Sports

Our basketball team didn't do well, when I was in the seventh grade. We didn't have a gym at school, our games were at the church. There was a hoop set up in an empty back room, where the bucket of water and dipper was. The space didn't allow any moving around. In the final game of the tournament, played at the Lyman church, we beat Archer. They didn't think we had a chance. They had a large group of girls in the eighth grade to pick from and we had four girls in the eighth and used two from the seventh.

Girls were considered frail and we weren’t allowed to run from one end of the court to the other. The floor was divided into thirds, two guards, two forwards and two centers. Only the forwards, could shoot baskets. I played guard and I played my heart out. We were the champions. I was chosen on the all star team, as guard and received a small gold basketball to wear on a chain.

This ended my basketball career. We rode the bus to school and practices and games were after school and we didn't have any way home after either.

I was pitcher for the boy’s baseball team. Only 4 boys were in the eighth grade. We had to wear dresses. My mother had to patch the shoulder of all my dresses. I would stretch out to pitch and the seam would pop. We played other schools. When we played Burton I struck out nine consecutive batters but when we played Archer I didn’t last the first inning, I could throw a perfect strike and they could hit it. It was fun to get out of school and ride to the games with the boys. Alta Clark was the first baseman.

Each spring a district track meet was held. We practiced for several weeks and had tryouts to see who was fastest in each race, broad jump and shot baskets. The year I was in the Seventh grade I placed second in the district for total points. Laurene Ricks placed first. She ran in all the third , fourth and fifth grade races and I could only run in seventh and eighth grade races.

NO WONDER WE HAVE SO MANY ATHLETES IN THE FAMILY!  Jill