Modern Hill Woman

Bloomer Girls pictured but not in order Terry Phillips, Don Price, Jim Smith, Ernie Phillips, Jack Richmond, Dean Brunzell, Gene Brunzell, Vern Brunzell.

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The Bloomer Girls

There was once a group of really ugly women that struck fear in the hearts of athletes in Carter County. Throughout the early 70s to late 80s, these gals terrorized teams on the softball diamond and the basketball court. Using their womanly wiles and often resorting to cheating, these sirens brought the male teams to their doom. They were called “The Bloomer Girls.” Some of the girls should’ve thought about having their upper lip waxed or maybe buying some Nair for that unsightly leg hair.

Actually, they weren’t girls at all. They were a bunch of guys dolled up in dresses and wigs, with balloons for “bazooms”. They provided entertainment and laughter to hundreds of people for a lot of years.

Jean Wynn, longtime resident of this area, was credited for coming up with the idea of the Bloomer Girl team. Jean had a large sense of humor and started the team just for fun. The team’s slogan was “Wynn at all costs!” Jean and Alfred Brooks were the team’s managers and co-conspirators. The Bloomer Girls started out playing softball and branched out into basketball.

There were several who were man enough to don the dress during that time. As the years passed some left and new “girls” joined the team. Jim Smith, Dick Holland, Bill Wolfe, Don Price, and the Brunzells all lip-sticked up. Terry and Ernie Phillips, Bill Wilkins, some of the Ezells, Adams, Nances, and many others got in touch with their feminine side for the sake of fun and fundraising.

A softball game against the local jocks, with proceeds going to Grandin’s City Ball Park, drew a large crowd. To raise funds for Grandin Head Start, the “girls” were pitted against the high school basketball team. Coach Wynn went as far as auctioning off the dress he was wearing and stripping down to his slip for the cause.

After a burglary at the church-owned Thrift Shop in Grandin, the Bloomer Girls pulled up their pantyhose and went to bat to raise money for repairs to the building.

Of all the skirt wearing dudes who proudly wore the name “Bloomer Girls”, the general consensus is that Ernie Phillips was by far the prettiest.