A guy named Reade

Don Cantrell

No one in the harbor area could ever say enough positive things

about the late Nathan (Nate) Reade, who passed away Dec. 18.

His list of contributions toward government agencies, children’s

organizations and chamber groups is impressive, but few have ever turned

the spotlight on his significant help to players, coaches and area

schools in the sports world.

Reade, who was 78, grew up in Anaheim, but his loyalty in the sports

world switch to harbor area schools as time came to pass.

Coincidentally, his boost toward Anaheim athletes arrived in time

after Orange Coast College opened its doors in 1948.

He was proud of all the Anaheim champion athletes who came to Coast,

including three grid stars, Ed Chambers, Ted Dinkler and end Alan Story,

who came to play for football coach Al Irwin in 1956.

Reade hired numerous athletes over the years to work in his auto

repair shop on Harbor Boulevard in the ‘50s and ‘60s.

The jobs helped the athletes manage college financially and both Irwin

and baseball coach Wendell Pickens long valued Reade’s generosity and

kindness.

He was a long-time fan of Coast football and always enjoyed covering

old memories of the night when OCC won a controversial battle against

Fullerton’s Bud Dawson on the local field.

It seemed three different balls were available, but Dawson, whose

Hornets were sporting yellow, demanded a yellow ball. Irwin demanded the

officials reject Dawson’s bid. The refs turned against the yellow ball.

However, the Fullerton coach then called for a white ball. It was

noted that his team was sporting white jerseys.

The crowd was growing weary of the delays, which found Irwin calling

for the use of a brown ball with white stripes. His victory drew loud

cheers from the Coast side. Coast won the game, 35-7.

And Orange Coast won the conference title that fall of ’56.

Reade became involved in a sticky issue years later as a member of the

Costa Mesa-Newport Harbor Lions Club. He and his mates won that issue

with administrators.

A spirited group, noting that former OCC fullback Cliff Livingston,

team of ‘48, was featured in Life Magazine with two other New York Giant

linebackers, playing under assistant coach Tom Landry. The harbor area

was pleased to find a former local player making a name for himself in

pro football.

Although there was temporary resistance in the in the administrative

ranks, Reade and his mates finally won a favorable nod of approval. They

invited Livingston and his parents from Montebello to an OCC banquet.

It was interesting to note that his older brother, Howie Livingston,

also attended.

Reade happily recalled that Rollo McClellan, his mate in the Lions

Club, knew Howie was once a pro ballplayer for the Bears and Redskins.

McClellan played with Howie at Fullerton Junior Collge in 1940. He

also recalled that Howie starred in one game where he threw two long

touchdown passes to beat Long Beach City College.

The humor that followed on the bus found Howie addressing the two

Fullerton coaches, former Harbor High Coach Dick Spaulding and Ed

Goddard, and telling them, “You have nothing to worry about now.” He said

they would win the rest of their games. Instead, the coaches chose to

bench Howie. He later admitted that he had spoken out of turn.

Reade was also cheered once for his aid in helping the Costa Mesa

chamber create a sports division called “The Redcoats” and all members

acquired red jackets. One of their main projects was honoring local

athletes in the ‘50s.

One of his favorite OCC yarns came back one day when he was recalling

how one of the Anaheim grads at OCC, Alan Story, faced a terrible dilemma

against Chaffey when a center pass went haywire.

Story had been prepared to boot the extra point. He ran after the

ball. He wore thick glasses, so it was a challenge. Still, he found the

ball and threw it into the end zone where it was speared by reserve end

Terry McGwire for the conversion.

Hence, Coast won, 13-12. Pirates Coach Steve Musseau later said, with

tongue in cheek, that, “We had been working on that play all week.”

Helping others was always a common happening for Reade. One of the

last times this corner saw Reade, he was pushing OCC Coach Pickens in a

wheelchair up to the concession area at LeBard Stadium.