HONR101: History and Culture of Basketball

November 2, 2011

December 29, 1891: Dr. James Naismith organizes the first basketball game

1892: The first women's basketball team was organized by Senda Berenson at Smith College, adapting Naismith's rules to emphasize cooperation, with three zones and six players on each team

March 21, 1893: The first women's college basketball game played at Smith College; no men were admitted to the game

1893: Women's basketball began at Iowa State College, Carleton College, Mount Holyoke College, and Sophie Newcomb College (Tulane) in New Orleans

Each year, more schools added women's basketball to their sports offerings for girls

1894: Senda Berenson published an article on women's basketball and its benefits in the Physical Education journal

In 1896, bloomers introduced as a playing costume at Sophie Newbomb College, New Orleans

Next slide is from 1903 edition of Basket Ball for Women, Sendra Berenson is holding the ball

Stanford and the University of California at Berkeley played the first women's intercollegiate game; Stanford won, 2-1, and men were excluded, with women guarding the windows and doors to exclude men

The first known women's basketball game between two high schools was played in the Chicago area, with Chicago Austin High School against Oak Park High School

In 1895, Baer published rules for women's "Basquette"

In 1901, Spalding issued women's basketball rules, edited by Senda Berenson, establishing 3 zones with 5-10 players per team; some teams used men's rules, some used Baer's rules, and some used Spalding's/Berenson's rules

In 1938, three zones reduced to two in women's competition

In the early days, there were 9 players on a team

The court was divided into 3 zones, with 3 players from each team per zone

The game was designed to be “ladylike” and “rough play” was banned

In 1908, AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) took the position that women or girls should not play basketball in public

In 1914, the American Olympic Committee declared its opposition to the participation of women in the Olympics competition

In 1923, Women's Division of the National Amateur Athletic Federation (WDNAAF) held its first conference; over the next few years, it will take on women's extramural basketball and other sports as too competitive, working to get high schools, industrial leagues, and even churches to ban tournaments

In 1904, a Native American team played women's basketball at the St. Louis World's Fair, as an exhibition

In the 1920s, industrial leagues -- teams sponsored by companies for their workers -- were established in many parts of the country

In 1921, Jeux Olympiques Féminines held in Monaco, an all-women's sports competition for sports excluded from the Olympics; sports included basketball, track and field; Britain's team won the basketball event

In 1924, Olympics included women's basketball -- as an exhibition event

International Women's Sports Federation founded, hosted a women's event paralleling the Olympics, including basketball

In 1926, AAU held first national tournament for women's basketball, with six teams participating

In 1927, AAU National Women's Basketball Tournament cancelled under pressure from the WDNAAF

In 1929, AAU selected the first AAU All-America team

AAU 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

In the 1930s, WDNAAF continued to pressure states to ban women's basketball tournaments, with success in many states

In 1953, international competition in women's basketball was reorganized

In 1955, first Pan-American Games included women's basketball; USA won the gold medal

In 1969, Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (ICAW) held an invitational basketball tournament, the first national tournament not including AAU teams; West Chester State won the championship

Women's basketball was included in the Paralympics

In 1970, five player full court game adopted for women's basketball

In 1972, Title IX enacted, requiring federally-funded schools to fund women's sports equitably, including teams, scholarships, recruitment, and media coverage

Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) held first national intercollegiate championship in basketball; Immaculata defeated West Chester

AAU established national basketball tournaments for girls younger than college age

In 1973, college scholarships offered to female athletes for the first time

Amateur Basketball Association of the United States (ABAUSA) established, replacing AAU

In 1974, the US Olympic Committee recognized the ABAUSA

Billie Jean King founded the Women's Sports Foundation, to promote sports and physical activity among girls

In 1976, women's basketball became an Olympic sport; the Soviet team won the gold, USA won the silver

In 1978, the Wade Trophy established to honor a top collegiate player; first awarded to Carol Blazejowski

Bill Byrne founded the 8-team Women's Basketball League (WBL)

In 1979, WBL expanded to 14 teams In 1980, Ladies Professional Basketball

Association founded with six teams; played for less than a month before failing

The first USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year Award went to Carol Blazejowski

Olympics held but many nations boycotted, led by the USA

The WBL played its last season The Women's Basketball Coaches

Association (WBCA) begins The NCAA announced women's

basketball tournaments; AIAW filed an antitrust suit in opposition

The final AIAW tournament held; AIAW dropped the lawsuit against the NCAA and disbanded

The first NCAA women's basketball Final Four championship held

The Olympics women's basketball event won by USA team, with the USSR and some other nations boycotting

Women's American Basketball Association (WABA) formed, with six teams; it was, like most of the women's professional basketball leagues, short-lived

Lynette Woodard began playing with the Harlem Globetrotters, the first woman to play with that team

In 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

In 1986, National Women's Basketball Association (NWBA) founded; folded the same season

In 1987, Naismith Hall of Fame initiated Female High School Player of the Year award

In 1988, Olympics women's basketball event won by USA team in Seoul, South Korea

In 1991, WBL disbanded Liberty Basketball Association (LBA) founded,

and lasted one game, broadcast on ESPN 1992 Howard University women's basketball

coach became the first woman to win monetary damages under Title IX, for discrimination

In 1993, Women's Basketball Association (WBA) founded

In 1995, Women's Basketball Association (WBA) failed

American Basketball League (ABL) founded with ten teams

In 1996, the NBA established the WNBA with eight teams; Sheryl Swoopes was the first player signed by the WNBA

In 1997, first WNBA game played WNBA added two more teams In 1998, the ABL failed WNBA expanded by two teams In 1999 Women's Basketball Hall of

Fame opened with 25 inductees Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyy-UXHStiY

The 2011 WNBA consisted of 12 teams playing 34 games throughout the summer

The Minnesota Lynx were the 2011 champions The WNBA offseason is at the same time as the NBA season,

and vice versa

1984 – first college dunk: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/columns/story?columnist=garber_greg&id=4340458

2002 - first WNBA dunk: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xjMFRfX4MY&feature=related

High school girl dunking: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuDfRzY2Vqw&feature=grec_index

Top WNBA 2008 plays: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YrbWTL9hQw&feature=rel

LSSU women:

A few sources: http://www.womensbasketballmuseum.com/ http://www.wnba.com/about_us/jenkins_feature.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women's_basketball

http://www.hockeyarenas.com/womenbasketballintheus.htm

http://womenshistory.about.com/od/basketball/a/timeline.htm

http://womensbasketballonline.com/history/wbbtimeline.html

http://www.wbhof.com/timeline.html