Every time the San Diego High School football team takes the field for a home game, you can hear the lyrics:
“Wake up the echoes cheering her name.”
Those words were written by a pair of Notre Dame students in 1908 to summon the legacy, tradition and spirit of past generations of the Fighting Irish.
When the Cavers, who’ve called Balboa Stadium their home field since 1915, took the field Friday night against the visiting Mission Bay Buccaneers in a non-league contest, you could feel the historic stadium speaking to you.
“In my career, Balboa Stadium has always been a big deal to me,” said Rick Smith, a Lincoln High School graduate and staff writer for the San Diego Tribune from 1960 to 1972. “I’ve seen hundreds of events there.”
An unfortunate aspect of time is that we forget. Sometimes, we need a little refresher.
Who remembers the horseshoe-designed, Roman Forum-influenced original stadium built as part of the 1915 Panama-California Exposition?
In the 1960s, a hurriedly constructed second deck was added for professional football. The Los Angeles Chargers of the American Football League (AFL) moved operations to San Diego in 1961, calling the stadium home through the 1967 season. Seating increased to 35,000.
The whispers of history can still be heard coming up the hill from San Diego Bay to Balboa Park — the Chargers, SDSU, various bowl games, some of the biggest high school football games in San Diego history, baseball games, multiple famous track and field events, concerts and even a regular home of car racing.
“In my research over the years, I found stories of 30,000 to as many as 40,000 going to high school football games, including when Hoover came to play San Diego,” related Smith. “I can remember once I stepped out of the press box just before the expected kickoff time and the line was still backed up from the ticket office up the road to Balboa Park as far as I could see.”
The Beatles famously played at Balboa Stadium in 1965. (File photo)
The list of stars graced Balboa Stadium is astounding — Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Ty Cobb, Satchel Paige, Jim Thorpe, John Hadl, Lance Alworth, Jack Kemp, Keith Lincoln, Pelé, Jesse Owens, Billy Mills, Jim Ryun, Marty Liquori, Jimi Hendrix, the Doors, Led Zeppelin, Eagles, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Charles Lindbergh and Chester Nimitz, among others.
On Aug. 28, 1965, the Beatles performed a 12-song set there during their second North American Tour.
“This was sacred ground to us,” said San Diego High School Alumni Association President Eddie Head II, a member of the Class of 1973. “Every year, I talk to any new kids or transfers coming in about how special it is to play here.”
The second deck was torn down as an earthquake risk, but you can still make out those historic memories.
More history
Nobody has captured more on Balboa Stadium history than Smith. His blog, partletonsports.com, is a treasure trove of information on San Diego sports history.
San Diego’s Kye Cooper tackles Mission Bay’s Jayden Marcelino during their game at Balboa Stadium on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Playoff rematch
This year’s matchup featured a little extra motivation for the visiting Bucs.
Last year, Mission Bay entered the CIF San Diego Section Division 2 Playoffs as the No. 3 seed with a perfect 10-0 record. The Bucs received an opening-round bye. San Diego advanced to face the Bucs in the quarterfinals with a 24-14 first-round upset over No. 6 Imperial.
The Cavers, seeded No. 11, got the best of Mission Bay, ending their season with a 33-19 victory.
“Our main goal last year was make CIF,” said Mission Bay coach Greg Tate. “That was our best team since 2009, and we were happy to be there. (San Diego) and their running back (Jayden Johnson) was much more physical than we expected. I’m still concerned about that this year, but I hope we’re ready for them.”
Both teams entered Friday’s game on winning streaks. After dropping their first four, the Cavers have been refreshed by key transfers becoming eligible to beat Scripps Ranch and previously unbeaten Christian.
“San Diego has played a tough schedule, but they’re very talented,” said Tate of the Cavers. “They basically added even more talent at their skill positions.”
Mission Bay entered Friday having won four straight.
A fifth consecutive win might be hard to come by. The Cavers led Mission Bay 27-0 at halftime.
Food aplenty
We couldn’t resist the bacon-wrapped hot dogs at Balboa Stadium.
Not only was the $5 dog delicious, but proceeds went to a good cause — the SNAHP club, which goes toward relieving medical debt in San Diego. Other food options include chocolate-covered strawberries sold by the theater department, Dole Whip by the academy of finance and pizza from the engineering academy. An easy five belches on our five-belch meter.