Open Shutter to the Past: San Francisco in Pictures – Bay to Breakers (1965)

Welcome back to Photo Friday – my little way of taking a break from San Francisco Real Estate and instead blogging about our great City’s past instead. All photos are published with permission from the San Francisco History Center and San Francisco Public Library.

Most of you know that the San Francisco Bay to Breakers is an annual tradition here in the City.  But what lots of you may not know is that the Bay to Breakers is the longest consecutively running footrace in the world.  The race was started in 1912 to try to cheer the City up after the destruction that 1906 brought upon us. 

While the race sees it’s share of serious athletes that actually run the 7.46 mile route, a majority of the participants take the race a little more leisurely, and the contest becomes less about who can get their the fastest, but rather who can look the best getting there, who can show the most skin on the way, or in some cases – who can get hammered the fastest.  And let’s not forget the big blowout party at the end of the whole thing. 

But long before the race became a costume contest, it was, well – a race!  Today’s photo had the newscaption:

OFF THEIR COURSE? Well, slightly perhaps, but to distance runners – and especially those in training for News Call Bulletin-sponsored Bay to Breakers Race, scheduled for Sunday, May 23 – know well enough grinding out the miles on the hills is the kind of practice necessary. With the University of San Francisco fielding a track team for the first time this year, Coach John Fry has entered John Sweet, left, and Rich League, both experienced distance runners, in the 55th annual Bay to Breakers, 7.6-mile run.

Oddly enough, even though I’ve lived in the City since I was two years old, I’ve never participated in the Bay to Breakers.  And I won’t be participating this year either – I’ll be taking a few days off to relax in beautiful Lake Tahoe!  But, since I plan on being in San Francisco for ever and ever, I’ll have plenty more opportunities to join in the festivities.

If you are participating in the race, make sure you stay good and hydrated and don’t forget the slather on a little extra sunscreen – this weekend is gonna be a scorcher! 

And since I’ll be in Lake Tahoe, I’ll be unplugging, and that means no blog posts for a few days.  But don’t worry, I’ll be back early next week. 

Happy Friday and have a great weekend!