Cancer Center Beauty Pageant Winner Tom Hicks.
Patient Contestants, family members, hospital staff, and visitors became Astonished last night as a new pageant entrant was crowned, “The Beauty of The Bunch” in the annual competition.
“The contest has been going on for years,” said Fanny Solwinski, chief nurse at the Froedtert Cancer Center. “This is the first time everybody was invited to compete. Hicks put forth a successful effort to change the rules to allow men to complete in the traditionally women only event. I was. I am, still in shock. The Three judges gave him the top 30 points in every event including Song & Dance categories. That has never happened before.” She said.
Solwinski went on to admit, “That number he did from West Side Story. I think it was Some Day. Any way, I would have given him the 30 for that one. Really good. Really. Almost like a professional, like a singing star. And he did both the parts of Tony and of Maria! There were a lot of people crying during that performance … Balling!” He had to have worked hard training and rehearsing.”
I’m still in shock, but he was good. The flowers will look good in his room, too. He’s in there with Otto Olmanovich who’s on oxygen. Otto ain’t gonna complain about the smell. So that’s good.” Said Solwinski.
We talked with, the radiant, Hicks after the official presentation and photos were taken and asked why he had entered the beauty competition.
“Why not compete? I’ve never won one before. I’m a little disappointed with the flowers, to tell the truth. I thought that I’d get a trophy. I used to box and won a bunch of trophies, even a middleweight championship belt. That was 1974. I had to quit the ring after the beating Toots O’Tardy gave me in ’80. Damn near killed me because my corner wouldn’t throw in the towel. Bastards. The Irish Ox that’s what they called Toots. Damn near killed me. I still hear a ringing sometimes.”
Hicks said that he trained for the contest just like an athlete would. “I didn’t run or jump rope like in the old days because this wasn’t that kind of thing. I would take the bus to the mall every week with the other patients, but instead of shopping, I’d go to the tanning joint. Who’s gonna want a sick looking beauty? Ya gotta get your burn on. I think those UV rays helped with my leukemia, too. The doc says my condition is stable.”
“I practiced that song I did over and over, too. A lot of those broads forget the words to their songs pretty often. Not this guy.” Said Hicks.
Tom Hicks can not hold back the grin and tears after being presented with the traditional “Bowl of Hope” flower arrangement.
Before talking with other reporters, Hicks told us he knew he’d win the dance competition before it even started. I used to dance and jab while I boxed. I’m light on my feet. Well, I was until I met Toots O’Tardy, but that’s another story. I’ll have to tell you that one later. Anyway, The girls I was against weren’t gonna win. No way. Helen over there has an oxygen tank; Sylvia has a walker and Rita’s on crutches. Another Gal was in a wheel chair with oxygen strapped to the back. Sure. She was pretty in a plain kind of way, but not a dancer at all. Janice was the only one who had the chance. She’s on a cane, but she did that soft shoe number with the straw hat, and it was good.
Hicks lifted him self from his chair, and did a little, soft shoe shuffle for us and said, “People say I cheated by having the rules changed to allow males, and to outlaw the wearing of wigs. The wig thing. I knew that had to put me over the top because I have the longest mane in the entire Cancer Center. I’m the Beauty of the Bunch.”