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Lynn Cain pictured during his NFL career as an Atlanta Falcon (upper left) and his post-NFL career on East Los Angeles College’s Weingart Stadium field on the way to the 2011 Junior College Division champions. The last time East Los Angeles had won a championship was when Cain was the MVP player on the same field 37 years prior. [Photo credit: LiGoCa]
The Pasadena Quarterbacks, a 79-year-old organization celebrating local football, is launching its 2024 season on Friday, Sept. 27, with USC legend Lynn Cain as the inaugural speaker. The event marks a return to time-honored traditions for the club, which faced disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic in recent years.
The first luncheon meeting will take place at the Pasadena Elks Lodge, with doors opening at 11 a.m. and the event running from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Attendees will have the opportunity to interact with players and coaches, fostering connections between the football community and supporters.
Craig Franzen, President of the Pasadena Quarterbacks Club, emphasized the organization’s commitment to balancing representation from local football programs.
“We have a strong contingent of members that are USC fans and we have a strong contingent that are UCLA fans,” Franzen said. “So we try to have at least one speaker that is a Trojan alum, either or actively involved with the Trojan family in the past.”
Franzen highlighted the unique atmosphere of the luncheons, saying that one of the things that’s special about the event is when a coach and a player comes, they sit among the club’s members, have lunch, and talk football.
“I think it’s a great connection not only for the player, but also for our club,” he said.
The Pasadena Quarterbacks Club has been striving to revive pre-pandemic traditions, including partnerships with local high schools and Pasadena City College.
“COVID kind of stopped all of that and we’ve tried to bring back a lot of the traditions that we had in the past,” Franzen explained. “Every meeting we have kind of a focus on a local high school team and potentially if Coach Tucker is in town, he’s always invited as well.”
The club’s impact extends beyond hosting luncheons. It contributes to local causes, with recent support going to the legacy foundation of the Rose Bowl. When possible, the club makes donations to support local high school programs. Additionally, the organization hosts a classic rivalry meeting featuring beat writers from the Los Angeles Times.
The club’s events are open to both members and guests, with tickets at $40 for members and $50 for non-members. Tickets can be purchased through the club’s website, https://www.pasadenaquarterbacks.org/, or by emailing pasadenaquarterbacks@gmail.com.
For the first meeting, only online credit card payments or checks at the door will be accepted due to the treasurer’s absence.
The second meeting of the season is scheduled for Oct. 25th at the Rose Bowl, featuring UCLA alum James Washington as the speaker. The club said it is also exploring new initiatives, including a potential event centered around the NFL draft in spring.
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