Softball Beginnings

I was the only girl in my family and I was stuck playing "boy" games with my two brothers. My Dad treated us as equals and at an early age, I learned how to play baseball with my brothers. My Dad practiced hitting, running, and catching with us and soon, I was as good as my brothers. I started playing softball with the girls at the Adams Little league Field playground when I was in the third grade. I was one of the smallest and youngest girls but, for my age, I was not half bad. My friend Bev and I would practice with the team and play games against other towns. It was always fun to play against the girls from Cheshire. It was a great rivalry becuase they were from the next town south of Adams.

I played softball on an Adams recreational league team until I was a junior in high school. It wasn't cool for girls to do this in the early 60's and less athletic girls always made fun of us. We didn't have regular high school leagues like the boys and it was difficult for girls who liked to play. I played on a high school "round robin" team...we had certain days after school when a couple of other high school teams would come and play shortened games. It wasn't really as much fun as "official" league games and the rules were bent slightly. But in the summer, the Adams playground teams either played each other or we played teams from Pittsfield, North Adams, Cheshire, etc.

I always wanted to play Little League and Babe Ruth baseball but girls were not allowed. It was very hard to watch my brothers do something that I could not. Discrimination was not fun and I definitely felt it.

More about elementary school

In the 50's and 60's, the teachers were scary. They yelled and pulled you aside quickly to make known what you did wrong. One of the scariest was Miss Holleran....1st grade. Her personality reflected her name...she was quick and sharp and she raised her voice a lot. Miss Holleran loved spelling bees. She would make us line up along the walls and spell. If we missed the word she gave us, it was sit-down time. We played until the very end...only one person standing. Sometimes it was me...I was a pretty good speller.

Miss McGrath was another scary teacher...she teased her hair and colored it brown to hide the fact that it was becoming gray. She became Principal when I was a 3rd grader and I had her for half of the day when I was a fourth grader. She wasn't a bad teacher but she was famous for being loud and scary. She taught mornings while Miss Brodeur taught afternoons. I liked Miss Brodeur better. She was young, pretty, and nice.

Bald Eagle was my 6th grade teacher. Some day I will remember her real name, but it escapes me at the moment. She was tall and had gray hair that she combed up to cover the bald spot on the top of her head. It was a sad fact that she was not well-liked and the class as a whole made fun of her. Poor Bald Eagle.

Elementary School

In the 60's, it was still the norm to have female teachers and my school was no exception. Mrs. Beaudin, Miss Holleran, Mrs. McGrath were just a few. Mr. Baker, the lone male teacher for the 5th grade class, was one of my favorites. I admired the way he tried to sing...he really had no talent but he tried so hard. He taught us the colonial ditty, "My Hat...It had Three Corners", a reference to the tricorn chapeau worn by men in the glory days of the 13 colonies. I still remember the tune and how we did the hand movements to go along with the words!

Mrs. Hakes was the music teacher for all 5 elementary schools and she was the director of the infamous "4th Grade Concert". The concert was composed of the best singers from all of the elementary schools. Now, singing has never been one of my talents. I do not know how I was chosen; I do remember being terrified of auditioning in front of Mrs. Hakes. She alone chose the students who were to participate. To this day, I remember being in the alto portion of the group, singing patriotic songs such as "You're a Grand Old Flag!" in the 4th grade concert.