WBL Memories

A tribute to the pioneers of the Women's Professional Basketball League (1978-81)

History of the WBL

Te following are some highlights of WBL history.  (Click on the blue frames to see full-sized images.)  Please e-mail me with any corrections or additions.  Karra Porter, Salt Lake City

First Season

1978-79

December 9, 1978

The first professional women's basketball game is attended by 7,824 in Milwaukee.  After an appearance fee in the thousands of dollars is quoted for pop star Helen Reddy, noted opera singer Carol Neblett agrees to sing the national anthem for free.  The game receives coverage from national and local television and radio networks.  (Click here for pregame snapshots from the Milwaukee locker room.)

Official Mark Mano tosses up the opening jump ball between Chicago's Sue Digitale and Milwaukee's Lynda Gehrke.  20 seconds into the game, Milwaukee's Joanie Smith makes the first basket, a jump shot.  One second later, Smith is whistled for the first foul.  Before the end of the game, Digitale will become the first woman to foul out of a professional women's basketball game.

Chicago leads by 3 points at half-time, and has built a 13-point lead early in the fourth quarter.  Milwaukee rallies to tie the game at 81 with 5:28 left.  Strikingly bad free throw shooting (19 of 39) dooms the Does, who are defeated by the Hustle 92-87. Chicago guard Rita Easterling has 21 assists (all-time WBL single-game assist record), 14 points, 9 rebounds, and 11 turnovers.  Chicago forward Debra Waddy-Rossow is the game's leading scorer with 30 points; Milwaukee's Smith and Kathy DeBoer each have 22.

December 13, 1978

Milwaukee Does management fires coach Candace Klinzing after only one game, drawing raised eyebrows from Milwaukee and Chicago media and a sarcastic mention in Sports Illustrated.  Klinzing sues the Does for breach of contract, and settles with the team the following year.

Other quick coaching changes are the firing of George Nicodemus in Iowa after two exhibition games (both wins), and of Linda Mann in Dayton after an 0-2 start.

Milwaukee Does v. Iowa Cornets -- part 1

December 28, 1979

The Iowa Cornets win a home game against the Milwaukee Does -- or do they?  Milwaukee lodges the first protest of a WBL game, which President Bill Byrne sustains due to an officiating error.  The game is resumed on January 28, 1979, at Iowa, with the score 66-54 in the Does' favor, less than two minutes left in the third quarter, and Milwaukee's Kathy DeBoer at the free throw line.  This time Milwaukee wins, 101-96.

January 1979

The league announces plans for expansion.  A St. Louis team has already been approved.  The entrance fee for new franchises is increased to $100,000.

January 25, 1979

Recent turmoil within the Chicago Hustle culminates in the suspension of Karen Logan and Mary Jo Peppler.  Both players end up in New Jersey.

Meanwhile, the sparse local media coverage of the Minnesota Fillies itself becomes the subject of media coverage.  Fillies fans, including Minnesota Twins pitcher Tom Johnson, publicly request more press, and the Minneapolis Star criticizes its rival the Tribune for ignoring the team.

February 1, 1979

The Milwaukee Sentinel prints an article quoting five players suggesting mismanagement in the Milwaukee Does organization.  Accusations include references to players as "dumb broads," requiring players to patronize bars, and improper fraternization between a manager and a player.  Local media increase the pressure with more scathing articles and columns; , two of the players who were quoted are traded to Minnesota.

February 2, 1979

Althea Gwyn of the New York Stars sets a league record (28) for rebounds in a game.  The record is later tied by Katrina Owens of the Minnesota Fillies and Rosie Walker of the Nebraska Wranglers.

February 10, 1979

The league announces that it has revoked the membership of the Dayton Rockettes previously granted to Louis Deitelbaum.  League officials take over operation of the Dayton franchise, which owes thousands of dollars to creditors.

February 25, 1979

The Washington Post runs an in-depth, largely upbeat story on the league.  "If professional sports has a lunatic fringe, isn't the WBL close to it?" the article asks.  "Surely, this is the ragged edge of liberation for women. . . . They are pioneers, founding sisters, who have proudly signed a long-term contract with hard times."

The article refers to high-scoring Iowa Cornets guard Molly Bolin as "Machine Gun Molly," coining one of the most memorable nicknames in sports.  (Other personal favorites are "Wicked Wanda," the college and WBL sobriquet of New Jersey Gems forward Wanda Szeremeta, and "the Great Dane," 6'5" Denmark native Inge Nissen of the Chicago Hustle.)

March 14, 1979

The WBL holds its first All-Star Game at Felt Forum in Madison Square Garden.  (Click here for more on the game.)   Players for the East:  Vonnie Tomich, Denise Craig, and Vivian Greene, Dayton Rockettes; Karen Aulenbacher, Belinda Candler, and Paula Mayo, Houston Angels; Debbie Mason, "Wicked" Wanda Szeremeta, and Gail Tatterson, New Jersey Gems; Althea Gwyn, Kaye Young, and Janice Thomas, New York Stars.  For the Midwest:  Rita Easterling, Debra Waddy-Rossow, and Janie Fincher, Chicago Hustle; Molly Bolin, Joan Uhl, and Doris Draving, Iowa Cornets; Joanie Smith, Gerry Booker, Brenda Chapman, Milwaukee Does; Donna Wilson, Marie Kocurek, and Marguerite Keeley, Minnesota Fillies.

March 27, 1979

The Iowa Cornets shoot an amazing 34 of 37 from the free throw line (91.8 percent) in a game against Minnesota.

March 30, 1979

New Jersey defeats Milwaukee in a triple-overtime squeaker, 163-161, setting a WBL single-game scoring record.

April 1979

Chicago Hustle guard Rita Easterling is named the league's MVP.  Easterling has averaged a double-double for the regular season (21.5 points per game, 5th in the league; 10.1 assists per game, 1st).  Houston Angels coach Don Knodel is named Coach of the Year.

May 1, 1979

In front of a packed house in Houston, the Angels wins the fifth and deciding game against the Iowa Cornets for the WBL Championship.  In the semi-finals, Houston have previously defeated the New York Stars and the Iowa Cornets have prevailed over the Chicago Hustle.

The conclusion of the league's first season is commemorated by Swiss publisher Edito-Service in a Sportscaster trading card, Series 79-19, featuring Randi Burdick of the New Jersey Gems driving for a layup.

The league announces that all teams lost money during the first season.