A whole generation of young Bermudians has grown up since the time, 30 or more years ago, Hattieann Morrisette was a household name in Bermuda.

That was when she and her team of bowlers indelibly stamped Bermuda on the world spectrum of bowling with their sensational win over allcomers from 20 Western Hemisphere nations in the 8th Annual Invitational Tournament of the Americas in Miami, July 1970.

Pundits of the day were nonplussed trying to figure out how the Bermuda foursome of Hattieann, Rosheene Samuels, Leroy Ming and Hank Corrado, representing a total of 600 bowlers on that tiny mid-Atlantic island could swamp the US squad in the finals, representing some five million bowlers; to say nothing about the giants from such nations as Argentina, Puerto Rico, Panama, Peru, Ecuador, Canada and Uruguay

For Hattieann that was only the start of even more sensational things to come. That included her story-book romance and marriage to a quiet-spoken Somerset bachelor, Weldon Gilbert, on February 9, 1985. This week, exactly 25 years later Weldon and Hattieann celebrated their silver wedding with a dinner party for scores of relatives and friends.

After their team effort in Miami, Hattieann personally set her sights higher, on the world championships. She went solo to the Philippines in 1976, ending up in the finals, becoming first runner-up to the world champion. In 1977 she went to Iran and later that year to London. She managed to bring home a lot of silverware, but no spectacular titles.

In 1979 Hattieann was bowling in Thailand, coming second in the world championships, despite some physical challenges confronting her as a result of her strenuous effort months earlier in the singles of the Tournament of Americas, which she won. In 1982, after going to the world cup in Holland, she decided it was time to start 'winding down' from those intense world competitions. In 1987 Hattieann said her arm gave out at the height of what was her best ever season on the local scene. After having beaten men and women alike, in high and fierce competitions she called it quits at Warwick Lanes.

She had by that time won a houseful of silverware as well as plaques for having the distinction of being nominated in two different years by fellow competitors in the Tourney of Americas competitions for its coveted Sportsmanship and Friendship Award.

In 2005 she was inducted into the Bermuda Hall of Fame.

For the most part, she now concentrates her considerable energies and talents as a devoted wife, and to her church, the Better Covenant Church, pastored at Whitney Institute by Pastor Terrence Stovell; and to the Garden Club of Bermuda and the Orchid Society.

As we stated earlier, Hattieann had become the bride of Weldon at the altar of Vernon Temple AME Church, Southampton in February 1985. It had all the elements fitting for the celebrity status the bride enjoyed. Her matron of honour was Carol Binns, a Bermudian living in Tennessee with her American husband.

Carol was unable to get to the silver wedding celebration at St. James' Church Hall, as she was snow-bound in Tennessee. She extended her congratulations in a cell phone call. However, Hattieann's two sisters, who have retired in Florida, made it home for the event. They were Wilhelmina Simons and husband Reggie and Mrs. Marion Pearman.