Page 29 - some-stuff-i-wrote-and-some-stuff-i-didn't-(2011)-h-morris-williams

Some Stuff I Wrote and Some Stuff I Didn't (2011) H. Morris Williams

COLUMN MAY 20,2007

MARILYN & DOT’S 1942 CUBAN TRTP

CHS students Marilyn Bevan Hicks and Dot Mikell Gould (Both CHS
1942), two high school track stars, were given an amazing opportunity when
they were just 17 years old. They traveled to Cuba as a part of the Florida
pre-Olympics track team.

I asked Marilyn to recount her memories of that trip. This is what she wrote.

“I had this unique experience when I was in high school. My CHS track
teammate, Dot Mikell, and I were chosen to go to Havana, Cuba, with the
pre-Olympics Florida track team.

Our CHS coaches, Hobe Hooser and Mike Buie made all our arrangements
and drove us to Jacksonville for the try-outs and eventual send-off. A
Jacksonville chaperone accompanied us.

Here are some of the things I remember: hard bread, chicken with yellow

rice, and fried green bananas—at least they looked like bananas to me.

For entertainment we were taken to a nightclub one evening, a Bolita
drawing another day, and then to a banquet at a sugar plantation where we
were given the grand tour.

They also took us to see a cockfight and that is a bad memory I will never
forget.

About the track meet, our team won the relay which I ran in and Dot won the
high jump but I’m afraid Florida didn’t win the meet. Still, it was a grand
experience in every way for a couple of small town girls from Lake City.”

SCORING MACHINE

CPA and realtor Audrey Stormant Bullard graduated from White Springs
High School and played basketball there. She was pretty dam good, too.

In her senior season, she scored more than 50 points in two games and more
than 40 points in two others.

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