RIP Cecil Williams

I know there are few former and current Bay Areans here. Cecil was pretty much THE religious leader in the region. Rubbed shoulders with politicians, celebrities and the down and out. Might be the last person from that era in SF when all hell broke loose between Jonestown and the Milk/Moscone murders.

Rev. Cecil Williams, longtime leader of SF's GLIDE Foundation, dies at 94

 

In the Chronicle obit, it was noted he was the only person William Randolph Hearst trusted to be a liason between him and the SLA when they kidnapped his daughter.

 

RIP.

Man, San Francisco and the Bay Area were the epicenter for crazy stuff during my growing up years, both politicially and in the sports world.

Summer of Love. Black Panther movement. Alcatraz takeover. Zodiac murders. SLA and Patty Hearst. Moscone-Milk. Jim Jones.

Marichal-Roseboro. The Anthem Protest in Mexico City. The Heidi Game. The Swingin' A's. The Holy Roller. The Golden Seals. The Crazy Crab.

I blame Johnny Lemaster. Or BART.

 

Did Billy Joel record this song?

 

You forget the Bay Area also got a NASL team, the San Jose Earthquakes. So, yes, blame soccer.

 

Accomplished great things for those less fortunate. What a person.

 

Really, you had to go there???

 

Don't forget the Oakland Stompers!

There is a great book by David Talbot called The Season of the Witch chronicling the post Summer of Love hangover into the SLA, Jonestown and Milk Moscone murders - throw in the Zebra and Zodiac killers - weird time to live in the area - the book ends with the Niners winning the Super Bowl. (Spoiler alert) and you didn't even mention the Ford Assassination attempt. You wonder how Eastwood had time to make three Dirty Harry movies in that era with all the craziness going on.

 

Tough week for Cecils.