?) One semester, I think under editorship of Mark Gill, they created a whole story, complete with photo (Johnny Mathis), about the love-child of me and Belma Johnson. He was named Mr. Belma Plotkin. Belma and I were good buds. It was funny then. ... Taking turns working the night shift editing. We would all complain, but secretly we loved being up in the DT at night. Something magical about it. Under Casey Wian's editorship, you could be assured there would be some sort of cocktails. But Big events? I just remember the constant battle of power with the Student Senate. I recall being on the elevator in the DT building with some senate people and overhearing anything I could to get some sort of scoop. Wish I could recall something juicy. I merely recall the feeling that life began and ended with the Trojan...and how lucky I was to be a part of it. Add your own memory

Aaron Van Curen
Frank Buckley did indeed work for the Daily Trojan. He worked as a city writer in the mid 80s. I want to say about 1985. It all gets kind of fuzzy right around the time of the opening of Traditions. Quote from Frank Buckley on the Bay Area road trip during his DT tenure: "This is really good cheese." Add your own memory

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