Sports Watch
In Galdeira's case, he wishes that people would just as soon forget it. "I guess people will always remember it until I die."
"It," in this case, was Galdeira's mid-field chase after a fan came out of the stands and ran off with the game ball during a timeout in the 1970 Hula Bowl at the old Honolulu Stadium. Galdeira, who was the referee, finally tackled the guy in the Diamond Head end zone in a run that was seen by millions on national television.
Happily, Galdeira can now be remembered for obtaining an honor that has never been achieved by a local football official.
On Dec. 10 in New York City, Galdeira will be inducted into the National Football Foundation College Hall of Fame for his officiating. He received the personal endorsement of Grant Teaff, executive director of the American College Football Association.
Galdeira, 69, will join St. Mary's All-American Herman Wedemeyer as the only other individual from Hawaii in the hall of fame.
"I just can't imagine it. It's quite an honor, considering we're just a dot in the ocean," Galdeira said.
To say that Galdeira was overwhelmed by the news is putting it mildly. Not that he isn't familiar with receiving unprecedented honors.
In fact, 1996 is a year that Galdeira will never forget. He will also be recognized by the National High School Officials Association as one of its national honorees next month in Lexington, Ky.
Galdeira can also lay claim to being the only one from Hawaii to officiate in the East-West Shrine Game. That was in 1978 at Stanford, Calif. It proved a special thrill because Galdeira is a Shriner.
That fall, Galdeira was invited by Nebraska athletic director Bob Devaney to be the referee in the Cornhuskers' home opener against the University of Hawaii. Galdeira headed an all Big Eight crew.
It was the fulfillment of a six-year promise by Devaney, who extended an invitation to Galdeira at the 1972 Hula Bowl. Earlier that season, Devaney's Nebraska team - named college football's team of the decade - came to town and beat the Rainbows, 45-3.
MAYBE Galdeira made a call that Devaney thought was friendly. Early in the game, Nebraska quarterback Jerry Tagge was drilled trying to pass near his goal line. Hawaii thought it had recovered a fumble, but Galdeira called it an incomplete pass.
'Til this day, Galdeira says it was the right call, even though the Rainbows protested vehemently. "We saw the film after the game and his arm was going forward," he said.
Galdeira also officiated the 1976 Hawaii-Nebraska game at Aloha Stadium. There were no controversial calls in that game, as the Cornhuskers, coached by Tom Osborne, romped, 68-3.
The crowd in Lincoln, Neb., in 1978 was simply awesome, although Galdeira wasn't awestruck. "I felt comfortable. I felt like I was at home," Galdeira said. "The only thing was that there were 78,000 people and every place you looked was red."
GALDEIRA, who is serving his fourth term as the Honolulu Quarterback Club president, was a four-sport athlete at Kamehameha (Class of 1945).
He officiated his first game in 1954 and hasn't stopped, still working ILH games. He was the resident referee for the Hula Bowl from 1959 through 1987 and still works as a player liaison with the postseason all-star event.
Oh, yes, Galdeira was running right behind Simpson when the USC Heisman Trophy winner returned that kickoff.
"I had all this mud on my jersey and in my face because I was following him all the way down the field," Galdeira said.
That was unforgettable, too. But all will pale in comparison with Galdeira's induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.