William "Bill" Eugene Kriezel

I remember Bill as one of the best athletes I'd ever seen.  He was well-known for doing flips down at El Roble and peroxiding his hair. Like a lot of students, I was a bit intimidated by him, but then we happened to meet behind the Youth Center over at Memorial Park.  I went out there and he was shooting baskets alone, during one of his frequent suspensions.  He invited me to shoot with him, and we became friends.  Since he was the best pole vaulter during 8th grade, and I was going out for track, I bought one of those old aluminum poles and invited him down to CMC to practice. I had hoped he would get his act together and go out for sports like his older brothers had done with much success up at CHS, but it was not be.  Unfortunately, he got into trouble and ended up going to Boys Republic down in Chino,  Steve McQueen's alma mater.  A few years later I ran into him down in the village one night and he was extremely proud to show me the baby he was carrying in his arms. I guess I've always liked people who walked to their own beat.   Bill was one of the real characters of Claremont over the years, and I'm glad I got to know him.