How do you remember Phoenix? Stories from long time residents... (Tucson: donating, long-term)

[SluggoF16]

Originally Posted by Yakcal

I also remember the semi-pro? team Phx had for a very little while called the Phoenix Blazers. I found a website that even has some stats for the teams of the era. This would have been early 70s.

Semi-pro Football / Minor League Football - Player Scoring Records

The Blazers had "Spaghetti" Joe Spagnola, of the 1970 Sun Devils, as their quarterback. The same ASU team, the Boise State of the 1970s, that went undefeated but barely got a Peach Bowl bid.

[Magnum Mike]

I was at Lowe's on 59th Ave & Northern a couple of days ago and I realized that the shopping center used to be Valley West Mall, later renamed to Manistee Mall. I hadn't been in that mall since probably the early 1990s, but I was surprised to see the changes. Now there's a Walmart, Lowe's and other small retail places, I don't think it's a mall anymore.

[Dave Bob]

Originally Posted by SluggoF16

The Blazers had "Spaghetti" Joe Spagnola, of the 1970 Sun Devils, as their quarterback. The same ASU team, the Boise State of the 1970s, that went undefeated but barely got a Peach Bowl bid.

Those were fun days to be at ASU. Frank Kush's teams were definitely the powerhouse of the Western Athletic Conference.

What I remember about that 1970 Peach Bowl (in Atlanta, I think) is that is snowed during the game, and in post-game interviews one of the ASU players (might have been Junior Ah You, who was from Samoa or Hawaii) couldn't stop giggling and saying "I never played in the snow before!"

I vaguely recall that Junior Ah You got in trouble on campus when he had some sort of altercation with a dorm resident and dangled him by his ankles out the window of the multi-story building.

[roosevelt]

Not a real old ad but seems kind of high priced for the time.

[roosevelt]

Originally Posted by Magnum Mike

I was at Lowe's on 59th Ave & Northern a couple of days ago and I realized that the shopping center used to be Valley West Mall, later renamed to Manistee Mall. I hadn't been in that mall since probably the early 1990s, but I was surprised to see the changes. Now there's a Walmart, Lowe's and other small retail places, I don't think it's a mall anymore.

My ancestors are buried across the street at the Glendale cemetary; it is the only way I know where I am; there is so much change. When Valley West opened people could not believe it was all wall outside, no windows. It was built like a fort and I think it hurt them. No signs outside either.

[jukebox47]

Originally Posted by roosevelt

My ancestors are buried across the street at the Glendale cemetary; it is the only way I know where I am; there is so much change. When Valley West opened people could not believe it was all wall outside, no windows. It was built like a fort and I think it hurt them. No signs outside either.

Valley West Mall had really different vehicles entrances. I can't remember how they were but when it first opened a vehicle could not just drive straight in or our. It seemed like they were exit/entry ramps on a freeway. We liked the mall and I bought my wife a grandfather clock there in 1981 for our 15th anniversary. It is still running.

Valley West Mall was also the scene of the murder of a young lady. She was found in her car, in the parking lot but the killer has never been captured to the best of my knowledge. We liked the mall and I bought my wife a grandfather clock there in 1981 for our 15th anniversary. It is still running. It was sad to watch the mall slowly fail.

[1937Gal]

Originally Posted by jukebox47

Valley West Mall had really different vehicles entrances. I can't remember how they were but when it first opened a vehicle could not just drive straight in or our. It seemed like they were exit/entry ramps on a freeway. We liked the mall and I bought my wife a grandfather clock there in 1981 for our 15th anniversary. It is still running.

Valley West Mall was also the scene of the murder of a young lady. She was found in her car, in the parking lot but the killer has never been captured to the best of my knowledge. We liked the mall and I bought my wife a grandfather clock there in 1981 for our 15th anniversary. It is still running. It was sad to watch the mall slowly fail.

I used to shop at Valley West Mall...awesome Wards, Boston Store, Dairy Queen,
JC Penneys, and a craft store. I sold some handpainted tee shirts in a clothing store called "Cactus Cousins" and during an art show in the mall, I sat in the window of the shop painting shirts. I was sad when the mall started to slip. The Manistee Mall failed, I went there a few times to find dollar stores and junk. Another day the parking lot was full of cars and I see that Sun City Firemen were practicing there.....Then one day in around 1990 I passed it on the way home from work and the entire mall had been shaved away and only giant hunks of concrete remained. I shop at Walmart, Lowes, Petsmart now but I remember the long ago West Valley Mall I loved. I do remember the murder of the young girl. Does anyone recall the wonderful farm just across the street, south side of Northern. Great produce. Now it's a subdivision.

[1937Gal]

Originally Posted by 1937Gal

I used to shop at Valley West Mall...awesome Wards, Boston Store, Dairy Queen,
JC Penneys, and a craft store. I sold some handpainted tee shirts in a clothing store called "Cactus Cousins" and during an art show in the mall, I sat in the window of the shop painting shirts. I was sad when the mall started to slip. The Manistee Mall failed, I went there a few times to find dollar stores and junk. Another day the parking lot was full of cars and I see that Sun City Firemen were practicing there.....Then one day in around 1990 I passed it on the way home from work and the entire mall had been shaved away and only giant hunks of concrete remained. I shop at Walmart, Lowes, Petsmart now but I remember the long ago West Valley Mall I loved. I do remember the murder of the young girl. Does anyone recall the wonderful farm just across the street, south side of Northern. Great produce. Now it's a subdivision.

correction: the farm was on the north side of Northern.

[baby sinister]

Originally Posted by Dave Bob

Those were fun days to be at ASU. Frank Kush's teams were definitely the powerhouse of the Western Athletic Conference.

In the late 70's KDKB had a sketch they would do about Frank Kush. The character's name was "Frank Krush", after the incident where he slugged a player. I think that was the beginning of the end for Kush.

[tbmjdf]

Originally Posted by 1937Gal

correction: the farm was on the north side of Northern.

It was Min's Farms. He farmed small plots of land in the neighborhood.