Weissport in Carbon County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Betty Mullen Brey

The Early Years

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), July 20, 2024

1. Betty Mullen Brey Marker

Inscription.

Betty Mullen Brey. The Early Years. Betty Mullen Brey November 23, 1931 - March 21, 2015. Betty Mullen Brey was born and raised in Weissport PA, a railroad, river, and canal town with a population of 577. She was the only daughter with four brothers, Dean, Dick, Jack, and Tom. Betty's parents provided opportunities for all their children to engage in sports in which their children excelled. Baseball, basketball, swimming, roller, and ice skating were the sports that most interested Betty in her early years. Her father suggested that she focus on swimming, a more lady-like sport at the time. Betty took to the sport like a duck takes to water., After graduating from 8^th grade in the Weissport three-room school, Betty attended Lehighton High School. During Betty's high school years, her dance, skating, and gymnastic skills enabled her to become a cheerleader and the head majorette her senior year. She also met her future husband, Paul Brey, who was a football, baseball, and basketball high school star., After competing in local swim contests, Betty's swimming career got kick-started with a one-mile race in the Lehigh River where she placed a close second. Betty and her father knew that if she wanted to compete at the Olympic level, she would need more than summer sessions at the local swimming pool., Betty traveled to the YMCA in Allentown to practice one day a week. Knowing that she needed more training, her father noticed an article in Sport magazine entitled "Swimming for Olympic Mermaids". He arranged for her to train at the Women's Swimming Association of New York City. There, Betty trained and practiced two nights a week with many of the top female swimmers in the country. After four months training NYC, Betty qualified for the 1948 Olympic trials. Her competitive spirit and desire to be an Olympic became her primary focus., After graduating from high school, Betty was accepted at Purdue University on an academic scholarship. The women's swim coach at Purdue, Dick Pappenguth, had one of the top college teams in the USA. He was the 1952 women's Olympic swim coach. While focusing on academics and swimming, Betty found time to become a majorette, who led the Purdue Military Band on the Indy 500 Raceway track on the Memorial Day in 1950 and 1953., Betty qualified for the first Pan American Game trials in Athens, GA in the 100 and 200 meter freestyle and the 4 × 100 meter freestyle relay team. In the Pan American Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina, she earned a gold medal in the 4 × 100 meter freestyle relay and a silver medal in the 200 meter freestyle.

Betty Mullen Brey
November 23, 1931 - March 21, 2015
Betty Mullen Brey was born and raised in Weissport PA, a railroad, river, and canal town with a population of 577. She was the only daughter with four brothers, Dean, Dick, Jack, and Tom. Betty's parents provided opportunities for all their children to engage in sports in which their children excelled. Baseball, basketball, swimming, roller, and ice skating were the sports that most interested Betty in her early years. Her father suggested that she focus on swimming, a more lady-like sport at the time. Betty took to the sport like a duck takes to water.

After graduating from 8^th grade in the Weissport three-room school, Betty attended Lehighton High School. During Betty's high school years, her dance, skating, and gymnastic skills enabled her to become a cheerleader and the head majorette her senior year. She also met her future husband, Paul Brey, who was a football, baseball, and basketball high school star.

After competing in local swim contests, Betty's swimming career got kick-started with a one-mile race in the Lehigh River where she placed a close second.

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

Betty and her father knew that if she wanted to compete at the Olympic level, she would need more than summer sessions at the local swimming pool.

Betty traveled to the YMCA in Allentown to practice one day a week. Knowing that she needed more training, her father noticed an article in Sport magazine entitled "Swimming for Olympic Mermaids". He arranged for her to train at the Women's Swimming Association of New York City. There, Betty trained and practiced two nights a week with many of the top female swimmers in the country. After four months training NYC, Betty qualified for the 1948 Olympic trials. Her competitive spirit and desire to be an Olympic became her primary focus.

After graduating from high school, Betty was accepted at Purdue University on an academic scholarship. The women's swim coach at Purdue, Dick Pappenguth, had one of the top college teams in the USA. He was the 1952 women's Olympic swim coach. While focusing on academics and swimming, Betty found time to become a majorette, who led the Purdue Military Band on the Indy 500 Raceway track on the Memorial Day in 1950 and 1953.

Betty qualified for the first

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), July 20, 2024

2. Betty Mullen Brey Marker

Pan American Game trials in Athens, GA in the 100 and 200 meter freestyle and the 4 × 100 meter freestyle relay team. In the Pan American Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina, she earned a gold medal in the 4 × 100 meter freestyle relay and a silver medal in the 200 meter freestyle.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Sports • Women. A significant historical date for this entry is March 21, 2015.

Location. 40° 49.764′ N, 75° 42.136′ W. Marker is in Weissport, Pennsylvania, in Carbon County. It is at the intersection of Franklin Street and Park Street, on the right when traveling north on Franklin Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 116 Franklin St, Lehighton PA 18235, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Pennsylvania’s Anthracite Coal Region

and in the Pocono Mountains.

It is also in the American Northeast,

in the Mid-Atlantic,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee

Paid Advertisement

(Iroquois) Confederacy

and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: A different marker also named Betty Mullen Brey (here, next to this marker); a different marker also named Betty Mullen Brey (a few steps from this marker); Fort Allen (within shouting distance of this marker); Fort Allen Well (within shouting distance of this marker); Franklin's Week in Weissport (within shouting distance of this marker); National War Savings Campaign of 1918 (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Jacob Weiss Memorial (about 300 feet away); a different marker also named Fort Allen (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Weissport.

Credits. This page was last revised on July 23, 2024. It was originally submitted on July 23, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 193 times since then and 27 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 23, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.