Down the hatch

Or down the rabbit-hole.

Surprises, always surprises.

Time to find out more about Pedro E. Duarte who graduated from Throop in 1911.   Throop went through several iterations, with a name for each iteration.  It is the root institution for both Polytechnic School and the California Institute of Technology.  But that's another story.

While at Throop Pedro was active in El Club Mercurio, member of the Spanish Play, and a member of the Gnome Club.  His nickname, it seems every student had a nickname, was the "Guam Terror".  I suspect this was a result of his being from Guam and he was a superb athlete.  In one column talking about alumni, its reported that he was signed by the Cubs.  

Image courtesy of the Archives, Pasadena Museum of History

Questions I have are how did he get to California from Guam?  Where did he live?  I don't find a Duarte family in the copies of the Thurston's Directory - a sort of early Yellow Pages - during the years he was at Throop.  Another question that keeps coming to mind has to do with his relationship with the Cubs.  Did he ever play for them in Chicago?  Did he play for the farm team - is that even the correct use of the phrase - or did he get signed and not play?  

May not have answers in time for my talk on Thursday, but I'm going to push it a bit and see if I can at least find a hint or two.   

So here I gooooo again, back down that rabbit-hole.

Thursday, May 16, 12-1 PM (CCD Common Area, 2nd Floor Student Services)
Roberta Martinez will talk about the Bandini family whose history is a familiar thread woven through the history of Pasadena--from Throop to Caltech. The talk will focus on the intersection of local Latino history, the Bandini family and areas for future study.