As high school and college seasons closed, I recalled the Museum’s century format, remembered Don Morrison, and thought to myself, “Self, you lately haven’t written about basketball! I will work backwards.”
’70-‘71 Varsity Girls of Forney High were called “Forney Rabbettes,” coached by Addie Williams, composed of Seniors: Claudia Alexander, Ann Themer, Sadie Watkins, Mona West, Pam Wilson—Juniors: Marion Malone, Shotzie Price, Harriett Walker—Sophomores: Lindy Curry, Sally Reeder. (no record of “honors” or won-lost record)
Varsity Boys were called “Forney Jackrabbits,” coached by Jim Johnson, composed of Seniors: Michael Bannister, Mike Mc-Donald, Freddie Moss, Darrell Penny, Ray Perkerson, Michael Sands, Tommy Tune—Juniors: Dan Chapman, Charlie Choice, Edward Crosby, Ronald Venters, Jon Whittemore, Dennis Yeager. These BI-DISTRICT CHAMPS recorded the following post-season honors: All-District—Freddie Moss, Ray Perkerson, Dennis Yeager…..Hon. Mention—Charlie Choice, Darrell Penny, Ronald Venters.
’69-‘70 Varsity Girls of FHS were called “Forney Rabbettes,” coached by Addie Williams, composed of
Seniors: Jerra Adams, Libby Bannister, Susan Senter—Juniors: Ann Themer, Pam Wilson—Sophomores: Sallie Hatley, Gail Malone, Harriet Walker—Freshman: Mary Whittemore. Post-season honors: All-District—Jerra Adams, Libby Bannister, Susan Senter, Pam Wilson
Varsity Boys of FHS were called “Forney Jackrabbits,” coached by Jim Johnson, composed of Seniors: Sam McDonald, Robert Norwood, Andy Page, Frankie Whittenburg—Juniors: Mack Frazier, Freddy Moss, Darrell Penny, Ray Perkerson, Tommy Tune—Sophomore: Dennis Yeager. Post-season honors: All-District—Dennis Yeager, Sam McDonald, Ray Perkerson…..Hon. Mention—Freddie Moss, Andy Page, Darrell Penny…..Captains—Sam Mc-Donald, Ray Perkerson
’68-‘69 Varsity Girls of FHS were called “Forney Rabbettes,” coached by Dow McGregor, composed of Seniors: Mary Adams, Norma Featherston, Linda Wade—Juniors: Jerra Adams. Libby Bannister, Vicki Walker—Sophomores: Annie Jefferson, Pam Wilson. Post-season honors: All-District—Jerra Adams, Mary Adams, Libby Bannister, Annie Jefferson, Linda Wade, Vicki Walker
Varsity Boys of FHS were called “Forney Jackrabbits,” coached by Jim Johnson, composed of Seniors: Ernest Baptist, Paul Dodson, Eugene Evans, Dwaine Hall, Warren Hatley, Rod Stark, Don Themer—Juniors: Wayne Hall, Alan McCuistion—Sophomore: Ray Perkerson. These DISTRICT RUNNERS-UP recorded the following post-season honors: All-District—Ernest Baptist, Don Themer…..Hon. Mention—Dwaine Hall…..Captains: Ernest Baptist, Don Themer.
LINDA WADE GUNTER: “My best memory is of Coach McGregor and my teammates. Coach taught me how to ignore the racial rhetoric that I sometimes encountered from other teams and to concentrate on the purpose for being at the games. Her words of encouragement helped me become a better basketball player! More importantly, she had the ability to understand my personal challenges and offer words of comfort and advice. Her insight gave me confidence to deal with adversities in life; for that reason, she will always have a special place in my heart.”
WARREN HATLEY: “My memories of FHS basketball are from the ‘65—’69 era. Most of my career was spent with the JV Team, and I remember having to do ‘off-season’ football program work-outs each day before starting the JV basketball practices! We were definitely warmed up for basketball, but more than one teammate complained frequently that lifting weights ‘messed up’ their shooting arms! One teammate was the guy who showed up just on time or a little bit late once and missed the bus to an out-of-town game. (His Dad drove him to Waxahachie, where he did play, and we handed them their first ‘at home gym’ defeat in 10 years!)
We were at a disadvantage against most teams because we were not allowed to start our basketball season until all the football season, including play-off games, was completed! This delay often put us four or more weeks behind other teams who had less success with football! However, Coach Johnson worked diligently to establish a ‘basketball culture’ in that football-dominated era. Midlothian was at that time the ‘basketball giant’ in our District, and Coach Johnson worked really hard to lead us to victory. I recall, under his leadership, we did win the first Basketball Championship in many years! His ‘demands’ included daily work-outs during Christmas vacations and nightly curfews, requiring us to be home at reasonable times.
I recall long bus rides to visit District Foes at Midlothian, Cedar Hill, DeSoto, Lancaster, Ferris. This was way before LBJ Freeway was completed. The bus was ‘loaded’ with three teams—Varsity Boys and Girls and JV Boys for three games on one night (even school nights) with ‘District’ opponents! Basketball practices, when we didn’t play well, often included ‘run ning the (wooden) bleachers’ in the FHS gym to increase our ‘motivation.’ Do you remember one game at Ferris, in their ‘rickety old gym,’ when you made every free throw—maybe 18 or 20? (Themer—I’m not sure it was quite that many without a miss; please assure readers I did not pay you to include this!)
MARY ADAMS WHITEHURST: “Girls’ Basketball in Forney was infused with new life when Dowanna MacGregor was hired in ‘68 as the ‘designated’ Girls’ Basketball Coach. Until that time, one football coach was ‘asked’ to coach the girls’ basketball teams!
Before ‘MacGregor’ (as she wanted to be called), the uniforms we used had been WORN BY OUR MOMS, when they played for FHS! Needless to say, many were threadbare and full of repairs! In addition to new uniforms, Mac-Gregor designed ‘travel outfits’ to wear to ‘away’ games—black A-line skirts and gold jackets with black trim. (Themer—Our girls were ‘classiest’ of the entire area!)
Our new coach instituted, as incentive for better workouts and play, tallying of statistics after games. For players who made the most points, free throws, rebounds, best percentages, etc., an appliqued carrot was awarded and sewed onto the sleeves of the ‘travel outfits.’ After a few games in the new regime had been played, tiny ap pliqued carrots were lined along sleeves of our jackets, prompting other teams, fans, and strangers to ask about their meanings. Especially folks who didn’t ‘put two and two together,’ and who didn’t know we were ‘Jackrabbits,’ thought the idea was cute and appropriate when they heard the ‘story.’ MacGregor’s idea was definitely an attentiongetter that promoted better efforts from players!
The dressing room for ALL GIRLS’ sports and P. E. Classes was located under the gymnasium bleachers. Originally, boys used this area until their new field house dressing rooms were built; then, girls inherited it! After many years of airing out, the odors of dirty socks and sweating bodies remained! It was far from ‘state-of-the-art,’ and the older girl players had earlier named it (even put signs up once) ‘Hernando’s Hide-Away,’ after their coach at the time—Gus Hernandez. Naming it somehow mitigated the ‘less than adequate’ surroundings! ‘It’ was a RITE OF PASSAGE, and dressing with the ‘older girls’ sometimes gave us glimpses into ‘real’ teen-aged life as Darlene Eudy, Judy Duckworth, Janet Hussey, Carolyn Tanner and more entertained us with thoughts and stories and made us forget the pain and strain about to be inflicted upon us UNDER-CLASSMEN! ‘Ah,’ GIRLS’ HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL!”
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