The History of Women's Professional Basketball
Basketball was invented in 1891 by Dr. James Naismith, a physical education teacher at Springfield College in Springfield, Massachusetts. He discovered that the boys he was instructing were bored in the wintertime and wanted to come up with a game that could be played indoors but could still have all the benefits of other sports. Shortly after the invention of the game, its popularity spread throughout the country, and men and women were playing.
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Early Women's Basketball
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Women began playing the game of basketball about a year after the game's conception when a gymnastics teacher named Senda Berenson Abbott adapted Dr. Naismith's rules for women and began teaching the game at Smith College. In 1896, the first women's intercollegiate basketball game took place between Stanford and Cal. Stanford won 2-1. While the women's game was much different than the original rules designated by Dr. Naismith, the game still contained the same fundamental concepts. In the 1900s, rules allowed six to nine people to compete on either side at once.
First National Championship
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The formation of the first women's national basketball championship occurred in 1926 and was sponsored by the Amateur Athletic Union. For the first time, women's basketball adopted the same rules used by their male counterparts. The players used something called a "three court" system in which each player was assigned a certain area on the floor and could not leave that area. The AAU tournament set a precedent for future changes in women's basketball and would pave the way for the first professional women's basketball team.
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All American Red Heads
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In 1936, with women's basketball progressing at a rapid rate, a professional basketball team was organized known as the All American Red Heads. The Red Heads were a team of women that toured the country and played against men's teams until 1986. They were so popular that they were responsible for two other teams, the Ozark Hillbillies and the Famous Red Heads. During the off-season, the players would travel around the country teaching schoolgirls the fundamentals of the game of basketball. With all three teams touring, seasons ran from October until April and the season consisted of approximately 200 games. The All American Red Heads set the stage for the future of professional basketball.
Two Failed Attempts
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While high school, amateur and college basketball thrived, there was still no professional league for women. Independent tournaments would be held throughout the country giving women the opportunity to showcase their talent, but no leagues had been established that would provide a consistent outlet for these talented basketball players. In 1971, the five-player, full-court game recognized today was adopted by women. These changes led to the formation of the Women's Basketball League, the first legitimate professional league for women. The league had eight teams but only lasted three seasons. It would be the last attempt at a professional league until 1991, when the Liberty Basketball Association was introduced. This league featured lower hoops and shorter courts and played only one exhibition game before disbanding.
WNBA
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In 1996, the NBA Board of Governors approved a concept for a women's professional basketball league. Later that year, the first two players, Rebecca Lobo and Sheryl Swoopes, were signed to be the first women's professional players in that league. Eight cities were selected to host WNBA teams. Several months later, on Feb. 27, 1997, the inaugural WNBA draft signed 16 veteran players that had been playing overseas. On April 28, a second draft was held for college players. The first WNBA season tipped off on June 21, 1997, with the New York Liberty facing the Los Angeles Sparks. The Liberty won 67-57.
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References
- Photo Credit basketball image by Dron from Fotolia.com
