USD Magazine Spring 2016

or the better part of two decades as both a student and administrator, JacksonMuecke ’69 was Alcalá Park’s unquestioned crown prince of conviviality; a freewheeling force-of-nature committed to connecting his fellow Toreros with the benefits of participating in the university’s then-fledgling campus recreation program. And if ever there was a natural-born recreator, it was Muecke. Many of his madcap escapades have become the stuff of USD legend—but there was always a method to the mayhem. Muecke was, is and always will be an ambassador of Torero spirit, and USD Magazine recently had the chance to gather his recollections (at least the ones fit for print) on what a long, strange trip it’s been. F Waxing Nostalgic With Jackson Muecke by Mike Sauer Older? Yes. Wiser? Maybe.

CLASS  NOTES USD MAGAZINE 28

It was love at first slide “It was 1965, and I was sitting in class at Brophy College Preparatory in Phoenix. There was an announcement over the loudspeaker that a recruiter named Father Eagan was on campus to show slides about the San Diego College for Men, and whoever wanted to get out of class next period to see those, could. My next class was algebra and I’m not a math guy, so I was outta there. Then I saw those slides of USD, the palm trees, the sunshine, and you could

walk out on your deck from your room and see the Pacific Ocean. That was it. I was in.”

All sports and all play make Jack a fun guy “I love sports. Always have. Always will. I played baseball for John Cunningham when I first arrived at USD, and ended up playing nose tackle for the football team my last three years there. This was so long ago that you could be a nose tackle and weigh 235 pounds. I think that’s what receivers weigh these days. I also announced football, baseball and basketball games while I was director of campus recreation. I definitely had a full plate, but I loved it.”

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