Sports
Don Craig is "Exhibit A" when presenting the case that "old guys rule." At 70, he's still ripping San Onofre, Church, and Trestles on a regular basis. Though he's only lived in San Clemente for the last 30 years, he's been a fixture in its lineups since the 1950s. Back then his strike missions were family affairs. HIs dad would pile the family in their camper van and head down the coast from their home in Hermosa Beach almost every weekend. Don grew up in LA's South Bay when it was the epicenter of the fledgling surf industry. His father, Doug, started surfing the same area during the depression. Don's silky style made him a hot commodity in those competitive days, when guys like Dale Velzy, Hap Jacobs, Bing Copeland and Dewey Weber were lighting the industry on fire.Sixty years later, Don's caught a lot of waves both in the water and out. He's spent his entire career in the surf industry, helping launch companies like Quiksilver, Rip Curl and Instinct before becoming one of the most celebrated Southern California reps around. About twenty years ago, on a whim, Craig honored his father and his father's buddies by getting some stickers and T-shirts made that said, "Old Guys Rule." They were such a hit, he trademarked the phrase, and today his side hustle has become his annuity plan. Former Surfer magazine editor, Chris Mauro, the host of People Who Surf, sat down with Don to talk about his incredible six-decade journey. The result was a fun backstage pass to California surf history.