From the field into the fire

Sang Lee

BURBANK -- Two days before the biggest day in his young life, an

18-year-old Jess Talamantes’ mind was running wild.

Standing inside a clamorous Burroughs High gym, he was enraptured in a

sea of cheers and straining vocal chords. Electricity flowed through the

hardwood floor and up his spine.

As one of the standout players on the 1970 Indian football team,

Talamantes could manipulate the hoards of screaming fans from a simple

gesture of his hand. “Never Four!” cried one of the Burroughs players in

the packed arena.

But even with all the admiration, Talamantes was readying his troops

for the annual Burbank-Burroughs cross-town rivalry football game with a

heavy heart.

Not once in his stint at Burroughs had he beaten the Bulldogs. And

going into that year’s contest, many expected the talented Bulldogs to

again pummel the underdog Indians.

In an attempt to motivate the team, some Bulldog players even snuck

onto the Burbank campus and covertly snatched the symbolic “PRIDE” sign

that hangs on the school’s gym.

“Some guys took the sign and it just showed up at the pep rally,” said

Talamantes, who played running back. “The whole student body went

berserk. It was quite exciting. You know that if you’re thinking back 30

years, it’s a big game.”

As it turned out, the Indians snatched another thing a few days later

-- a 15-12 victory.

*

Now 49, Talamantes has given up his gridiron battles and now battles

fires as a Burbank Fire Captain at Fire Station 16. Despite more than 30

years since the 1970 Big Game, Talamantes has fond memories of that

historic night.

The battle began with a bang for Burbank, as the Bulldogs quickly

showed their dominance in the Big Game. Led by star tailback John Minor,

the Bulldogs jumped out to a 12-0 lead.

But right before halftime, Burroughs began a march. Talamantes took a

handoff from quarterback Tim Molina and dashed 40 yards before being

dragged down at the Bulldog seven-yard line. That set up a touchdown pass

from Molina to Bruce Wallace, as the Bulldogs led, 12-7, at intermission.

The second half was a defensive battle, as neither team could score in

the third quarter.

Despite the tight Bulldog defense, Talamantes couldn’t be stopped. He

grinded out yards and helped keep the Burroughs offense rolling.

In the fourth quarter, Burroughs jumped out to a lead when Wallace

caught a pass between two colliding Bulldog defenders and ran into the

end zone for a 51-yard reception that give the Indians a 15-12 advantage.

However, Burbank had one last chance with under two minutes to play,

and was closing in on the Indian end zone. But 140-pound defensive back

Glenn Beaubien intercepted a Bulldog pass in the end zone to end the

threat.

Talamantes did his part in the win, rushing for 111 yards.

When the game ended, Talamantes saw Burroughs Coach Bob Dunivant being

hoisted onto the shoulders of his teammates. He saw players down on their

knees weeping with joy, and others, like himself, just happy to have

finally beaten Burbank.

*

Things have changed a lot since the last time Talamantes stepped onto

the football field as a player. He continued his football career at

Pierce College, where he met his future wife, Sandy.

Sandy also has fond memories of the Big Game. But she has an entirely

different perspective on the 1970 Indian win.

Sandy Beutler was rooting loud on that night 31 years ago, but she was

making noise as a Burbank Bulldog cheerleader.

The Talamantes couple has raised three children and all have worn the

blue and white of Burbank. Eric and Scott both graduated and played

football, and Kristen is a member of the volleyball and softball teams.

“People always ask me what side I’m going to sit on during the

football games. I sit on the Burbank side to cheer for my kids, but I

usually have something red on,” Jess Talamantes said with a chuckle.

Thirty-one years removed, Talamantes still remembers the importance

of the Big Game, and the significance the victory had on his life.

“It was great. No one expected us to win that year. We were so excited

to have won our senior year. I have bragging rights for the rest of my

life.”