Wareham High School Boys Helped Geena Davis Write Her New Book

Growing up in Wareham, Geena Davis was always the tallest kid in class. She was even taller than the boys, which often made her uncomfortable. She was teased with the nickname “Kareem Abdul-Jabbar” by the boys at Wareham High School, a name that stuck with her and fed into her self-consciousness.

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Geena Davis Reflects on Her Struggles With Confidence and Identity

Despite encouragement from coaches to join the basketball team, Davis had no interest in sports. She lacked confidence in her athletic ability and wished she were one of the shorter, petite girls.

“All I wanted to do was fit in and not stand out,” she told CBS Mornings. “I wanted to shrink and not be noticed as much.”

From Outsider to Olympian: Davis's Surprising Athletic Journey

As she grew older and stepped into acting, Davis began to embrace her stature. Interestingly enough, her film career required her to learn about several different sports, such as baseball for A League of Their Own. Eventually, her disinterest in athletics flipped. Incredibly, Davis even became a semi-finalist in the Olympic trials for archery at age 43.

The Girl From Wareham Who Redefined What “Big” Means

Today, Geena Davis is not only an Oscar-winning actress, but also an athlete, author, and illustrator. The once self-conscious girl from Wareham proved that how much space you take up physically means nothing compared to the impact you can make on the world.