Give 78-year-old Elwood ‘Stretch’ Maiden credit for several things in his life, not the least of which is that he is probably one the most loyal and knowledgeable fans following Coronado High School sports. Stretch has missed one home football game in the past 20 years and that was when he was traveling to the East Coast. He has more than made up for that momentary lapse by attending numerous road games; including a foray to Las Vegas for a Coronado gridiron contest a couple of seasons back.

Born in 1926 in Front Royal, Virginia, in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley, Maiden was a sometime basketball and touch football player in high school. He carried a mere 117 pounds on a 6-foot, 1-inch frame when he joined the Navy in 1943, the mid-way point of World War II. "I really got interested in sports in the Navy," Stretch said. "I was one of the tallest kids in my high school. In the Navy I hung around some three-sport athletes, including a guy who played at the University of Virginia and another guy who was in the Yankee organization." Stationed at Norfolk Naval Air Station for the duration of the war, Maiden worked two jobs to stay busy. During the day he worked in the parts department of the aircraft maintenance facility. At night he worked as a cocktail waiter. "Having two jobs at the same time was already a habit of mine. That’s probably where I first got interested in the food industry."

Another thing you have to credit Maiden for is living in upscale areas. After leaving the Navy at the age of 21, Stretch moved to St. Petersburg, Florida, where he upped the job ante considerably, holding seven different jobs simultaneously. Among his positions were school bus driver, drug store soda jerk, bartender, singer in a dance band and another position as a big band music disc jockey for 550-watt radio station WFTR.

The St. Petersburg experience allowed him to brush shoulders with players from the St. Louis Browns and the New York Yankees, as the teams stayed in hotels located on either side of the Crown Drug Store where he worked. One of his early sports highlights was helping a youngster confined to a wheelchair play catch with Browns shortstop Vern Stephens. Several greats of the time, including Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio frequented the store for milk shakes. "That was a big thing to a 19-year-old," Maiden said.

Maiden is a character and time has done nothing to diminish his candor or his sense of humor. In earlier times, he would be best described as a ‘hale fellow, well met."

A variety of quotes from Maiden on a wide variety of topics include: His basketball career; "I wasn’t that good." On joining a dance band as a piano player in his youth; "I was 18 years old, young and beautiful." On professional basketball; "I’m not interested in pro basketball. Since they stopped calling traveling, I don’t watch." Regarding his early business tendencies; "I used to own a one-stall hand car wash that also had an arcade. Every time we washed a car I paid the kids a quarter and they would put the money back into the pinball machines. I became an entrepreneurial scam artist without meaning to." On the background of his nickname; "I was just given that by a Navy Wave. It was sort of a pet name. Most people think it came from basketball and I let them think that."

Bouncing around after his Navy days, Maiden ran an eight-man dance band that toured Pennsylvania, Virginia and Maryland. He later returned to Front Royal, where he started following the Washington-area professional sports teams, the Senators and the Redskins.

Also during this time, the now 175-pound Stretch ("I was in the Navy for 2 years and I gained 50 pounds") played tight end on a semi-pro football team. During the summer, he was the public address announcer for the local pro softball league that played its games at Bing Crosby Stadium. "I enjoyed announcing more than anything else," Maiden said. "We had games every night during the summer. I sold spots (advertising) and then broadcast them over the p.a. system. People like to hear their name you know."

Eventually the restaurant business summoned Stretch full time and Maiden, who proudly admits to being a recovering alcoholic with 36 years of sobriety, embarked on a career where he would own and operate a total of 12 restaurants. With two different wives, Maiden owned three eateries in Virginia; three in the Los Angeles (in La Canada and Montrose areas); five in Sedona, Arizona and Stretch’s Café at 943 Orange Avenue in Coronado. Two of the Sedona restaurants were high end steak and lobster spots, with full banquet and bar operations.

One of his five stepchildren Vicki Dearing Jones (CHS ’85) now owns Stretch’s Café. The location was originally a yogurt shop named Alice’s Kitchen in 1982, when Stretch came to town. His other stepchildren live in Maine, Kentucky and Arizona.

Maiden now works for his daughter at the café that bears his name. Officially on the books for a 25-hour work week that often lingers well past that level, Maiden is the resident soup chef and makes really good apple butter. "The apple butter, that’s mine and I make it whenever we run out. It’s an extremely simple thing that nobody can do but me. I also go shopping and go to Costco. What most people think is work, I consider play" The cuisine at Stretch’s is primarily vegetarian, but tuna, chicken and turkey chili are all on the menu.

In addition to the café, Maiden still finds time to be the vocalist and conga drum player for the Coronado Community Swing Band. He also is the front man for the San Diego Big Band Music Makers, a group that plays at the Coffee Cart at the Ferry Landing Market Place in Coronado on the first Sunday of every month. Asked about his song repertoire, Maiden said, "I sing several hundred songs, if not a thousand."

But Stretch enjoys following the sports of his youth, football, basketball and baseball. "I love the kids. I’ll latch onto somebody during their junior year and follow them for 2 years," said Maiden of his approach in following the Islanders football fortunes.

A home basketball game a few years back combined two of Stretch’s loves, Islander sports and performing. Public address announcer Mark Blumenthal asked Maiden at the last minute to sing the "Star Spangled Banner" prior to the game. "That was my biggest thrill, singing the National Anthem at a CHS basketball game. I’ll stand by to do it again. I’m always ready in case they need somebody."

Under the stands at Niedermeyer Field, Maiden is the proud owner of three commemorative bricks that he has purchased in support of CHS athletics. One is dedicated to his daughter Vicki and her graduating class of 1985; one is dedicated to the café; and the third says ‘Stretch Maiden, No Class at All.’ "I never miss a chance to show people my bricks," laughed Maiden.

At the conclusion of our interview, which was highlighted by a breakfast of eggs, hash browns and toast with the aforementioned apple butter, Maiden asked about the progress of acquiring artificial turf for Niedermeyer Field. After an update was provided, Maiden added, "I sure would like to see artificial turf at the field. Let me know what I can do to help."

Although Maiden describes himself as both "easily entertained," and "a cheap date," don’t think he attends Islander games just to kill time. He knows his sports.

So the character who sings, plays both the piano and the conga drums, but doesn’t read music very well; is too happy to be sick; and hails originally from the Canoe Capital of Virginia (Front Royal) has come a long way to Coronado. Here’s hoping Stretch Maiden, a character for all sports seasons, is around for many more.