Three decades of weird and wacky venue stories

In honor of Rialto High School's red imported fire ant scare of the past week, I am listing the top weird venue happenings of my journalistic career, in chronological order. Enjoy:

OCEANA HIGH SCHOOL
Pacifica, Ca.
Circa 1976
A Marine helicopter takes part in a school assembly and flies too close to the Oceana baseball field. The suction is so great that it lifts the turf off the infield, causing the postponement of a baseball game.

ST. IGNATIUS HIGH SCHOOL
San Francisco, Ca.
Circa 1978
During the Sand Dune Classic basketball tournament, a player from Balboa slams into the wall and an electrical box while trying to save the ball. The team from the now-defunct Crestmoor High School is awarded possession. Crestmoor goes into its methodical half-court offense (no 30-second clock in those days). The ball suddenly changes possession and a Balboa player streaks down the court on a fast break, only to discover ... his basket has elevated to the rafters, prompted by the player who ran into the electrical box. Expression on the dribbler's face: Priceless.

CANDLESTICK PARK
San Francisco, Ca.
Oct. 17, 1979
During Game 3 of the "Bay Bridge" World Series between the Oakland A's and the San Francisco Giants, a rolling sensation sweeps through The Stick at 5:04 p.m. Suddenly the entire stadium is undulating during a major earthquake. Native Californians - like me - are unfazed. People in the pro-Giants' crowd yell "Rock the A's." But many fans are panicked and bolt for the exits. I actually went to a concession stand immediately after and ordered a drink - and was served. But when the scoreboard went dark, we knew the game was in jeopardy. Fear set in leaving the stadium when someone with a transistor radio said the Bay Bridge had collapsed. This is still the only World Series "game" I have ever attended. When the game was finally played 10 days later, I had to cover a high school football game and was forced to sell my baseball ticket. Now that ticket is a collector's item.

CLIFFORD FIELD
South San Francisco, Ca.
Circa 1991
During halftime of the annual Bell Game between host South San Francisco and rival El Camino, hooligans blow up the scoreboard with a pipe bomb. Some of the debris blows all the way out onto the field. The game is delayed, but - remarkably - finished. I think South San Francisco won.

NEWTON T. BASS STADIUM
Apple Valley, Ca.
Circa 1994
Thunder and lightning strikes a prep football game between Hesperia and Apple Valley, postponing the game in the first quarter. I think the game was re-played the following night. I can't remember who won.

MAVERICK STADIUM
Adelanto, Ca.
Circa 1996
During a California League game involving the High Desert Mavericks, a huge gust of wind elevates a large aluminum-and-net pitching cage and blows it into the stands to the right of press box. Amazingly, nobody is seriously hurt. Those High Desert winds can be hazardous.

RIM OF THE WORLD HIGH SCHOOL
Lake Arrowhead, Ca.
2004
Terrible wildfires hit the mountain area of Southern California, causing death, destruction and, on a lesser note, the postponement or cancellation of many prep football games.
The news channel CNN shows fire licking the edge of the Rim of the World campus.
Rim and Serrano are both unbeaten and scheduled to play at Rim that Friday night. But Rim is now out of school and its students and players are scattered around SoCal. Rim coach Bob Gradillas gathers his team at a motel in Hesperia and secures Sultana High School at which to practice every day.
The game is finally played at Sultana and Rim leads until the final minute when Serrano overtakes the Fighting Scots, 29-28. A near-capacity crowd watches the dramatic game, including USC football coach Pete Carroll. It was an inspired effort by the Scots.

RIALTO HIGH SCHOOL
Rialto, Ca.
2008
At most schools, a Reduction In Force (RIF) is the greatest threat. At Rialto, it's RIFA (Red Imported Fire Ants). They are discovered recently when a groundskeeper kicks a mound of dirt and the South African ants swarm.
The area is quarantined, the parents are notified and practices are moved, as is at least one underclassmen game. The school district is forced to employ an outside extermination company to eradicate the ants. After the story appears on this blog and in the San Bernardino Sun, three Los Angeles news channels and the Associated Press pick up on the story. That means face time on camera for Rialto Unified School District public information officer Syeda Jafri, who complains to this reporter about my breaking a story on a day when she's having a "bad hair day." Sorry about that.
The fire ants, by the way, have been jettisoned.

That's it. Eight is enough. Do any Prep-dog readers have similar stories? If so, list them below.