IT WAS A GORGEOUS DAY at Kono’s Cafe a couple of weeks ago, and I thought I heard someone call my name. I looked toward the door and a woman said, “Is John Fry in here?” I tentatively raised my hand, hoping it wasn’t another attractive blonde with a paternity suit. Turned out to be Joan Hogarth Strickland, a 1960 Crawford High graduate. She’s on the email list I keep for my alma mater and had spent the night at Crystal Pier. Apparently she was admiring the historical photos in the office when Randy Williams told her that they were done by John Fry, whose red Mustang was at that very moment parked in front of Kono’s. Joan took it upon herself to say hello. Her claim to fame in Crawford circles, by the way, is that she worked behind the candy counter at the old State Theater on Euclid and El Cajon. A COUPLE OF DAYS later the Mustang was in its usual spot at Starbucks when the coffee gang spotted a tennis ball underneath its door. “That fall off your walker?” quipped Jeff Dalrymple, my “friend” of 40 years. PAM KROPP took her nephew to his first T-ball game recently down at Bob McEvoy Field and got to wondering who Bob McEvoy was. I assured her she’d come to the right place, that Bob McEvoy had been a friend of mine and – then I drew a blank. I guess the field is named after him because it was his baby. He was always watering and mowing and putting up the flag and I’m now wondering if it was simply a labor of love. If the name Kropp sounds familiar, by the way, Pam’s dad Pat had an antique store on Garnet where Ichiban is today. SAM YAMAGUCHI, a Pacific Beach native passed away March 8. Born on Aug. 1, 1923, he attended Pacific Beach School (where Pacific Beach Middle School is today), Pacific Beach Junior High (where Pacific Beach Elementary School is today) and La Jolla High (because there was no Mission Bay High School). The Yamaguchi family and Yamashita families both came to the beach in the years after World War I and established successful vegetable farms. All of them were “relocated” in the early months of World War II. Robert Gross, who recently moved to Ventura, and Allan McAllister, who still lives on Archer Street, were kindergarten classmates of Sam’s and remained friends all their lives. John Fry may be reached at 272-6655 or [email protected]