CHICO — In 1972, a valuable piece of knickknack disappeared someplace at Bear Gap in Higher Bidwell Park.
The piece of knickknack in query was a 1971 Chico State soccer championship ring owned by Tim Driver, a former Chico State soccer participant. He was visiting the park when the ring disappeared as a waterfall ran over him.
Driver had solely owned the ring for one 12 months at that time. When he lived in Chico he spent lots of time within the park. After he misplaced the ring, he went again to the park the following day to seek for it however was unable to find it.
Lo and behold, 50 years later, the ring mysteriously turned up when a homeless man who was staying at Teichert Ponds discovered the ring.
The person went to the house of Butte County Sheriff’s Workplace background investigator Robert Eckrote after seeing a county automotive outdoors Eckrote’s house. When Eckrote answered the door, the person handed him the ring.
Eckrote then turned the ring over to the Chico Police Division, and Group Service Officer Garet Taylor got down to do some sleuthing to find the ring’s proprietor.
Taylor pulled up the 1971 Camellia Bowl championship sport program which listed the gamers and located their names. The initials on the ring spelled out TED, and Driver was the one former participant with these initials.
Taylor despatched a Fb message to Driver in addition to his son and daughter-in-law. Driver’s daughter-in law-passed the message alongside to Driver instructing him to name Taylor. Driver had purchased a alternative ring after he misplaced the unique. Taylor referred to as him July 4.
“He was very excited to get the ring again,” Taylor stated. “It was fairly cool.”
Amazingly, the ring was in excellent situation. Driver really acquired the ring Thursday evening; coincidentally,. the discovering of the ring coincided with the soccer workforce having its annual reunion in Chico. Driver got here to city for the reunion.
“I used to be so completely satisfied and that is wonderful,” Driver stated. “Garet did nice work. It does convey up extra questions than solutions although.”
Driver plans to make a particular show case at his house in Sacramento, the place he now lives, with the ring proudly displayed.
“That ring is a vital ring to me; that soccer workforce was an essential peg of the center of the final century in Chico, ” Driver stated. “What I realized from the workforce was an important lesson I ever realized. It was defining to be a member of that workforce.”
Driver started faculty at College of the Pacific however transferred to Chico State. The Camellia Bowl was the championship sport in 1971, which pitted Chico State in opposition to Boise State.
The sport included a wager between the governors of the 2 states, Cecil Andrus of Idaho and Ronald Reagan of California. The guess was for three-day holidays, at both Solar Valley in central Idaho or Disneyland. Reagan invited the Chico State workforce to his workplace the day earlier than the sport and inspired the Wildcats to exit and win for the state of California.
“The Camellia Bowl was essential,” Driver stated.
The ring, which is ready with multi-red glass, was handed again to Driver by his former roommate Tom Aldridge.
“It was a giant deal to play Boise,” Driver stated. “It was the most important crowd in Camellia Bowl historical past.”
Since Chico State doesn’t have a soccer program anymore — this system was folded in February 1997 — the reunion may be very particular for the previous gamers.
“The ring brings again lots of recollections,” Driver stated.
The lads met for a contented reunion Friday on the Oasis Bar and Grill. The Camellia Bowl gamers see one another yearly. Their coach, Pete Riehlman, died in 2013.
There's a golf event this weekend to boost cash for the Chico State alumni soccer basis. Scholarships are given to gamers. An image can be taken of the previous soccer gamers on the Chico State stadium.
And one in all them can be sporting a really particular ring along with his teammates for the primary time in 50 years.