Redwood City was the 49ers’ home

That’s because the team, for the better part of four decades, maintained its headquarters and practice facility in Redwood City.

Many of the players, coaches and other employees lived nearby. They became part of the community. They rented and owned homes there. They shopped there. Some even had off-season jobs there. They were neighbors.

The rather unpretentious Niners’ digs were located within Red Morton Park at 711 Nevada St. But, as the NFL grew into the lucrative sporting behemoth we know today, it was determined that the Redwood City site was insufficient.

In 1988, the team moved south to new, more lavish facilities in Santa Clara. Redwood City officials tried to retain the team but it was a no-go. It was a bitter pill and the end of an era for the town and the immediate area

A personal note: My late father, Jack Horgan, worked for Head Coach/General Manager Bill Walsh for a number of years in the 1980s, as the club’s memorable dynasty manifested itself, prior to the team’s departure from Redwood City.

As a retired English instructor from Hillsdale High School in San Mateo, he condensed and edited player scouting reports for the disciplined, organized and hyper-focused Walsh who wanted such written material to be presented to him in literate, clear, concise form, preferably on a single sheet of paper.

The advent of the computer and the impending move to Santa Clara combined to end my father’s tenure with Walsh and his team. But dad had a ringside seat behind the scenes as the Niners’ dominance grew into multiple NFL titles.

It was quite a ride while it lasted.

VERMIN AMONG THE DETERGENTS: There was something new among the well-stocked shelves at the sprawling Safeway Store on Hillsdale Boulevard in Foster City not long ago. A startled customer was confronted by a large rat, according to her post on social media. She reported that, as she walked the aisle, she heard an odd rustling sound in the laundry goods section of the supermarket. The offending rodent made its unwanted appearance shortly thereafter. Needless to say, no sale.

LAURA ZASLY STANDS ALONE: Since the 1972 federal OK of Title IX’s rules aiming to boost equality and participation in women’s athletics, among other desires, it’s still hard to find female basketball coaches here. For example: As the 2023-24 high school hoops season winds down, there is just one woman varsity head coach in the 17-school Peninsula Athletic League. That’s Laura Zasly at Oceana High School in Pacifica. The other 33 PAL boys’ and girls’ varsities all have male head coaches.

A CARING MINISTER PASSES: The Rev. Walter Johnson spent his professional life comforting the sick and dying. He created the chaplaincy program at what was then Peninsula Hospital in Burlingame. He later was the chaplain for Mission Hospice, based in San Mateo. He died last month at the age of 90 at his Millbrae home. His compassionate work was a community asset for generations. He will be missed. A service to celebrate his life is set for 1 p.m. Feb. 24 at the First Presbyterian Church in Burlingame.

BOARD MEMBERS ARE SOUGHT: The Black Parents Association of the San Mateo Union High School District is seeking to fill a number of key leadership positions on its board of directors in 2024. For information on the board’s requirements, duties, activities and goals, interested individuals can visit the association’s link on the district’s website, www.bpa-smuhsd.org.

Contact John Horgan at johnhorganmedia@gmail.com or via Facebook and Instagram. His book, “Cradle of Champions — A Selected History of San Mateo County Sports,” is available via https://historysmc.org/online-store/. All proceeds benefit the county’s Historical Association.