HOLLISTER
– The Great Debate, as it has been since the beginning of time,
is on. To be San Benito High or to be Hollister High, that is the
question?
HOLLISTER – The Great Debate, as it has been since the beginning of time, is on. To be San Benito High or to be Hollister High, that is the question?
Alas, poor me. I knew me well. Or used to know me. My head is spinning. I feel like I’ve been recalled. The power of the pen holds no more power than the dubbing of a school’s name, the ultimate pride factor.
May I quote the Beach Boys at this time?:
“Be true to your school, just like you would to your girl”.
Enough said.
I was not born here, nor was I raised here. I have grown up a lot the past few years, but that is a different matter for another day.
I hold no opinion one way or ‘tuther. When I took over this job in April of 2000 from Dave Moseley, he verbally memo-ed me that it was Hollister High in sports print, no debate at all.
“I don’t know why, it just is,” he said.
Literally poor, penniless me, not wanting to make waves right off the street on my newest job, toed the line. I noticed other periodicals did the same.
Whew! Even the Central Coast Section and its website used Hollister. But, times have changed. The CCS is all about San Benito, the acutal name of the school, of all things, and has been going that direction the past few years.
At CCS sporting events involving Haybaler teams I tried to instruct public address announcers that saying “San Benito Haybalers” is a no-no. It’s either Hollister Haybalers or San Benito High. Even though they’re the ones that asked, they never listened to me.
The hard part of the whole quandry is that I have immense respect for people who are passionate one way or the other.
New Baler Athletic Director Randy Logue is on record for “pushing San Benito”. Last year, Logue’s cross-country teams wore uniforms bearing the words ‘San Benito’. The Baler baseball team’s cap donned the letters ‘SB’ last spring.
This year’s girls hoop team’s jersey top will have ‘San Benito’ on it. So will the volleyball team.
Don’t expect Chis Cameron’s Haybaler football team to be sporting ‘San Benito’ on it anytime soon.
“Don’t call us San Benito!,” said an intense Cameron when I brought up the subject. “We have the ‘H’ on the helmet. It represents the Hollister community.”
Some illustrious Haybaler alumni are on Cameron’s side.
“I hate it,” stated Coach Parks, class of 1953. “It’s Hollister High and always will be Hollister High.”
“It’s Hollister,” said my favorite butcher, Chris Alvarez, class of 1980.
“None of this San Benito stuff.”
Who can argue with that?
Bob Bianchi, who had two sons play football for the Balers, is for SBHS. His new organization is called the San Benito High School Sports Connection.
Clay Lee, whose daughter plays hoop for the Haybaler varsity, likes San Benito.
“San Benito looks very distinguished on the uniforms,” said Lee. “It’s classy.”
Well, there you have it. The Great Debate rages on. I, poor, penniless, downtrodden, head-spinning me, propose The Great Compromise……..
The San Benito Hayalers of the great town of Hollister, not necessarily in that order?
