Last night’s Monday Night Football game (likely) marked the end of the Candlestick Park era.  This was a stadium that was so difficult to get to by public transportation, and so miserably cold once you got there, that my childhood memories of Giants games there are much more about the experience of getting to, and being at, the stadium than anything that happened on the field.

Jed Jacobsohn, former photo editor of the Berkeley High Jacket, posted this picture of himself at Candlestick after last night’s game. Jed, now an extremely successful sports photographer, has been shooting at the ‘Stick for 23 years. He’s had photos on the cover of Sports Illustrated (kind of puts our letter to the editor in perspective) and the front page of the New York Times.  He’s as good as they get.

I like to joke that I am responsible for Jed’s career (I was his “boss” as editor-in-chief of the Jacket when he was photo editor), but the truth is he was well on his way before he even started shooting for the Jacket.  He is one of those people who knew from a very early age what he wanted to do, he honed his craft in school, and then he went out and worked his way up to the elite of his profession.

Here on the left is one of Jed’s photographs for the Jacket, in a special edition celebrating the 1989-90 BHS women’s basketball team.  That team was led by senior Jualeah Woods, who is featured in Jed’s photo and is now the assistant coach of the USC women’s basketball team.  I remember the thrill of watching the Berkeley High women play for the state championship at the Oakland Coliseum that year, even though they eventually lost to the legendary Lisa Leslie and her Morningside High team.  I was up in the stands.  As usual, Jed, with his multiple cameras, was down there right in the action, just like he was last night at the ‘Stick.