It was the kind of place popularized in old-timey cop shows where the police went down to the docks to rouse and arrest the bad guys. Once known as a seedy harbor town, the city's reputation was transformed in enormous ways following the first runnings of the Long Beach Grand Prix, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this weekend.
Before it became a crown jewel among Southern California's sporting events, the grand prix's most prolific performer remembers the seaside venue for all it wasn't.
"I can tell you this, it was not a destination by any means," the legendary Mario Andretti told ESPN.