Interesting "back story" to Helen Stephens . . .
Posted on: January 13, 2021 at 12:26:34 CT
Tigerborn MU
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My father was a multi-sport athlete at both Hickman High (HHS Kewpies) in Columbia and Mizzou (football, basketball and track). Helen and my Dad were roughly the same age. They were also pretty close in physical dimensions, too, with Helen being 5'11 and about 155 lbs and my Dad being the same height and only about 10 lbs heaver at roughly 167. With Fulton and Columbia being so close, the two high schools competed in sports, including track and field. One sunny spring day in 1935 the two high schools competed in multi-team meet (Columbia, Jeff City and Fulton). My Dad was the fastest male sprinter at HHS. After the meet concluded, the Fulton coach challenged the Kewpie coach to an "exhibition" 100 yd dash between Helen Stephens and my Dad. My Pop saw how Helen dominated the female competition of the meet and knew that her times would be competitive with the Missouri state records (at that time) for the fastest high school male times in the 100 yard dash. So, "discretion being the better part of valor," he politely declined. :)
Edited by Tigerborn at 12:28:35 on 01/13/21