Curt Crandall, Millennium Hall of Fame

Richard Dunn

Curt Crandall was the third brother in his family to play football

for Estancia High and Orange Coast College, but he didn’t stop there,

although conventional wisdom might suggest otherwise.

When Crandall’s career extended to the Division I-A level at the

University of the Pacific, he became the center of medical attention for

the Tigers.

A defensive end and an All-Sea View League center for Estancia in

1985, Crandall had never suffered a serious injury on the gridiron in 14

years, from his early Junior All-American days to the glamour years at

OCC.

But when Crandall arrived at Pacific in 1988, body parts began tearing

and cracking, and, suddenly, Crandall was forced to study sports medicine

even though he was a business major.

“I had five surgeries within like a year or something. It was sick,”

said Crandall, who became as much a fixture in the Pacific training room

as an ice bucket and whirlpool tub.

“I had surgery on my knees, shoulders, thumb ... all kinds of good

stuff.”

Prior to completing his senior year at Pacific in 1990, Crandall had

undergone seven operations. After that season, he returned to the cutting

edge to repair an annoying shoulder injury.

For Crandall, who was redshirted in ’88 at Pacific because of

injuries, eight surgeries was enough. But his experience at UOP was

unforgettable.

“There were all kinds of memories at UOP,” said Crandall, a 6-foot-2,

250-pound offensive lineman who started mostly at center for the Tigers

in 1989 and ’90 and enjoyed the big stadium atmosphere when they played

at Auburn, Cal, Tennessee, Arkansas, Pittsburgh, San Diego State and

Hawaii.

“We didn’t win too often, but we had a lot of battles and got a lot of

recognition (playing marquee schools).”

Like Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach State, Pacific eventually

dropped its football program (after the ’95 season).

Crandall, part of a long line of outstanding centers from Estancia,

following Brad Green (USC) and Vince Klees (Notre Dame), among others,

knew a career in professional football was unrealistic. His speed and

strength were not up to NFL standards.

Crandall, who played in the 1986 Orange County All-Star football game,

played at Orange Coast in Coach Bill Workman’s first two years at the

helm. He also played at Estancia in Ed Blanton’s last two years as head

coach.

“We had some close misses (at Estancia),” Crandall said of the .500

Eagle teams his junior and senior years.

Crandall followed in the footsteps of his older brothers, Craig (circa

1978) and Chris (‘82), by starring in football at Estancia. Chris

Crandall, a fullback and linebacker, was once voted the Eagles’ team MVP.

Crandall’s brothers also played under Coach Dick Tucker at OCC.

In Crandall’s sophomore year at OCC in 1987, the Pirates had their

best season in 12 years, going 8-2 and knocking off highly regarded

Saddleback, 42-38, to snap the Gauchos’ long winning streak.

But the Pirates turned down an Orange County Bowl invitation that year

because game officials from Saddleback, which operated the bowl at the

time, wanted them to play the Gauchos again. “There was some

controversy,” Crandall said. “Workman said no (to the bowl bid), because

we had already beaten them at their house.”

Still, playing at OCC, Crandall said, was “the best football

experience I ever had in 16 years.”

Crandall, the latest honoree in the Daily Pilot Sports Hall of Fame,

operates his own real estate appraisal business in the Sacramento area.

Crandall, who turns 32 on Aug. 20, lives in Fair Oaks with his wife,

Beth, and three sons: C.J., 5 1/2, Tyler, 3 1/2, and Jack, born on April

10. He enjoys boating and bike riding with his family.