published in the July 26 issue of the Current-Argus
By Omar A. Gonzalez
Current-Argus Sports Editor
CARLSBAD, NM — “Come one, come all, see if you can beat the amazing girls in a game of volleyball,” said Billie Lynn on the microphone in front of the packed arena full of men waiting for this halftime showcase to end so that they could see the Sul Ross Lobos play some more basketball.
A man dressed in western wear yelled, “What is this crap?”
The cowboy got the attention of Lynn.
“Why don’t you come down here?” Lynn said to the cowboy and his friends. “I tell you what. Get down here and see if you and your five friends can beat these two young ladies in a volleyball match.
“Come on, you’re not afraid of two girls are you?”
The match was set – the cowboy and five other men to play volleyball against two girls, in front of a packed arena in Alpine, Texas.
If only those two girls hadn’t been Marilyn McReavy Nolen and Mary Jo Peppler, two athletes who played volleyball for team U.S in the 1968 Olympics, the proud men wouldn’t have left the court as bruised boys.
Lynn, now an eldely woman, told this story her attempt to get respect in the late 1960’s. She was in the Cavern City for a little while, and only lived a few minutes away on a farm, not unlike where she grew up.
“On the girls playing against the boys – They never lost – never,” Lynn said. “It’s unbelievable to have two skilled athletes play full court, like beach ball. Boy, did the boys love it. I mean the crowd, when (Nolen or Peppler) just goes up and hits that ball right in some cowboys face and knock him to the ground, the crowd goes ‘Yeaaaaaaa!’
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