History of Womens Basketball in America (1891-Present)

History of Womens Basketball in America (1891-Present) Womens basketball began the year after the game was invented. The history of womens basketball success is a long one: collegiate and professional teams, intercollegiate competitions (and their critics) as well as the sad history of many failed attempts at professional leagues; womens basketball at the Olympics. Its all here in this timeline. 1891 James Naismith invented basket ball [sic] at a Massachusetts YMCA school 1892 first womens basketball team organized by Senda Berenson at Smith College, adapting Naismiths rules to emphasize cooperation, with three zones and six players on each team 1893 first womens college basketball game played at Smith College; no men were admitted to the game (March 21)womens basketball began at Iowa State College, Carleton College, Mount Holyoke College, and Sophie Newcomb College (Tulane) in New Orleans; each year more schools added womens basketball to their sports offerings for girls 1894 Senda Berenson published an article on womens basketball and its benefits in the Physical Education journal 1895 Basketball was being played at many womens colleges, including Vassar College, Bryn Mawr College, and Wellesley College Baer published rules for womens Basquette 1896 Bloomers introduced as a playing costume at Sophie Newbomb College, New OrleansStanford and the University of California at Berkeley played the first womens intercollegiate game; Stanford won, 2-1, and men were excluded, with women guarding the windows and doors to exclude menfirst known womens basketball game between two high schools was played in the Chicago area, with Chicago Austin High School against Oak Park High School 1899 Conference of Physical Training established a committee to form uniform rules for womens basket ball [sic]Stanford banned womens basketball from intercollegiate competition, as did the University of California 1901 University of California at Berkeley was given an outdoor basketball court for women by philanthropist Phoebe HearstSpalding issued womens basketball rules, edited by Senda Berenson, establishing 3 zones with 5-10 players per team; some teams used mens rules, some used Baers rules, and some used Spaldings/Berensons rules 1904 A Native American team played womens basketball at the St. Louis Worlds Fair, as an exhibition 1908 AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) took the position that women or girls should not play basketball in public 1914 The American Olympic Committee declared its opposition to the participation of women in the Olympics competition 1920s industrial leagues teams sponsored by companies for their workers were established in many parts of the country 1921 Jeux Olympiques Fà ©minines held in Monaco, an all-womens sports competition for sports excluded from the Olympics; sports included basketball, track and field; Britains team won the basketball event 1922 Jeux Olympiques Fà ©minines held, an all-womens sports competition for sports excluded from the Olympics; sports included basketball, track and field 1923 Jeux Olympiques Fà ©minines held, an all-womens sports competition for sports excluded from the Olympics; sports included basketball, track and fieldWomens Division of the National Amateur Athletic Federation (WDNAAF) held its first conference; over the next few years, it will take on womens extramural basketball and other sports as too competitive, working to get high schools, industrial leagues, and even churches to ban tournaments 1924 Olympics included womens basketball as an exhibition eventInternational Womens Sports Federation founded, hosted a womens event paralleling the Olympics, including basketball 1926 AAU held the first national tournament for womens basketball, with six teams participating 1927 AAU National Womens Basketball Tournament canceled under pressure from the WDNAAF; Sunoco Oilers (Dallas) declared AAU national champions 1928 Olympics included womens basketball as an exhibition eventAAU National Womens Basketball Tournament canceled for the second year under pressure from the WDNAAF; Sunoco Oilers (Dallas) declared AAU national champions (again) 1929 AAU selected the first AAU All-America teamAAU re-started national championship tournament; Sunoco Oilers won, defeating the Golden Cyclones; a beauty contest was part of the event 1930 AAU national championship included 28 teams; Sunoco Oilers won, defeating the Golden Cyclones 1930s Isadore Channels (of the Chicago Romas team) and Ora Mae Washington (of the Philadelphia Tribunes) starred in two rival black womens basketball barnstorming teams; both women were also American Tennis Association title winnersWDNAAF continued to pressure states to ban womens basketball tournaments, with success in many states 1931 Golden Cyclones won AAU Championship, led by Babe Didrikson 1938 three zones reduced to two in womens competition 1940s during World War II, competition and recreation basketball was common; relocation centers for Japanese Americans, for instance, included regularly scheduled womens basketball games 1953 international competition in womens basketball was reorganized 1955 first Pan-American Games included womens basketball; USA won the gold medal 1969 Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (ICAW) held an invitational basketball tournament, the first national tournament not including AAU teams; West Chester State won the championshipwomens basketball was included in the Paralympics 1970 five player full court game adopted for womens basketball 1972 Title IX enacted, requiring federally-funded schools to fund womens sports equitably, including teams, scholarships, recruitment, and media coverageAssociation for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) held the first national intercollegiate championship in basketball; Immaculata defeated West ChesterAAU established national basketball tournaments for girls younger than college age 1973 college scholarships offered to female athletes for the first timeAmateur Basketball Association of the United States (ABAUSA) established, replacing AAU 1974 US Olympic Committee recognized the ABAUSABillie Jean King founded the Womens Sports Foundation, to promote sports and physical activity among girls 1976 womens basketball became an Olympic sport; the Soviet team won the gold, USA won the silver 1978 Wade Trophy established to honor a top collegiate player; first awarded to Carol BlazejowskiBill Byrne founded the 8-team Womens Basketball League (WBL) 1979 WBL expanded to 14 teams 1980 Ladies Professional Basketball Association founded with six teams; played for less than a month before failingfirst USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year Award went to Carol BlazejowskiOlympics held but many nations boycotted, led by the USA 1981 WBL played its last seasonWomens Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) beginsNCAA announced womens basketball tournaments; AIAW filed an antitrust suit in oppositionfinal AIAW tournament held; AIAW dropped the lawsuit against the NCAA and disbandedfirst NCAA womens basketball Final Four championship held 1984 Olympics womens basketball event won by USA team, with the USSR and some other nations boycottingWomens American Basketball Association (WABA) formed, with six teams; it was, like most of the womens professional basketball leagues, short-lived Lynette Woodard  began playing with the Harlem Globetrotters, the first woman to play with that team 1985 Senda Berenson Abbott, L. Margaret Wade, and Bertha F. Teague were inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the first women to be so honored 1986 National Womens Basketball Association (NWBA) founded; folded the same season 1987 Naismith Hall of Fame initiated Female High School Player of the Year award 1988 Olympics womens basketball event won by USA team 1990 Pat Summit was the first woman to be awarded the John Bunn Award by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame 1991 WBL disbandedLiberty Basketball Association (LBA) founded, and lasted one game, broadcast on ESPN 1992 Howard University womens basketball coach became the first woman to win monetary damages under Title IX, for discriminationNera White, who played with the Nashville Business College team, and Lusia (Lucy) Harris (Harris-Stewart) were inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame 1993 Womens Basketball Association (WBA) foundedAnn Meyers and Ulyana Semjonova inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame 1994 Carol Blazejowski inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame 1995 Womens Basketball Association (WBA) failedAmerican Basketball League (ABL) founded with ten teamsplayers Anne Donovan and Cheryl Miller inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame 1996 NBA established the WNBA with eight teams; Sheryl Swoopes was the first player signed by the WNBANancy Lieberman inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame 1997 first WNBA game playedWNBA added two more teamsplayers Joan Crawford and Denise Curry inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame 1998 ABL failedWNBA expanded by two teams 1999 Womens Basketball Hall of Fame opened with 25 inducteesWNBA expanded by four teams for the 2000 season 2000 Olympics held in Sydney, Australia; USA team won gold medal; Teresa Edwards became the first basketball player to play on five consecutive Olympic teams and win five Olympic medalsNational Womens Basketball Professional League (NWBL) foundedPat Head Summitt (coach) inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame 2002 Sandra Kay Yow (coach) inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of FameAshley McElhiney became the first woman head coach for a mens professional basketball team (ABA, Nashville Rhythm); she resigned in 2005 with a 21-10 record 2004 Lynette Woodard  inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame 2005 Hortencia Marcari and Sue Gunter (LSU coach) inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame 2006 WNBA celebrated its 10th year by announcing an All-Decade Team, selected by fans, media, and current players and coaches. 2008 Cathy Rush inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of FameSigning a 7-day WNBA contract, Nancy Lieberman returned to play in a single game