Learning Basketball

February in Tennessee is always the season for high school basketball tournaments.   These tournaments provide entertainment during an otherwise drab month of chilly weather and few sporting events.  In Hancock County basketball was the only sport played in school by boys and girls in the 1960's.

In 1960 girls basketball was played three-on-three half court. A line across the middle of the court divided the players into three guards and three forwards and determined the way the game would be played.  A foul would be called if any player crossed this line during play. 

I was in the seventh grade and very focused on being a majorette.  My goal was to eventually become a majorette for the UT football team.  The problem was I had no way to learn majorette skills because no one in my isolated East Tennessee mountain county taught it.  I had to learn from televised half time shows of UT football games, and Cas Walkers’ Variety Show where occasionally Knoxville twirling schools showcased their best students. My learning was random at best, but at age 12, if I could imagine it, I could do it. 

One day, Mr. Hubert Greene, the girl’s coach and my 6,7,8 grade teacher, came to me at 10:30 recess to ask if I would like to be on the girls’ basketball team for our three room school. I was shocked because I had no basketball skills and I wasn’t interested in basketball.  I couldn’t dribble, catch or shoot a basketball.  I really wasn’t sure about the rules either because my focus was twirling.

Mr. Hubert Greene was a stern man and I was scared of him so when he asked I said, ‘sure’, not really knowing why I had. I was the only person in 7^th grade that was not on the basketball team. He immediately started a 10:30 recess training drill to teach me what I would need to know in order to start the season in October.  By the start of the season I had learned to catch a basketball, dribble while standing still and dribbling while walking IF no one was near me. I also had learned most of the rules. Mr. Hubert Greene said I would play guard and mostly sit on the bench. 

The season started with me on the bench, still learning rules and trying to act like a member of the team.  We were a strong team this season and we came into the February tournament with me only having played in three games, during the last three minutes of the game; but I had learned a lot, and now I enjoyed the game of basketball.  I also liked being on a celebrity team which got the number one slot in the tournament. The way I figured it, I had it made because I would never be used for the tournament. I would just enjoy the wins from the bench. 

We came to the last game of the tournament with only one loss. All we had to do for the trophy was to win the last game.  This last game was sailing along fine at half time with a 20 point lead. Mr. Hubert Greene came to me at half time and said, “If we keep doing this well, I’ll put you in near the end of the game.”  WHAT! I panicked. What would I do??? 

 

Quickly I figured out a strategy. First, I would pray that we would lose our lead; next, if I had to go in I would do all I could to distract the other team players; thirdly, I would hide behind taller players because I wouldn’t be thrown the ball if I could not be seen; and fourthly, I would use any skill I had to just survive.  A time out was called in the last three minutes of the game and Mr. Hubert Greene pointed at me from the other end of the bench and said, “Patsy get in there and do something; don’t let them get off a shot.” In I went, giving all I had.  I really don’t remember what I did except that I used every twirling technique I could remember. I jumped; I yelled; I threw the imaginary baton in the air and behind my back, and I was all over the court.  In my head I was on the football field doing my best majorette performance ever. The whistle blew and we won by 15 points.  The fans rushed on the court and I receded into the background. This was not my win. I had totally exhausted myself in three minutes. Other team members deserved the credit. I was just thankful to have survived. 

As things calmed down, we began our walk to the dressing room to change clothes.  I was walking alone until I heard familiar footsteps coming from behind. The last person I wanted to encounter was Mr. Hubert Greene, but there he was beside me.  Finally he said, “Not bad!”  That’s all he said before he took a long pause.  Then he finished with, “Yep, not bad.  You reminded me of a windmill in a bad windstorm,” then he walked away.

I retired from basketball at the end of the 8^th grade and I suppose I should tell you I never became a majorette for UT. However, I do have Mr. Hubert Greene to thank for teaching me my first lesson on survival in a high pressure situation.

 

The Transition From Winter to Spring

At our house winter was spent with Mama and Aunt Ruby totally occupied with quilt making.  The process actually began before Christmas when they decided how many quilts tops they would make during the upcoming winter season and what patterns would be featured in these quilts.  By January they were hard at work cutting, sewing pieces together and arguing about who was the best seamstress. 

Aunt Ruby was not the perfectionist that Mama was.  From her perspective, few things in life required precision; if you could make it work in some sort of way, it was good enough; end of story.  According to Mama, Ruby’s stitches were crooked; her seams did not join as they were supposed to and she was ‘sloppy with her work’ from beginning to end. The arguments never ended with any type of resolution.  Mama fussed and gave orders; Aunt Ruby carried on with her sewing.

By February they were rushing to get their quilt work done because Spring was coming and a new focus was about to unfold.  On the cold wintery days of February they did their quilt work, but on those few warm days that occurred in February they turned their attention to getting the sweet onion bulbs in the ground that had been prepared for them in the fall.  If they got these bulbs in the ground in February they would have fresh green onions to go with their lettuce in May. The only quilting I remember them doing in March was adding some finishing touches to quilts that had been done in January and February.

The winter months on our farm also led to preserved foods rather than fresh foods.  We ate pinto beans, Irish potatoes, side meat and ham from the smoke house, and homemade hominy. We grew our own corn for the hominy.  This corn, brand named Hickory Cane, was white with larger kernels than the corn used to make our corn meal. Hominy often cooked slowly on the stove while Mama and Aunt Ruby quilted. It took at least two days to get the hominy ready to eat since one day was devoted to a ‘lye soak’ to soften the large kernels.  On the second day, after a very thorough washing off of the lye solution, the soft kernels simmered to a delicate state just perfect for consumption. Often canned mustard or turnip greens were added to the meal. Of course, a pan of fresh cornbread completed this special meal.

By March Mama’s and Aunt Ruby’s focus turned to lettuce beds, hunting for fresh creasy greens and watching the onions sprout. This was a season of sweet anticipation focused on gardening and planting; however, as cold days came and went less frequently, they were eager to get outside to begin a new season. 

As always farm life revolved around seasonal changes.  These seasonal changes were my connection to a larger universe and what I needed to learn about survival on our planet. Sometimes I think our modern lifestyle of shopping and sport events has lost touch with this connection.