Lantos was prescient back in the 1960s

In his classroom, Lantos hearkened back to a key genesis of the intractable Israeli/Palestinian conundrum: The Balfour Declaration.

That was a short but ground-breaking 1917 letter from the British Foreign Secretary, Arthur Balfour, to Lionel Rothschild, a prominent British financier and staunch supporter of Zionism, the movement advocating for a homeland for Jews in the Holy Land.

Many historians, including the late Lantos, have argued that Balfour’s brief written statement, issued during World War I as the Ottoman Empire crumbled and essentially aligned with key goals of the Zionists (though ambiguous enough in some respects to create issues later), helped to set the stage for what would follow in that troubled region.

Lantos was more prescient than he knew. The Balfour Declaration turned out to be just the opening (controversial) salvo in what would become what we see today in the chaotic Middle East: Horrendous violence, seemingly endless tragedy and human suffering beyond measure.

A SOUTH CITY VERSION OF LAZARUS: On a much happier note, the state’s prep football bowl setup is heading for South San Francisco High School this weekend.

Few, if any, followers of the sport saw this coming down the pike back in August when the 2023 season commenced. It was unthinkable.

That’s because, two years ago, the Warriors didn’t have enough players to field a varsity team. It was shut down for a full season.

However, last year, S.S.F.’s athletic director, Frank Moro, returned to the coaching sidelines, resurrected the varsity and ended a 26-game losing streak. It was a sporting version of the biblical Lazarus story, well-documented now.

This past weekend, the gritty Warriors of Head Coach Kolone Pua, with Moro assisting, captured a Central Coast Section Division V championship, defeating Santa Teresa of San Jose, 13-7.

Records indicate that no San Mateo County prep football program has shuttered its varsity team, brought it back and played for — and won — a section crown within two years. And it gets better.

With a 12-1 overall record (most wins in school history), the Warriors will host unbeaten Colusa in a Division 6A Northern California regional bowl contest 6 p.m. Saturday. It’s a first for the school and the Industrial City itself.

At stake will be a berth in the California Interscholastic Federation Division 6A championship bowl game, one of 15 (all based on the fairness principle of competitive athletic balance).

FOSTERS FREEZE, WE MISS YOU: A random Wednesday dining whine for your consideration: Bring back a Fosters Freeze outlet to San Mateo County. In years past, the county had a handy lineup of those tasty fast-food outlets. No more. They are all gone. Locations in Menlo Park and Redwood City were the last to disappear. No more chances for a sizzling burger and a tangy root beer freeze to tantalize the suburban palate. The nearest West Bay Fosters Freeze is in Campbell.

THE STONES KEEP ROLLING ALONG: When the Rolling Stones commence their next tour in 2024, it will be sponsored by AARP (formerly the American Association of Retired Persons). That has a certain apt demographic ring to it. The Stones, whose three key performers (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Woods) average 78 years old, started their rock and roll group during the Kennedy administration in 1962.

SAN MATEAN PASSES AT AGE 110: Speaking of impressive longevity, it should be noted that one of San Mateo County’s (and the Bay Area’s) oldest residents, Alfred Fregosi, passed away recently at the age of 110. He was born one year prior to the start of World War I.

Email John Horgan at johnhorganmedia@gmail.com. His new book, “Cradle of Champions — A Selected History of San Mateo County Sports,” is available via historysmc.org/online-store. All proceeds benefit the San Mateo County Historical Association.