WBL Memories

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

The Reenactment

of the tipoff from the first professional women's basketball game in the United States

(The first game was played between the Chicago Hustle and Milwaukee Does in Milwaukee Does on December 9, 1978.  A packed house of 7,824 fans witnessed the historic event.).

Sue Digitale and Lynda Gehrke Phillip actually have a smile for referee John Katzler.  ("I had to wait 25 years for the players to applaud me," Katzler quipped.)

The Reenactment.  Digitale and Gehrke tip off -- again -- with their original coaches Doug Bruno and Candace Klinzing Brasile watching.

. . . but Digitale is whistled for fouling Gehrke.  (Perhaps not coincidentally, Digitale was the first to foul out of a women's professional basketball game -- also in the first game.)