First Posted: 1/13/2015
During her four years playing basketball at Orrum High School, there’s hardly a night that Neta Brewer recalls better than the one when she returned to the court.
After missing a practice during her sophomore season in 1953, Brewer, who then played under her maiden name of Neta Rose Rhodes, took a break from the sport, hanging her No. 23 jersey on a blackboard in the school.
“I didn’t play for probably a month or more. The Orrum girls lost every game they played, every game,” Brewer said. “They were playing Barnesville one night and two of the men got my uniform and took it to my house. I had gone to bed that night and Daddy went upstairs and said ‘If you want to go back and play, you can go back.’ But, he said, ‘Don’t do it because they brought you the uniform.’
“And I did (go back.) I wanted to go back so bad, you know. I proved to the team that they couldn’t win without me and when I went in, the top of that gym at Barnesville almost came off.”
Through her years, Brewer, who is now 80, collected clippings from newspapers at the times. Many of those clippings reside on the second floor of her home in Proctorville, not far from where she grew up. It was the latest addition that caught her off guard.
Recently, she found an envelope in her door, the name “Neda Rose” written in cursive on the outside. Inside was the typed up contents of a story from the March 27, 1951 edition of The Robesonian, much of which praised the sophomore player, even though her name is misspelled throughout.
“Neda Rose came through with a great big total of 769 [points] for her team during the 1950—1951 season and tossed in a total of 102 points during tournament play and led her team to the semi finals in the Robeson Co Class A Tourney,” the article says. [Note: The full article is posted at the end of the story.]
It brings Brewer plenty of nostalgia. The mystery lies is in who left it.
She admits there are plenty of options. Brewer grew up in Proctorville and only left briefly, eventually returning with her late husband. After finishing high school, she played for two years at Flora MacDonald and eventually became a coach.
She was also recognized around the community for many years after she left organized basketball.
“It was somebody who kept up with me,” Brewer said. “I have no idea. We had the largest class in Orrum High School.”
Dent gaining national prominence
Lumberton racquetball player Elena Dent has continued to make strides in the sport lately.
According to the latest USA Racquetball rankings, Dent is the No. 3 player aged 14 and under nationally in the sport and sits at No. 19 in the 18 and under rankings.
Dent and her family all live in Lumberton and frequent the court at the Southeastern Lifestyle Center for Fitness.
Weather not affecting schedules
The threat of a winter storm overnight kept plenty of people on watch but didn’t affect the local high school sports scene.
No local teams were scheduled to play until Friday due to ongoing exams, leaving the schedule unscathed.
The week’s only postponement is non-weather related. Purnell Swett’s basketball teams were supposed to play a doubleheader against Pinecrest on Thursday. Instead, the Rams and Patriots will play their varsity games on Saturday at Purnell Swett. The girls game starts at 2 p.m. with the boys game following.
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Full article left at Brewer’s door, with grammar, spelling and punctuation as printed originally.
HIGH SCORER FOR ORRUM
The Orrum High School girls team just missed producing a championship team in the County Class A Tourney but as far as the team is concerned, one NEDA ROSE RHODES did her share.
NEDA ROSE came through with a great big total of 769 for her team during the 1950—1951 season and tossed in a total of 102 points during tournament play and led her team to the semi finals in the Robeson Co Class A Tourney.
Now just a sophomore MISS RHODES has two more years of eligibility remaining with which to spark the Orrum Raiders.
The team coached by Jack Richards, had one of the most successful records for this past season.
The Robesonian March 27, 1951
