Seventy-one Years Ago--A Red Letter Day

 **Dear Miami Golf and Country club members/readers. I am slowly working my way through the 1980's, 1990's up to 2010 to be posted here and sent to you. In the meantime, I have spent many hours writing in my personal blog "Literally Letty." She is my animated self and also, an historian. This story will also be posted on <https://www.literallyletty.blogspot.com>  If you would like to follow Literally Letty/a.k.a. the Golf Gypsy, please reply to this with a yes, and I will add you to the mailing list. My email for that blog is <letishiawatt@gmail.com> Please add this email to your contacts so the stories will continue to arrive and not go to spam. 

I hope you enjoy this Red Letter Day for NEO in 1953. 

Sunday, November 29, 1953 will go down in Northeastern A&M college's records as one of the most significant dates in the local institution's history. NEO received the Eastern bid to participate in the Junior Rose Bowl football game at Pasadena on December 12. NEO, which came into being as the "School of Mines" back in 1919, has never before basked in the national spotlight. 

NEO Coaches: Dewey Lynch, Head Coach Red Robertson, Bill Smith

The Norsemen, a rugged gridiron squad has overwhelmed nine rivals this season. They are expected to give Bakersfield, California Jr. College a rousing battle. It is hoped that the game will be another smashing triumph for Red Robertson's aggregation.

 November 30, 1953 Three hitchhikers in an automobile near Vinita heard the radio bulletin: "Northeastern A&M will play in the Jr. Rose Bowl!"

The husky trio let out a whoop and asked the driver, a young lady, to please stop at the nearest public telephone. Jim Wilmoth, Darrell Brooks and Jerry Price couldn't wait to reach Miami before calling home--collect, of course--who could blame them. 

The three hitchhikers will be traveling first-class to Pasadena next weekend. All three are members of the powerful Northeastern football team. Wilmoth and Brooks play guard, and Price is a flashy halfback. "We will win. I'm sure of it." Carter declared after receiving the bid.

No one worked harder promoting the team than Homa Thomas, business instructor and sports publicist. 

December 6, 1953

The Miami News Record reports that the entire NEO football team will be going to Pasadena and so are the Norse Stars...the Airforce ROTC band...and others who can pay for the trip.

Dr. Bruce G. Carter, college president stated: We all get to go. We may eat hamburgers instead of "high off the hog," but the important thing is that we won't leave anybody behind." 

$5000 dollars-plus was raised in a whirlwind three-day rally, and still remains short of the $8,00 goal. Countless individuals have contributed to the fund. 

Lahoma Sue Thomas Weese (7th grader) , daughter of Homa Thomas, attended the game along with Barbara Sue Robertson (9th grader), daughter of Coach Red Robertson, Gladys Robertson, Pat Smith, and Lois Thomas. 

This is her memory of that trip Seventy-one years ago.

We began our excursion on Route 66 heading west through Oklahoma, where our eyes saw nothing but roadside gravel.

We spent our first night in Gallup, New Mexico. I only recall the hills were all reddish colored rocks. 

Now up and ready to go, we drove to the Grand Canyon. Here we explored the sights and grandeur of the canyon. We stayed at the oldest hotel, the El Tovar at the Grand Canyon. Here Barbara Sue and I found out that rubbing your feet on the carpet and touching someone or something like a doorknob would produce a spark of electricity. Can you imagine the fun the two of us had with our mothers that morning.

El Tovar Historic Hotel opened in 1905

After breakfast, we were on our way west. We noticed a young man walking down the road carrying a gas can. We stopped and asked if he needed help. He accepted our help, and we drove him to his car down the road. After the young man stepped out of the car and we were back on the road our mothers gave a great sigh of relief. It seems as though we were all a little nervous with a strange man in the car.

We enjoyed the sights along the way, not knowing what an interesting part of history we had seen going through all of the towns and seeing all of the sight along Route 66.

When we arrived in Pasadena each of us went to the places where we would stay.

One night we attended a filming of a TV show “What’s My Line?” It was Mel Blanc that night and after they recognized him, he performed many of the voices we recognized from the cartoons. After that we all walked across the street to the Formosa Café where a lot of the TV personalities would hang out. Barbara Sue and I saw Frank Sinatra, but we were to bashful to ask for his autograph.

The parade kicked off the game day in California. We all attended the parade ….

The game is another story for the record book.

Yes, we really won the game or would have won the game if the referee hadn’t moved the ball back to the one-yard line on our last touchdown. I know everyone says that, but in this case it’s true! They have admitted it.

The Miami News Record reported that Coach Robertson had nothing but praise for his boys. "The breaks went against us, but we were beaten by a really good ball club. I thought we had a victory until that fumble came along late in the third." Robertson was keenly disappointed with his team's failure to score when they had the ball on Bakersfield's three in the final stanza. Robertson said he thought Graham had scored on the dramatic foot-to-go plunge on the fourth down. Players, too, questioned the decision. But two of the five West Coast officials on duty said Graham's head, but not the ball penetrated the end zone. 

For the return trip the boys were sent home on the train. A train car was rented and Dad was the sponsor. It was a noisy trip with only one hitch. There was a 15-minute stop in Las Vegas, Nevada. As you would suspect, all of the boys got off the train car and ran into the station. When the 15 minutes were up, most of them got back on the train. A few were seen running down the tracks trying to catch the train. Dad pulled the emergency chord that stopped the train. I’m sure there were a few words exchanged with the Conductor, but Dad got his boys back on the train and didn’t care.

Kayleen Thomas, Norse Star writes: 

The Norse stars drove in private cars all the way out to Pasadena to be in the Junior Rose Bowl parade and perform at halftime. We wore two different uniforms our Indian one and our white Fringed one with hoops to do a New York rocket type routine.

The city dance teacher Virginia Lee Wilson was the choreographer for the North stars.

Betty Fields, NEO Band member writes: 

All the band marched in the parade--it was a long march, but the weather was warmer than for most football-marches! We also did a band routine at half-time. I think most band members made the long trip, but some people had already made other plans for the holidays. 

Thoughts by Literally Letty: 

Even though I was young, I heard this story of the Norsemen and Norse Stars going to the Junior Rose Bowl. numerous times.  I joined the Norse Star drill team in 1965 in hopes that we, too, would go to the Rose Bowl. NEO played in the Jr. College Rose Bowl in 1953, 1958 both times they were beaten, but never forgotten by their fans in Northeast Oklahoma. 

As lady luck would have it, my husband and I took the opportunity to go to the Rose Bowl, 2003 in which the University of Oklahoma beat Washington State 34-14. For the one and only time in my life we spent the morning in Pasadena watching the Rose Bowl Parade live, sitting immediately under Al Roker in the CBS tower.  It was one of the sports highlights of my life. 

NEO recently honored Homa Thomas for his dedication to the school and the athletes. Homa Thomas Field

1962- 1984 The Dining Room

Jim Tatum, Food and Beverage Manager in the 1960's-1970's

 

 As a young girl growing up at the Miami Country Club, I must admit that I have very few memories of the newly remodeled upstairs dining area, because I was a kid, who ate on the porch area, or enjoyed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or a baloney sandwich on days when I worked till 2:00. What I do remember are all of the trips I made upstairs from the golf shop to grab a glass of fresh brewed "Iced Tea," still my favorite morning drink to this day.

Just as many trips were made to talk with the secretary. I recall the first secretary's last name was Hatfield, no relation to Bill and Evelyn. I seem to recall that she was related to Bill Carter or perhaps LaRue Gaines' mother. After Mrs. Hatfield left the Board of Directors hired Juanita Edgar. She smoked a very long cigarette and always made me laugh with a story.  She and I could confide in each other about the personalities of the members. She attempted to show me how to keep the books and be a good secretary, but I had no interest in learning that field.

On occasions I could walk in the upstairs bar and talk with Fred Gallagher, the bartender and Frankie, who was our all around best waitress. Fred and my father became best of friends during the 1960's. Fred's death on the operating table was a terrible shock to my parents and the club members.  Frankie later married Bob Klein. I had an opportunity to chat with her a decade ago, but sadly I have no notes, only fond memories. 

 

Luckily many of you have sent me memories of the importance of the dining room at the country club. Thank you.

Randy James wrote:  The clubhouse always seemed to big to me and I loved the cheeseburgers.

 Barbara Smith shared how much they loved eating Sunday after church as the Country club. I liked to look out over the golf course as we dined. Besides Sunday lunches, there were midweek ladies meetings, special events--dinners and dances--my husband and his golf clubs. Plus my speech team banquets, also in the very old two story original building! I loved playing cards by the hour, special "afternoon tea" events, etc.

Willie really liked the golf tournaments, a great group of men bonding over their golf clubs out on the course while wives were having their own special events. Such great memories! Today's Miami citizens are missing something special.  I am glad we were able to enjoy those days.

Dana Painter Meyer shared these memories: The dining room of the old club house was very special. I may be wrong, but I think the best burgers I have ever eaten were from there. During grade school, Linda Wickham and I would go have lunch there about once a month, as Rockdale School (which was new at the time) was just a few blocks away. It made us feel so special and grown up. We dined in the main dining room with all the business men and women golfers before their afternoon bridge games. Sometime later, or perhaps when we had been swimming, the kids were banished to the side porch, however, the burgers were just as good.  

Bill Oliver wrote:  My memory of the MCC is the Christmas Dance at the old country club building.  Would have been the Virginia Lee Dance Class.  So would have been in the 7^th grade.  May have all the date/event wrong.  Best I can remember it was a gala affair with spectacular decorations, so assume it was Christmas. 

(My guess is the late 1950's when we performed for the Christmas dance. I believe other groups of her dancers entertained through out the early 1960's.)

I followed this memory by Bill Oliver with times when C.Ann Richards sang for various ladies groups who met at the club. This would have been between 1960-65.

 Grand Opening of the Dining Room This link will take you to the story of the 1962-63 remodeling of the entire upstairs to the country club. *Thanks to the Dobson Museum for sharing their Orick Sparlin collection.

 Facebook responses to memories of the dining room:

Mark Stewart: Sunday lunch was the best. 

Mandy Michelle Cousins: Sunday lunch was the best. Friend chicken, mashed potatoes and green beans. My mom made us put on church clothes to go eat even though we hadn't been to church. I had to cut the chicken off the bone with my knife, couldn't use my hands.  Manners were important. I also remember the creaky floor and the huge floor furnace. 

I also remember how sore the old pool made your toes after swimming all day. It was the rough concrete. 

Heather Davis: I remember Friday and Saturday nights in the lobby of the bar, watching TV on the couch while we were waiting on our parents who were having a good time.  

Neva DaVee Barker: I remember the first nine, lunch and then the second nine.  Fun times. 

Kenna Harkins: I remember sitting at the bar drinking a Shirley Temple while my dad played cards!  Many, many memories there. 

Aliesha Willard Bright: I remember going to lunch over there during school. The best cold salads, ever. 

Carolyn Cook Sweeney: My first date with my now husband of 48 years was dinner and drinks there with some of his friends. Great times.

Karen Walters Chapel: Love that place! I remember hanging out, playing cars, and eating snacks. 

Bill Newman: I remember so many things about the old clubhouse. Sunday after church going to the Club, walking up those stairs, going through the line at the smörgåsbord, huge beef.  The chef dressed in his whites with his big chef hat. I watched him carve the meat and then adding the broth, then walking across the creaky wooden floors to our table.  I especially remember golf lessons by Johnie Stapp.  The swimming pool was always so much fun and the boys locker room. Well we won't go there. 

+Personal note: I remember vividly how hard it was to play hole No 9 or No. 18 when the course became an 18 hole course, because as we walked toward the clubhouse, there would always be someone in the bar looking down and watching.  Most often if we made a putt or a good shot people tapped vigorously on the windows to cheer for you. If we didn't play the hole well they might laugh or shake their heads in sorrow or disgust. I personally thought it was a lot of pressure on me to perform well. 

Bill Newman: I thought it was cool coming into 9 green late in the evening knowing full well the whole bar was watching the whole thing!!!!  AS for the boys locker room, yes there was a pull cart storage in the entrance. There may have been a Playboy or two storied in more than one locker.  I didn't know what man cave was back then, but now I know!!!

Susie Goettel--Barnett: Since we lived across the street, quite often we had golfers knock on our door. They always said the same thing, "Pepper stole my golf ball!" Pepper was our dog.  

Katrina White Graydon: Johnie Stapp and MGCC were so important to my family. My Daddy, Al White, loved the game. He and my Uncle G.R. taught me the game by sawing off a wooden putter, then playing holes 1 and  over to 3 green on the south side of the creek. I still have the putter and all of the great memories. Gretchen and I played in the Jr. Golf league where one of our mother's would walk the 9 holes with us, teaching the game and the etiquette. They kept score, too. My mother, Hattie White, loved the game and shared that love with Al all of their lives. 

Playing in the swimming pool was wonderful and acted like a baby-sitter for our parents when they could slip away for a game of golf. Pure joy and happy memories of a free, carefree childhood. It is heartwarming to see so many familiar names. It's Billy JOE Newman to me.  Good luck with the history, Letty. 

Jim and Holli Eppler shared: "Had a job there playing the piano/dinner music, Friday and Saturday evenings during my 2nd semester year at NEO in 1965. If I remember correctly, it paid 2 bucks an hour, which was double what I made at Millner-Berkey delivering furniture. 

Joyce Rutter recalls the many times she and her bridge group met in the ladies club room on the North side. She played bridge once a week with Linda Elmburg, Barbara Robinson, Sarah Mirjanich and several other dedicated ladies. They thoroughly enjoyed their bridge club afternoons.

One time time she remembered when a giant black snake crawled up the building somehow and slithered across the outside windowsill overlooking the swimming pool. After the ladies quit screaming and calmed down they called "Johnie" to get the snake. Dad did not kill it and very carefully used a ladder and saved the snake and the women. He liked to have the snakes around to kill the mice in the cart storage area. (Mice could eat the wires on the golf carts.)

**I remember the various groups of lady bridge players, who spent hours smoking cigarettes and finishing off tasty drinks in the afternoons while the kids went swimming.

1968 November 27 "Mineliyis Plan Christmas Party"

Members of the Mineliyis Child Study club will have their husbands as guests at a Christmas dinner party at the Miami Country club at 7 p.m. December 13. Plans for the holiday event were made during a recent meeting at the home of Mrs. David Shelton, 2328 A. N.E. The women also planned to deliver a food basket to an underprivileged family at Christmastime.

Mrs. Robert Hunt, vice present, who conducted the meeting, led devotions appropriate to the Thanksgiving season and a round table discussion on the theme "Children and Sharing." Refreshments were served by Mrs. Shelton and her co-hostess Mrs. Delmer Pugh.

** This is a common occurrence for ladies clubs, sororities, professional clubs, homemaking clubs, high school and college teams, to celebrate a meal for various holidays and occasions at the Miami Golf and Country Club.