M. “Peachie” Beeks was a multi-sport athlete at Bennett High School in the early 1970’s during the pre-Title IX era when the Buffalo Public Schools offered no interscholastic girls sorts competition.
Fortunately, there were sports programs for girls in the Catholic High Schools, private schools and the Catholic Youth Organization. This provided a unique opportunity to set up games with those programs. Initially, all games were set up independently at the teams’ own expense and the transportation was provided by the players or their family members. Later, Miss Blue, the girls’ Physical Education teacher, assisted in organizing games by calling the Buffalo City Schools so they could draft girls to sign up for a team and play. Funding by the Buffalo Board of Education occurred several years later in 1974 and this finally established a citywide high school sports program for girls.
“The only way we could practice basketball at Bennett was in the 2nd floor school hallway using a large cardboard garbage can as a basket; or at city playgrounds with boys as long as we brought a basketball. Bennett did not provide any type of budget for uniforms, so we went out and purchased matching T-shirts and socks. My sister, Berniece Beeks, sewed the numbers on our shirts! As we continued playing and winning games, the team wanted a picture in the yearbook, so we all pitched in to have a picture taken and submitted it to the yearbook committee.” The teams’ win-loss record was 26 wins vs. 5 losses over a 3-year time span, with a 12 – 0 record in the final year.
Outside of Bennett, “Peachie” successfully participated in many sporting events over the years including, softball, bowling, basketball and volleyball. She also sponsored teams for the Empire State Games, Gus Macker basketball leagues, Buffalo City softball leagues and the Houghton Park volleyball league. Uniquely, she sponsored a G.I.R.L.S. Sports Foundation, Inc. team to take a girls basketball team to a WNBA game.
“Peachie” was employed by General Mills for 39 years and was the first female to secure employment in the Milling Department. In May 2017, she successfully retired after a wonderful career with General Mills.
Peachie’s greatest achievements include coaching a woman’s softball team to the City of Buffalo Championship and receiving the Black Achievers Award in Her most current athletic joy is playing pickleball.