Irwin, Hawaii linked

Numerous notes rising out of Hawaii of late that fill the air with

good cheer.

One finds that Mr. and Mrs. Al Irwin are set in early May for

their annual vacation trip to the Islands and expect to have their

usual good time in the ocean and beaches. And the weather is

consistently superb this time of year.

Having grown up in Newport Beach, then becoming well acquainted

with South Sea islanders who came to visit the local surf for

outstanding rides, Irwin, in good time, learned about Hawaii in and

out of the surf.

His first travels to Hawaii came during his football seasons as a

player at College of the Pacific, but that was during autumn in the

late 1930s.

Irwin, now 85 and a former coach at Newport Harbor High, Orange

Coast College and UC Irvine, recalls how Pacific used to cover costs

of the Island grid visits.

He said the college would feature a second contest against another

team and take its admission fees to pay for the cruise ship

adventure.

After he had finished his Navy tour of WWII duty in the South

Pacific as a flight deck officer, he subsequently worked the Islands

into an annual summer vacation for the family. And the Irwins have

never had any regrets.

*

Another note from the Islands finds that former Harbor High

fullback whiz Charlie Berry has enjoyed his first year of retirement

from teaching at one high school in Honolulu. And he considers it a

well-deserved break from the long-term busy schedule.

Berry who played under Irwin in 1954-55, and later shifted to UCLA

under famed coach Henry “Red” Sanders, came to enjoy an annual summer

highlight in Europe: hiking and climbing the lofty mountains of

Germany and Austria. During some past years, Berry also showcased his

strong athletic talents by running in the annual marathons in Hawaii.

Berry, the younger brother of Newport’s prized 1947-49 fullback,

Bob, still makes his home in Honolulu.

*

And still more news from the Island, which has recently become the

new home for former Harbor High baseball champion Bill Skiles.

Skiles and his wife had been living in Fort Wayne, Ind. for about

11 years to help care for her ailing father. After he passed away

about three years ago, the Skiles first considered moving back to

Southern California, but they returned to Indiana.

Skiles, a sterling third baseman on the only championship baseball

team Newport ever had in 1948, has spent most of his career years

linked up with talented pianist Peter Henderson during a long-term

period as a top musical comedy team in concerts along with The

Carpenters.

Drummer Skiles and Henderson both hailed from noted show-business

families and mixed happily in the public eye in person and on

national television.

Skiles drew amusing headlines once after his small red sports car

was drenched from high above, via a Navy blimp flying over the Back

Bay in Newport. The blimp was flying home and sensed trouble with an

overload. Hence, the crew released about 460 gallons of bilge water.

Skiles sensed problems in one respect. He could hear the heavy

splashing of water thundering toward his little vehicle, then saw the

wave of water covering his car.

He jumped out to witness the blimp above and started shaking his

fist. With amusement, on one hand, Skiles said he was going to

threaten the Navy with a $1.50 lawsuit for a wash job. Initially,

naval officers were nervous and chose to ground the crew members at

their barracks near El Toro.

The touchy scene was smoothed over by then- publisher Water

Burroughs, Pilot founder, who invited the blimp crew, Skiles and the

Pilot staff out for a happy dinner.

Skiles eventually bumped into two blimp crew members and found

them disclosing a wide range of hilarious adventures, from across the

country, aboard the blimp.