The 1950s were a wonderful time to be a kid in San Francisco. I was raised by my parents during an age of affluence, also known as the “baby boomer” generation. From dawn to dusk, I enjoyed the good life to the hilt in a new neighborhood called the Sunset District. The best part where we lived was Kezar Stadium, the home of the 49ers, located just about two miles away. And when the 49ers played at home on Sundays, the noise from the crowd was like music to a budding 49ers fan.
After Dad returned home from the war, he and Mom bought a two story Doelger home on 25th Ave for $6,000, a real bargain in those days. The houses were built right next to one another, but ours had a private backyard with fences separating the property. It was here Dad
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Dad also enjoyed listening to the 49ers away games on our big Zenith console radio. It was a different story come the start of the regular season, when our favorite team was playing at home. Dad and his friend, Ben, shared ownership in two season tickets for the six regular season home games the 49ers played. Upon returning home from a game, Dad would always bring me a game program. It wasn’t long before he would instill in me his love for the 49ers.
As such, my current collection – all-things 49ers – had its beginning. I used my 50-cent weekly allowance from washing the family automobile or mowing the front lawn to purchase ten packs of football cards – each containing 10 cards. I always HOPED at least one pack would contain a favorite 49ers player. Each pack also contained a slab of bubble gum. And, while Mom or Dad subscribed to magazines such as LIFE, LOOK, Saturday Evening Post or Reader’s Digest, I was able to buy pro-football magazines for a dime apiece at McDonald’s Used Bookstore downtown on Turk