Tsai-ko Autobiography: Barry Markowitz
Name: Barry Markowitz
High School:
Tsai-ko Lunch Size: Larger
Tsai-ko caricature: 2nd row
From the Warrior Beat blog October 11,
2007:
ST's Intro:
Barry Markowitz has been a
fixture in local sports for years. We just didn't always know it.
As an accomplished photographer, we've seen sports through his lens.
Who could forget that shot of Leonard Peters winning the fire-knife
competition in California?
Here's the man behind the camera (and, lately, the microphone):
Became a Tsaiko aficianado, because I have to — too many relatives and
friends connected directly with UH Warrior Football.
My dad fumbled the ball 2-3 times in the USC vs. Cal game October 25,
1953. My mom was in labor and he was a tad bit distracted. The Trojans
took the train in those days, so on return from Berkeley, it was only a
few miles from Union Station, near LA's Chinatown, to Good Samaritan
Hospital to see me, his new son. I grew up on USC's practice field, and
slept every night with my dad's SC letterman's blanket...even once in
1955, as the ever so obedient son following my dad's direction, I
tackled USC's Head Football Coach...accidentally sticking him in his
manhood...since I was so short. The coach spun swinging his fists, but
only saw little me laughing from below.
Grew up in the San Fernando Valley til 9 years old in the East Valley,
and from then til 17 in the West Valley. My USC Football Alumnus Dad
would frequently be joined by my UCLA Basketball Alumnus maternal
grandfather, for the UCLA vs. USC Game.
My grandfather would always taunt my dad during the game and promised I
would grow up and be a Bruin. Another hanai uncle, Seymour Arman, that
recruited my Dad for UCLA in 1950 said the same thing.
As a kid I used to bump into my Dad's old teamates and buddies like
Marv Goux (legendary USC Defensive Coordinator), and even watch some of
his acquaintances play. My Dad's old LA High offensive center, named
John Dakes, played semi-pro football for the Valley Chargers in the
early 1960's. I was stoked, being told I could sit on the bench next to
the players. This one San Jose State alumnus was the QB. Sitting right
next to me this guy kept saying alot bad words I really didn't
understand.
Little did I know that the fiery QB would later be my UCLA head coach
and an NFL legend...his name was Dick Vermeil.
As a 14 year old sophomore, I played on the 1968 Canoga Park Hunters
Football Team that won the LA City Football Championship...equivalent
to Hawaii's State Championship. Got kicked off the team after my first
game when they found out my age. Got reinstated on my 15th birthday a
few weeks later...that seemed like eternity. Played wingback, tailback,
and monster linebacker. We just had our 39th year reunion this summer.
I knew I would play at either USC or UCLA...until my first start during
my junior season for my newly built school, El Camino Real (future UH
players Jeff Duva and Howard Dashefsky probably watched as young kids
from the stands). Against Belmont High an offensive lineman blatantly
clipped me causing a severe hip pointer. I was rushed from the field by
ambulance to USC's Orthopaedic Hospital, where I watched a young girl
die next to me from a car accident. I was never the same physically or
emotionally. I came back after 2 games, shifted from tailback to a
blocking fullback allowing my QB to set all sorts of records, while I
limped, began to stress out my knees and the other hip. The thing that
improved greatly was my academic performance. I went from a low "B"
average to a high "B+" because I realized that my sports career could
be over, and that there was not going to be any guarantees in sports.
Played baseball, ran the 220 and did the long jump, and was elected as
the Student Body Executive Vice President.
Senior year I was a strong 6' 185 lb tailback and outside linebacker.
Nothing was going to stop me, except that the day I got sick in "two a
days", a transfer kid named Mark Lovett proved he was the future and
beat me out at tailback. Mark went on to star at Arizona State and
played a while in the NFL. So I played only at outside linebacker, was
elected Student Body President, had a few chats with SC (from Marv
Goux, "sorry your tough enough, but you are not a King Kong Richard
Wood"), UCLA (Tommy Protho left in a potential scandal and new coach
Pepper Rodgers didn't know I existed), and the guys that seemed the
most interested, was the University of Hawaii. My Trojan Dad said, "You
are not going to Hawaii. Too many cute wahines, and too much pakalolo.
Remember I was just there and know what I am talking about. You are
walking on at UCLA, because I don't want to pay USC's tuition." Little
did my Dad know that it all backfired, and I would end up in Hawaii for
good.
Thought I would be a great wishbone fullback, but UCLA decided I was an
inside linebacker, and kindly gave me a scholarship covering all my
tuition in my first week as a walk-on. My position coach was UH's David
Farmer's uncle. Future NY Jet Ed Gallagher broke my nose during my
frosh Spring Practice...he actually bent my facemask, causing Hall of
Fame athletic trainer "Ducky" Drake to set it right on the field with
his fist. Truly enjoyed playing JV football as a sophomore under future
UH Head Coach Dick Tomey. Tomey was extremely kind to me, granting me
my earned starting position even though there was a lot of pressure to
play incoming freshman with "potential." I played outside linebacker,
except for the benefit of the team was asked to also play NT, coached
by Kamehameha great Mike Pavich (now my son Abe's Punahou Head Track
Coach). My teamates included another Kamehameha Warrior, Steve
Ho'okono. Mike always imported the Primo Beer for team BBQ's in those
days, but Steve always had the cute haole girls on the back of his
motorcycle.
Our 1973 Bruin team with actor Mark Harmon at QB, Kermit Johnson, James
McAllister, Wendell Tyler, Jimmy Allen, Allen Ellis, JJ's Atlanta
Falcon's future teamate Fulton Kuykendall, Fred McNeil, Cal Peterson,
and others was one of UCLA's most respected team. I was honored to be
called up mid season to play behind Fred McNeil at weakside outside
linebacker. We had a huge profile USC vs. UCLA game that year...USC
shut down our wishbone offense. I personally held SC's Anthony Davis to
the 18 yd line on every kick off...next game he went absolutely nuts
against Notre Dame with 6 TD's, including kickoff returns. In 1974, my
senior year, I had a chance to play against freshman Mosi Tatupu of
Punahou, and my son's Punahou Head Coach, Kale Ane (Michigan State) for
our home game opener in the LA Coliseum. Ironically I lived my Dad's
experience exactly 21 years later, as my birthday on October 25, 1974
was spent in 80 degree plus weather vs. Cal at Strawberry
Canyon...where nothing, not the visiting locker room, the field, or
anything had changed...except my United Airline flight home instead of
the train.
Immediately after graduation, I felt compelled to help Orthopaedic
Hospital, where I was taken with my severe hip pointer as a junior in
high school. I was so humbled that not only did I play high school
football again, but thanks in part to Orthopaedic Hospital that I went
on to play major college football at UCLA. I set up a game called the
Cardinal & Blue Classic, a charity softball game between USC and
UCLA football alumni benefitting SC's Orthopaedic Hospital and the UCLA
Pediatric Pavillion. Everybody in the history of USC and UCLA Football
joined in the Cardinal & Blue Classic...except John Wayne who
encouraged me but was ill, and O.J. Simpson who met with me to help,
but was too much of a "media star" to actually participate in the game.
We didn't raise alot of money, but the exposure really helped with
respect to the UCLA Pediatric Pavillion, the first prominent facility
to proactively deal with the unexpected dramatic arrival of pediatric
AID's. I also became very close friends with Ricky Bell, a man who
passed away too early, and was a rock for all of us to lean on that
cherished his friendship.
Always helping me with the C&B Classic Game was Big John
Manumaleuga, who suffered from polio purportedly from his early Laie
"Beauty Hole" days diving for coins. He had appreciated that I and
teamate Terry Tautolo looked after his little Laie born brother Frank
Manumaleuga (UCLA, San Jose State, and the KC Chiefs) as our own
brother his freshman year. In planning the game and helping Big John
found his Samoan Athletes in Action, I bumped into his other brother's
future wife (except she didn't know it), who ended up 9 years later
becoming my wife. btw, Ana Tuiasosopo told Frank M. that the Hawaiian
Athletes in Action that he and Bulla created was to honor what we did
in the early 80's here in Hawaii, coaching and counseling the keiki at
nearly every high school and intermediate (our group included Mosi
Tatupu, Jack Thompson, Joe Onosai, Faliniko Vitale, Frank Manumaleuga,
Wilson Faumuina, Wally Rank, Jessie Sapolu, Mike Koslowski, Terry
Tautolo, Manu Tuiasosopo, Kennedy Pola, me, and others). During that
time I helped UH & Tomey recruit Saute Sapolu, Jesse's and my
wife's cousin that ended up at Arizona.
Fast forward: moved to Western Samoa in 1986 where I opened a few
restaurants, a few airport gift shops (Samoa & the Cook Islands),
owned the Samoa Times Newspaper, remodeled my wedding present into
Taffy's Paradise Inn (still running under a new name by my sister in
law), became the Manu Samoa Rugby Team's official photographer, became
a foriegn radio correspondent for Radio New Zealand International and
Radio Australia, was the first ever Pacific Island News Associations'
Photojournalist of the Year (1993). My daughter, Catalina, was born in
Western Samoa, my son Abe was born in New Zealand due to the
destruction of our national hospital by Cyclone Ofa. Decided for the
kid's education that we needed to come back to America. Came with
nothing to Hawaii, managed a movie theater. I was fired for standing up
against the company's desire not to hire ethnic Hawaiian managers.
BYU and PCC discovered my photo abilities from some books I had done
for New Zealand companies, my work in Pacific Island Monthly, the Samoa
News, and my front page images in the Honolulu Advertiser (and the
other guys), and had me work on retainer for their media projects, VIP
visits, video covers, and photo books. Always enjoyed working for the
North Shore News, the Laie Kaleo o Koolauloa Newspaper, and because of
local TV news demands, began shooting breaking news video. Hired to be
the official interview videographer for the Triple Crown of
Surf....still serve Randy Rarick as his official Hawaiian Islands
Vintage Surf Auction photographer and videographer. Most of my income
is from national TV shows due to the caught on tape nature of my
extreme weather and action video. I try to provide a different
perspective and an edge to the Bob & Jai & Russ Show. I
apologize if I offend anyone, except Bob of course, since he is an old
SC guy. I must not be doing anything right because neither KUMU or KEKA
has offered me my own show...so I will continue to languish as a 2nd
stringer again.
With my unique media experience (local, national and
international...reporting and shooting images), I am considering
re-inventing myself. My UCLA degree in Economics helps me with national
TV shows when I negotiate contracts...but I would like to put my
personal career experience package to better use in facilitating social
good, either on the C&C or the State level, not as a politician,
but as a guy that provides pragmatic solutions and a fresh perspective
for a better life for our Hawaii families...maybe when ST runs next
election for Governor, eh?
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