"Jim Mollica: Waterman", by John Thomas

(Photo above show Jim Mollica with his classic paddleboard (see description below) at the recent, June 11, 2011, Santa Monica Paddleboard Race & Ocean Festival. Photo by Will Maguire.)

Surfer - Paddler - Lifeguard. Jim Mollica fits the bill for this much heralded moniker, WATERMAN.

"County Recurrent" News has a big surprise for our readership. We've landed two big fish, as it were, by having Veteran LACo OLS, Ret., John Thomas, interview the legendary Veteran, Ret., LACo Lifeguard - Paddler, Jim Mollica. Talk about a meeting of the minds. Talk about a couple of righteous watermen talkin' shop and lettin' us listen in. You won't get this kind of up close and personal commentary anywhere else folks... unless, of course, you are on a bar stool at The Galley hoisting up martinis with the likes of Harold Dunnigan, Don Rohrer, Mickey Gallagher and Rex Goble and probably Dee Golles too... but THAT is definitely another story.

So here goes:

"Jim Mollica: Waterman", by John Thomas

SOME NOTES FROM THE JIM MOLLICA INTERVIEW... HOT OFF THE PRESSES..... JIM MOLLICA, SANTA MONICA BORN AND BRED, WAS NOT A COMPETITIVE SWIMMER, BUT STARTED SURFING AT AN EARLY AGE. JIM KNEW THE FOUNDER OF THE SANTA MONICA LIFEGUARDS, CAP. WATKINS, AND JOINED THE SM JUNIOR LG'S AND WON HIS FIRST PADDLE BOARD RACE AUG 15, 1955, A ONE-MILER. HE WAS HOOKED AFTER THAT. HAD HEARD OF THE LEGENDARY TON ZAHN AND ASPIRED TO BE LIKE HIM. JIM KNEW AND RODE BOARDS FROM SOME OF THE GREAT EARLY SHAPERS AND BOARD BUILDERS SUCH AS DALE VELZY,CON, RENNIE YATER, RICKY GRIGG AND BUZZY TRENT. HE MET PETE PETERSON AND WORKED ON THE SM PIER IN PETE'S SHOP AS A GLUE BOY, HELPING BUILD PADDLE BOARDS AND DORIES. PETE OWED HIM MONEY AND AS PAYMENT GAVE HIM HIS FIRST RACING BOARD, THE ONE PICTURED ABOVE AND BUILT BY PACIFIC SYSTEMS IN THE 1930'S, AND MADE OF SOLID BALSA AND REDWOOD. PETERSON HOLLOWED IT OUT AND PUT ON A LINEN FABRIC DECK SEALED WITH DOPE AFTER THE WAR. HE HELPED JIM REFURBISH THE BOARD AND ENCOURAGED HIM TO START RACING, WHICH HE DID IN THE EARLY 1960'S. JIM'S FIRST LIFEGUARD JOB WAS IN 1969 WITH THE STATE LIFEGUARDS WORKING AT LEO CARRILLO WITH GREAT SURFER AND PADDLER MERV LARSON. JIM LATER TOOK AND PASSED THE LA CITY LIFEGUARD TEST AND WORKED DOCKWEILER UNDER LT JERRY BALONICH, HELPING THAT CREW WIN AN LA CITY INTERCREW TROPHY WITH HIS GREAT SPEED AS A PADDLER. JIM DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF AS A TOP GUARD WORKING ALL THE HOT TOWERS AT DEL REY. JIM TRANSFERRED TO WILL ROGERS IN JULY OF 1974 AND WORKED UNDER BUD CLARK WHO WAS IMPRESSED WITH HIS PROWESS AS A GUARD AND GREAT ATHLETIC SKILL AS A PADDLER AND ALL AROUND WATERMAN. JIM SETTLED INTO WILL ROGERS #4, A TWO STORY TOWER ON THE EDGE OF PCH AND WORKED THAT TOWER UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT FROM THE GUARDS. JIM HAD THE DISTINCTION OF LOWERING THE LA CITY FLAG FOR THE LAST TIME FROM THE WILL ROGERS HQ IN JUNE 1975, THE LAST DAY BEFORE THE MERGER WITH L.A. COUNTY. HE FOLDED THE FLAG, MILITARY STYLE AND LEFT IT ON THE LOG BOOK AFTER HE HAD SIGNED OUT AT THE END OF HIS SHIFT.

JIM MADE MANY GREAT RESCUES OVER THE YEARS AND IN 1970 WAS AWARDED A CITATION FOR HEROISM AND MERITORIOUS SERVICE BY THE LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL FOR SINGLE HANDEDLY RESCUING SEVERAL PEOPLE FROM A RIP IN LARGE SURF, INCLUDING A SUBMERSION VICTIM. JIM STAYED IN TOP PHYSICAL SHAPE AND RACED IN PADDLEBOARD EVENTS, BOTH SPRINTS AND LONG DISTANCE ALL DURING HIS CAREER. HE STILL ENJOYS PADDLE RACING TO THIS DAY, NOW IN HIS 70'S.

JIMMY'S ALSO VERY PARTICULAR ABOUT WHAT HE EATS.... GIRLS USED TO BRING HIM FOOD AT THE BEACH ALL THE TIME AND HE NEVER ATE IT.... ONE HILARIOUS STORY INVOLVED AN AMAZON FEMALE POLICE OFFICER WHO WANTED TO DO WEIRD AND PERVERSE STUFF WITH JIM.... SCARED THE SH** OUT OF HIM.... HELL SHE SCARED THE SH** OUT OF ME, AND I COULD LOOK HER IN THE EYE!!!!!!! ANOTHER TIME A VERY EAGER WOMAN DRAGGED JIM HOME FROM THE BEACH TO HER HUSBAND.... AND JIMMY USED THE BATHROOM AND HAULED ASS OUT THE WINDOW!!!!! JIM HAD THE KNACK FOR ATTRACTING THE ODD ONES.....

JIM WAS ALSO A GREAT PRACTICAL JOKER IN THE STYLE OF THE GENERATION OF LIFEGUARDS THAT CAME OUT OF THE 60'S AND 70'S. JIM LOVED TO DRESS UP AS A CANNIBAL COMPLETE WITH A BONE IN HIS NOSE AND A GIANT FRIZZY WIG AND WOULD LEAP ON HIS FELLOW GUARDS UNEXPECTEDLY FROM ALL MANNER OF PLACES, EVEN A FEW FEMALES LYING ON THE BEACH HE KNEW WERE TARGETS. JIM STILL FONDLY REMINISCES OF THE OLD WILD AND WOOLY DAYS OF LIFEGUARDING WITH THE EXCITEMENT OF RESCUES AND PARTYING WITH WILD ABANDON, MANY OF THE STORIES UNSUITABLE TO BE REPRINTED. NEEDLESS TO SAY, JAMES MOLLICA WAS ONE OF THE CLASSICS, A LIFEGUARD STRUCK FROM THE MOLD OF LEGENDARY WATERMEN, WHO LIVED LIFE TO THE FULLEST.

john thomas


(Photo above shows John Thomas in Mammoth Lakes, Calif. in late Dec. 2010, holding up the snowpack in LACo OLS Ret., Bill Powers, driveway. John began his lifeguarding career with L.A. City in 1969 and was immediately brought on board as Bud Clark's HQ guy at the fabled Lighthouse "back in the day". Post merger, John later became an L.A. County OLS (Permanent), followed by a very successful and ongoing career as a screenwriter, e.g, Predator, and other feature films. John is a true waterman of the classic mold: powerful collegiate and ocean swimmer, paddler, doryman, surfer and sailor. We are thrilled to have him contribute to our blog and look forward to more stories.. that can be told.)

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Editor's notes: In speaking with Jim Mollica to follow up on my editorial obligations, I was able to pry from him his "paddling resume" which will astound our readership that is unfamiliar with his exploits on the water. Here goes, take a deep breath!

"Jim Mollica participated in his first Catalina Classic in 1958 when he was 18 years old and placed 5th in stock. His second Catalina Classic race was in 1960 where he placed 2nd place open class behind Tom Zahn (World Champion). According to Jim, in 1961 they only had stock class and it was supposed to be a big event for Manhattan Beach covered by Sport's Illustrated. The favored paddlers were Mike Doyle and Jim. Two hours into the race it was called off due to extreme rough water, disappointing to all, especially Manhattan Beach. Also, according to Jim, the race was reinstated in 1982 with the help of Buddy Bohn and the late Gibby Gibson. In 1984 at the age of 44, Jimmy placed third in the open division out of 20 contestants. At the age of 45 in 1985, he placed 6th in the open division out of a field of 34. In 1988 at the age of 48, he won the stock division out of a field of 26, and this particular victory may have very well make Jim the oldest person ever to win the Catalina Classic in either division. It is quite clear from John Thomas' interview that Jim Mollica is a colorful character and a courageous and keen athlete. He is certainly a true waterman. We are very fortunate as well to count him as one of our own."

Many Thanks to Jim Mollica and John Thomas for sharing this interview with all of us.

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Until next time.....


"County Recurrent" News
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