1950—2010 THE
SWIMMING POOL
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Jonya, Dad, Letty, and Marie Stephenson eating ice cream during 4th of July with the swimming pool in the background.
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Melinda Wilson Watterson Thiesing
I grew up swimming in that pool in the late 1940’s and 50’s. I swam a lot and took lessons every summer. I always felt confident in my ability to swim and dive well. My two daughters, Melissa and Juli, were lifeguards and managed the pool during high school and college. They were also excellent swimmers and taught classes for little children.
James Taylor--1957
During the summer of 1957
some of my friends and I would sneak into the swimming pool and swim at night
buck naked. Dad was a member, and I didn't have to sneak in, but the pool was
closed and none of my buddies’ fathers were members, so I snuck in with them to
be with them. We were seen from the veranda, and someone had complained to
Johnie. One night when we snuck in, we were raising cane and I was diving off
that little wooden board buck naked springing up and down when suddenly there
was a snub nosed 32 in my ribs and a rough voice saying, "What are you
doing here?"
Scared me to death, when I
finally gathered myself, I could see Johnie laughing and he told us to get.
That's all it took, and I never did that again. That is the only time I recall
of anyone holding a gun on me, but I still think many of the country club women
were disappointed when our swimming ended as we all were fairly physically
fit.
Bob Hill—1957
Kids often went swimming in
the pool after the club closed, when there was no fence around the pool. Of
course, they were skinny dipping. Eventually, the club put a fence around the
pool and lock on the gate to keep the kids out, but as Mary VanBeber explained
in a personal comment to me (Letty Stapp Watt 2020) it was really some of the
adults who went skinny dipping and drinking past midnight on those hot summer
nights. The kids (Phyllis Proper, Patty Lou Gibson, Bob Hill, Joe Thompson),
however, were blamed for the police calls by neighbors who reported the noise.
Bill Erwin 1959
One night in 1959 some of my friends and I were not really
thinking on a straight line when we decided around midnight, we were going
swimming at the club pool. Gene Tucker stripped down to his beds and was
bouncing on the diving board when Mike Cherry discovered there was no water in
the pool. Could have been a really big bad mistake.
Roger McCollum 1959
Roger McCollum
shares a painful story of swimming at the old pool at the country club:
One day when my mom was playing in a Women's club event left me at the swimming
pool for the day. I fell asleep on the hard concrete after some swimming and
woke hours later. The next morning when I awoke my entire back was blistered.
It was pretty painful, and I recall that it took 5-7 days before I could move
without pain.
Letty Stapp (Watt) 1955
At age seven, I could dog paddle in the water. I thought I could swim. Mother had drawn an imaginary line as to how far I could swim into the deep side of the pool. There were water pipes that matched up on both side that created a line that I could NOT cross or I would be pulled out of the pool. One day I saw my babysitter, Mary Ann Horner, playing in the deep end with her friends. I wanted her attention, so I grabbed hold of the drainage edge on the lifeguard's side of the pool and pulled myself out into the deep water. I let go of the edge of the pool to scream at Mary Ann and promptly sunk to the bottom. No one could see me. When I came up for air I once again screamed at Mary Ann. Rather than taking in air I swallowed water and sunk to the bottom of the pool. I vividly recall touching bottom because it was scratchy. That is what scared me. When I came up for air, I tried to grab hold of the side and luckily someone saw me struggling. The lifeguard pulled me out and began hitting me on the back until I coughed up the water.
The very next summer Mother enrolled me in swimming lessons at the public pool. I loved that pool and the lessons. My favorite teacher was Jack Schofield. I took lessons over the years, but never took my life guard test because I didn't want to be a life-guard.
John (Jody) Mayer 1961-62
Jody retells his
adventures with his two best friends John Carter, and Charlie Dawson, who was a
avid golfer like his mother, Florence.
Charlie Dawson, John Carter and I were classmates in the MHS
class of 1963. Charlie and John were fortunate enough to attend the WORLD’S
FAIR in Seattle in the summer of 1962. As I remember, it was a ‘road trip’ for
them. That was a big deal back in the sixties.
But I digress. My
point is that Charlie was the official Lifeguard at the Miami Country club that
summer. Seems like he was the year before, also. I substituted for Charlie
that summer of 1962 while he and John were traveling. Unfortunately, I can’t offer any photos. I do
remember sort of fallin’ for Randy Weirs, a girl a year younger than me. I kind
of think she was Charlie’s girlfriend when he moved away. John and Charlie have
been lifelong friends. Sad to say that Charlie died from ALS a few years ago.
Ann
Habeger
1965
I've been reading your wonderful accounts of the Country Club and sending them
to my brother Chuck, who has also enjoyed them. I can't remember much,
but here's what I do remember.
Vicki
Newell and I practically lived at the pool, from opening time until
mid-afternoon. Mom would give me 15 cents to buy a candy bar and a Dr.
Pepper. At 2:00 or so, Vicki and I would walk to her house and watch the
soap opera Days of Our Lives. If Opal was out, Vicki would make us
cinnamon toast, which for some reason was a no-no. When Opal returned,
she'd always check to see if the toaster was warm (and we'd be caught!)
Lynn
Schwertfeger and I had a trick dive, we called the double dive. We'd both be on
the diving board, and I'd go off first with Lynn right behind me. She
would catch my ankles midair, and we'd enter the water as one continuous
diver. I don't know how she did that. She was always fearless.
Joe Thompson (very cute and a couple of years older) was the lifeguard one
summer. All the girls would sit around his chair for hours, flirting with
him.
One morning when we were at the pool, a dog with rabies was running
loose. The police came and shot it.
Mr.
Newell would always have a big barbecue on July 4. The Country Club put
on a wonderful fireworks display. They staged it from the green area
at hole #eight. People drove in from all over town. After the display,
Vicki and I would walk to her house for the barbecue, with traffic bumper to
bumper leaving the event.
Lynn, Gale Longacre, and Vicki all had horses and would ride together.
After Lynn’s family moved to Rockdale, she would be at the pool all day as
well. Betty, her mom, would always come for a while.
I think Sally Ulmer must have arrived around our sophomore or junior
year. Sally and Lynn got summer jobs life-guarding at the small pools at
the parks during the summer before their senior year.
Barbara Bomford (Newman) remembers playing Marco Polo (or what my friends called Blind Man's Bluff). We could play games around the pool all afternoon. It was a special time for all of us.
George Haralson from L To R:George, Carol, Scotty, Gayle, and ?
The picture shows the children of John G.
Haralson family: George, Carol, Scotty, Gail and her friend. Our father John
Haralson was a lifelong member of the Miami Country club. Miami Ready Mix
Concrete located on the north end of the truck route (D street N.E.) was owned
by my father. My father loved to play golf. We lived in five houses on
Yale Street, all just south of the east side of the country club.
My father
would chip on to the 8th green then play a round of golf with Neil
Norton, Dr. Frank Alquist and other club members who lived in Rockdale
addition.I know that they
all enjoyed playing golf together and they all seemed to enjoy spending time
together in the club lounge, back in the days when Oklahoma had draconian
liquor laws.
John Prewitt—1968-76
I remember the late Bob Paine throwing me and other younger
kids around in the pool as well as golf lesson for your Dad and playing junior
golf at the club.
Reply: Keith
Holmes—That swim was after we ate one of those good hamburgers served for
lunch in the clubhouse.
John Prewitt—Tab and zero candy bars were a treat
when we were there.
Debbie Hankins Pollard mid 1960’s
I have a permanent scare under my chin from jumping on the
diving board and falling off but hitting the old wooden diving board on the way
down. They had to find my Dad on the golf course so that he could take me to
the emergency room for stitches.
Kathy Graham Kennedy mid 1960’s
I remember swimming one day while my parents play golf. The
tornado sirens blared as the tornado was sighted. We could all see it and
lifeguards rushed everyone to safety. I was so worried about my parents.
Gary W. Neel (60’s) I thought it was such a
large pool when I was a young kid.
Vicki Martin Reynolds (late 50’s early 60’s)
We swam there in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. Lovely
pool where we had fun with lots of our friends.
Bobby Wilson late 60’s
I swam at the pool every day when it was open. My parents
played golf and often stayed for dinner and drinks. I must have been an ornery
kid. I frequently was told to get out of the pool for my behavior and report to
your dad. Eventually Johnie decided to do something about my behavior. One day
he walked by the pool with a golf club and basket of golf balls. He stepped in
the pool area and called for me before I was even in trouble that day.
We walked out to the driving range, which was on the west side
of the pool and driveway. He handed me a club and began teaching me how to play
golf. From then on, I spent my days between the driving range, putting green,
and swimming. I don’t think I got in
trouble much after that and I greatly appreciated your dad teaching me how to
play golf.
Rebecca Russell, August 1969
My brother, Wes Wilson, was a lifeguard one summer. I
substituted for him one night. Waiting for closing time and no one there but
me, I was prancing around the pool, jumped over the ladder, landed wrong and
sprained my ankle so bad that I still have issues with it to this day! That was August 1969. I started college with
a giant ace bandage on that ankle.
Dana Painter 1970-72
Although I was a regular…in the baby end at
this time, I don’t remember it without a fence.
My sister, Gail, was a lifeguard there around 1970-72.
Rebecca Mirjanich 1972-1973
When I was a lifeguard I recall having to paint the pool before it opened that year. David Robinson who was in charge of the pool gave us buckets of paint and put us to work. It was difficult because the bottom was not smooth and during the two days of work my feet got terribly sunburned. Overall, fun times, I loved that job.
Jonya Stapp 1970's
I remember how much fun it was to swim in the summer. What I recall the most is coming back in the summers between college classes and seeing a little kids play in the shallow end of the pool.
In particular, I remember a little Lori Lillard, and how adorable she was.
Sunny Peacock Carron
My little brother used to drive the riding lawnmower to the
club and swim and play golf.!!!! That is until our grandmother found out he was
doing that, maybe instead of mowing.
Ann Heyburn Guilford
Oh, the memories! Every summer day for years! I may have a
picture or two.
Kieran Reavis Major
I was a lifeguard part of 1975, then, ’76, ’77, ’78. I loved
preparing the pool for the day and visiting with Betty Schwertfeger, who would
come to swim for adult free swim before the pool opened. She was an
interesting, funny and wise woman. We had the best conversations and laughed
together like old friends. She told about an FBI agent who was absolutely adorable but not as cute
as her Vern. She adored her husband. I learned about the great Henry Iba
basketball tradition from Betty’s stories of their days at OSU.
One summer we had unexpected algae bloom due to a rainier
than usual season and had to empty then scrub the pool. Green slimy mess.
The children were so sweet. I can still see four-year-old
Nancy Rapp swimming towards my arms smiling underwater. She was fearless and
would swim across the pool and back. Precious little girl.
When the pool was quiet, the adults were always fun to
watch. One of my favorite memories was seeing the ever-gorgeous Ellen Robinson
swan in the club one early evening, dressed in a beautiful creamy white pant
suit, dark sunglasses, blonde hair. She looked like a movie star.
Three of my favorite teenagers were Sally and Chrissie Neal
and Ann Fullerton.
Mrs. Couch would bring her adorable little girls—Gretchen,
Rachel, and Kirsten. They loved to swim at the pool and then have lunch
together.
Precious times and so many nice memories of so many sweet
families.
Letty's reply: Kieran, you have given a full summer of
memories to share. I, too, loved Betty Schwertfeger. I can still hear Betty’s
laughter from the pool to the golf shop. I greatly admired her inner beauty. It
didn’t bother her one bit to adorn a bathing suit and swim. Many of the women
would not go to the pool because they didn’t like how they looked in a swim
suit, or wear shorts and summer top. So
sad for them and their kids.
Kieran’s reply: I am remembering her laugh! A truly modern lady. I hope she knew what a good influence she was for us.
Vicki Ammerman Campbell
I was a substitute lifeguard in 1973-75. They still had the
lifeguard chair, but we would sit lower and talk to the kids. Lots of Marco
Polo was played and flips from the diving board. The club served a free meal to
the lifeguard and delivered it to your chair. Prior to that I spent my
childhood swimming in that pool and my teen years tanning with baby oil and
iodine.
Donald J. Wilson late 1970's
I learned to swim at the country club pool in the late
1970’s. The original pool (before the fire) was closer to the club making for
an easier barefoot trek to the Pro Shop for provisions (usually a Coke and
Three Musketeers charged to the Wilson account). Good memories at both
pools.
Karen Crow 1978
My husband dove of the board and scraped his face on the
bottom of the pool, 1978. My favorite lifeguard is Chloe Patterson Mullens.
Jennie Glasman Butterfield 1980's
My grandparents lived on Elm Street and we had a path where
we cut through the rough on the golf course when we went to the swimming pool a
the club. We were also dropped off or rode our bikes around to the club. We
spent every day there after junior golf until I was old enough to work there. I
was little when the original clubhouse burned, but I remember watching it from
across the street, as my dad was a fireman, and we were members already. That
building was beautiful.
We always “charged” our snacks to our member number, someone
would bring us sandwiches and on lucky days we’d go to the dining room and get
something special.
The bottom of the pool always left sores until our feet got
used to them. We played all the games and did things every day of the summer.
We were true pool rats. This place was a huge part of our childhood in the
summer. I later went on to teach swim lessons and lifeguard at MGCC until I
went to college.
My parents are Mike and Debbie Glasman, and my grandparents
were John and Betty Finley. I think
“charge it” were my brother’s first words.
It was the best childhood!!!
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Picture posted by Jennie Glasman Butterfield of “Jennie
Glasman and Kaci Lewis” |
Kieran: I remember sleeping at your house and having French Toast
for breakfast! It was so yummy. It’s
crazy how certain memories etch such a solid spot in our hearts.
I swear I ate Slim Jim’s like they were the last thing I’d
ever eat.
Kenna Harkins—My favorite lifeguard was Chip!
Many a summer day I spent at that pool while my mom worked her fingers to the
bone to pay the bills.
Claude Honeycutt—I used to swim in the crik
when I was younger.
Debbie Lee Graves
I swam there during my junior high/high school year of
1969-1973. I have such fond memories of the pool and the club. We lived right
off of Elm behind the Burford home (president of Security Bank). I climbed the
fence at the creek on #2 and walked up the course cutting through the rough on
#1. I still remember our “charge”
number. And I had the best tan. I used a lot of zinc oxide on my nose.
1990’s
Benjamin Brady
I lived at that pool open to close during the summer. Missy
Darity and I were lifeguards in the summer of 1991. Best memories.
Missy Darity
Benjamin Brady will get me a club sandwich and a Marguerita?
Put that on your dad’s account. Ha ha ha
Erin Elaine Patterson
This pool (and junior golf) gave me my best friend of 30+
years Kaci Hoffer . We swam every day during the summers of the 90’s.
LIFEGUARDS AT THE MIAMI GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB
1955--60 Patty Lou Gibson, Phyllis Proper, Joe
Thompson
1961—65 Patty Lou Gibson, Joe Thompson, Charlie
Dawson
1965-70 Judy Berentz, Jan Farrier Kimbrough,
David Blazer, Debbie Gosney, Wes Wilson
1972--Suzy Wickham, Susie Tatum, Rebecca Mirjanich
1973--Rebecca Mirjanich
1975--1978 Kierean Reavis Major
