In July 1964, Republicans held their National Convention in Daly City, California at the Cow Palace Arena & Event Center. The San Francisco Warriors played two NBA Finals games against the Boston Celtics at the center a few months earlier. Boston won the championship series, 4-1. The series matched Warriors big man Wilt Chamberlain against Celtics big man Bill Russell. Both performed like all-stars, and future Hall-of-Famers.
But this post was not written to bring back nostalgic Warriors vs Celtics battles. It's to document the last time, possibly the only time, Republicans chose the Bay Area as the place to hold their most important political party convention: the nomination of a Republican Presidential Candidate. Republicans coming to the Bay to party must have been like Bill Graham bringing his evangelical crusade to the area in 1997 to "cleanse the Bay of sin and save souls." If I remember correctly, the crusade was scheduled around Halloween. Nobody I knew attended, thank God!
I just happened to stumble across this interesting piece of Bay Area history while watching a Morning Joe episode commemorating D-Day (June 6, 2024). A segment of the show featured black and white footage from the convention, with then Republican Presidential Nominee Barry Goldwater giving his acceptance speech. The footage was dated:
Browsing the internet, I came across an article from July 16, 2016. Rather than try highlighting the well written article by Bill Van Niekerken, about the "wild national convention" held in the Bay Area, I decided it best to just list a link to it below. 1964 was definitely a wild year for America. Coming off the Nov. 22, 1963, assassination of President Kennedy, the year that was 1964 saw a shift in culture, politics, and vision for the country.
It was the year Congress passed the Civil Rights Bill, prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The Gulf of Tonkin Incident in Vietnam occurred in early August, eventually escalating U.S. military involvement in the war. And of course, it was the year a British band called "The Beatles" made their American debut on Ed Sullivan Show. And not to be left out, the Raiders played the Houston Oilers in the first professional football game ever played in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was a preseason game played at Cashman Field. Raiders won the game 53-49.
When the GOP held a wild national convention in the Bay Area (sfchronicle.com)
Milestones in the History of U.S. Foreign Relations - Office of the Historian (state.gov)
1964 The Beatles Tribute (1964web.com)
Cashman Field - Las Vegas Lights FC
Note: Barry Goldwater's Acceptance Speech is remembered for two controversial and disturbing lines which sadly still resonate in today's political environment:
"I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue."
On the Saying that “Extremism in Defense of Liberty is No Vice” - Niskanen Center
On the Saying that “Moderation in Pursuit of Justice Is No Virtue” - Niskanen Center
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