Growing Up in Williamsport, Ohio

Bottom Row L-R: Marvin Rhoades, Jack Picklesimer, Clyde Speakman, Charles Brown, Virgil Anderson and Coach William Alspach. Second Row L-R: Donald Morris, Earl Christopher, James Cochenour, Sam (?) Speakman, David Brown, Ronald O’Conner. Cheerleaders L-R: Glenda Coleman, (?), Rosemary Rihl, Janet Wright.

The New Gym and Sports that I Was Involved In
 
I don’t really remember when the new school gym opened but I believe it was in 1953. Since I was not good at softball, the good news for me was that I was good at basketball. I was tall with long arms, so I was always the center and a guard.
 
In those days, girls could only play half of the basketball court. I was always a guard on the opponents’ side. I passed the ball to Alice Rigsby who was the best forward on the other half of the court. We made a good team.
 
I often played basketball at lunchtime in the new gym with the guys during lunch hour. It is probable that Alice did too. It was a lot rougher than playing with girls. Jack Picklesimer stepped on my big toe and it was purple for weeks. My parents teased me about my purple toe forever because it was purple forever.
 
Alice Rigsby also taught me to play ping pong. The table was in the basement of the school. We were good competitors. Volleyball and badminton were also favorites. Every year we competed in a volleyball tournament at the county wide Play Day event. I went out for track and beat Billy Horch in a race but for some reason Mr. Lanman (the Superintendent, gym teacher and coach) always wanted me to do the long jump. The only thing I ever got out of that was rheumatism in my right knee, a stretched LCL and a torn meniscus in my old age.
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I played basketball, volleyball, badminton and corn hole regularly with my grandchildren Ray, Isaac and Sharon until I was nearly seventy. When I was at my daughter Melissa’s for my birthday a few weeks ago, grandson Isaac asked me (seriously) if I wanted to play basketball with him in their driveway. At the ripe old age of 82, I had to decline. Such is life! I want a do-over.

©Marilyn Francis Ferguson 2020
Photography/graphics by Michele Ferguson Schuck