HISTORY OF WOMEN'S PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL
Compiled by Robert Bradley
Contributors - Jack Black, F. Travis Boley, Robert Bradley, Tom Goddard, John
Guy, Steve Mau, Shawn Oliver, Mark Pollak, Pat Premo and Dennis Slusher
BARNSTORMING CLUBS
ALL-AMERICAN RED HEADS
Formed by C.M. "Ole" Olson (founder of "Olsen's Terrible Swedes) in Crossville
Missouri in 1936, the All-American Red Heads were the most long-lived and
best-known of the women's professional teams. Taking their name from a gimmick
inspired by the chain of beauty salons owned by Olson's wife's, the players on
the team either dyed their hair red. With the sale of the team to Coach Orwell
Moore, and the leadership on the court of his wife Lorene "Butch" Moore, the Red
Heads, now based in Caraway, Arkansas, traveled around the country and abroad
playing against men's teams and featuring a brand of play designed to amuse and
entertain the fans. The Red Head's players were recruited from high schools and
AAU clubs throughout the country and stayed in operation for over 50 years.
HAZEL WALKER'S ARKANSAS TRAVELERS
In 1949 Hazel Walker, a native of Oak Hill, Arkansas, chose to leave the
All-American Red Heads to start her own bastrorming club, which she named Hazel
Walker's Arkansas Travelers. Playing up to six nights a week against male
competition, the Travelers proved their abaility as players, winning over 85%
of their games. The Travelers played a total of 16 seasons before Walker decided
to retire in 1965 at the age of 50.
LADIES PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION 1980-81
[Played part of one month, Oakland, San Jose and Tucson never played a game]
Formed as a rival league to the WBL when the WBl began to experience financial
problems. The league was poorly organized and played only five games before
disbanding with three teams never playing a game.
NME - New Mexico Energee [Albuquerque, NM] 1980-81
OAK - Oakland Outlaws [Oakland, CA] 1980-81
PHX - Phoenix Flames [Phoenix, AZ] 1980-81
SJC - San Jose Chips [San Jose, CA] 1980-81
SCB - Southern California Breeze [Orange, CA] 1980-81
TUC - Tucson Storm [Tucson, AZ] 1980-81
LPBA ARENAS 1980-81
NME - Albuquerque Civic Center, Albuquerque, NM 1980-81
PHX - Brophy College Prep School Gymnasium, Phoenix, AZ 1980-81
SCB - Hutton Sports Center, Chapman College, Orange, CA 1980-81
LIBERTY BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION 1991
[Played one exhibition game on 10Feb91 before disbanding]
Founded by Jim Drucker, a former Continental Basketball Association
commissioner, the LBA tried gimmicks such as 9' 2" high baskets, a 25"
circumference basketball and skin-tight unitards for its players. The
league only survived one game as the Detroit Dazzlers defeated LBA
All-Stars at the Palace of Auburn Hills in front of 10,753 spectators
on ESPN.
Chicago Slammers [Chicago, IL] 1991
Detroit Dazzlers [Auburn Hills, MI] 1991
LBA All-Stars 1991
Los Angeles Lancers [Los Angeles, CA] 1991
New York Blasters [New York, NY] 1991
Philadelphia Freedoms [Philadelphia, PA] 1991
NATIONAL WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION 1986
[Disbanded before season]
Although the league signed WBL star Molly Bolin it never made it to the
first regular season as it folded in 1986.
California Stars 1986
Georgia Peaches 1986
Pride of Iowa 1986
Louisiana Blues 1986
North Carolina Blaze 1986
Tennessee Tiger Cats 1986
Texas Twisters 1986
Virginia Express 1986
WOMEN'S AMERICAN BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION 1984
[Played one season before disbanding]
A fall league founded by Bill Byrne, founder of the WBL in hopes of cashing
in on the USA Olympic team's success in Los Angeles in 1984. While some
talented players played in the league (including Nancy Lieberman, Molly Bolin,
Pam McGee and Paula McGee) most of the league's teams folded during the season
Chicago and Dallas surviving to meet for the league championship, which was
won by Dallas.
Atlanta Comets 1984
Chicago Spirit 1984
Columbus Minks 1984
Dallas Diamonds 1984
Houston Shamrocks 1984
Virginia Wave 1984
WABA 1984
1984 WABA W L Pct. GB
Dallas Diamonds 19 2 .905 ..
Columbus Minks 12 5 .706 5
Atlanta Comets 7 6 .538 8
Virginia Wave 5 9 .357 10.5
Chicago Spirit 6 14 .300 12.5
Houston Shamrocks 3 14 .176 14
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION 1993 - 1995
[Played three seasons before suspending operations with plans to play as a
12-team league in 1997, disbanded before 1997 season]
A summer league formed n 1992, the WBA played a 15-game schedule and games were
broadcast on Liberty Sports of Dallas. When FOX purchased Liberty Sports they
disbanded the WBA.
CHI - Chicago Twisters [Chicago, IL] 1995
ILK - Illinois Knights [Quincy, IL] 1993
ILT - Illinois Twisters 1997
INB - Indiana Bullets 1997
INS - Indiana Stars [Gary, IN; Hammond, IN] 1994
IAR - Iowa River Queens 1997
IAU - Iowa Unicorns [Cedar Rapids, IA; Davenport, IA] 1993 - 1994
KSC - Kansas Crusaders [Kansas City, KS] 1993
KSM - Kansas Marauders [Wichita, KS] 1994
KCL - Kansas City Ligntning 1997
KCM - Kansas City Mustangs [Kansas City, MO] 1993 - 1995
KEN - Kentucky Marauders [St. Matthews, KY; Louisville, KY] 1995
MEM - Memphis Blues [Memphis, TN] 1994 - 1995
MLB - Michigan Lady Bulls 1997
MNH - Minnesota Heat 1997
MNS - Minnesota Stars [Minneapoli, MN] 1995
NEB - Nebraska Express [Beatrice, NE; Omaha, NE] 1993 - 1995, 1997
NDJ - North Dakota Jazz 1997
OHF - Ohio Flame 1997
OKC - Oklahoma Cougars [Miami, OK] 1993
OKF - Oklahoma Flames [Tulsa, OK] 1994 - 1995
SLB - St. Louis Breakers 1997
SLR - St. Louis RiverQueens [Webster Groves, MO; St. Louis, MO] 1994 - 1995
SDS - South Dakota Storms 1997
WBA ARENAS 1993 - 1995
CHI - Alumni Hall, DePaul University, Chicago, IL 1995
ILK - Memorial Gymnasium, Quincy University, Quincy, IL 1993
CYO Gymnasium, Quincy, IL 1993
INS - Genesis Center, Gary, IN 1994
Hammond Civic Center, Hammond, IN 1994
IAU - LaSalle High School Gymnasium, Cedar Rapids, IA 1993
Coe College Gymnasium, Cedar Rapids, IA 1993
Mayhurst University Gymnasium, Davenport, IA 1994
KSC - Eisenhower Recreation Center, Kansas City, KS 1993
KSM - Wichita Northwest High School Gymnasium, Wichita, KS 1994
KCM - Mason-Halpin Field House, Rockhurst College, Kansas City, MO 1993
Penn Valley Community College Gymnasium, Kansas City, MO 1994
Memorial Auditorium, Kansas City, MO 1995
KEN - Waggener High School Gymnasium, St. Matthews, KY 1995
Cardinal Arena, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 1995
MEM - White Station High School Gymnasium, Memphis, TN 1994
Harding Academy Gymnasium, Memphis, TN 1995
MNS -
NEB - Beatrice City Auditorium, Beatrice, NE 1993
Benson High School Gymnasium, Omaha, NE 1994
Lied Activity Center, College of St. Mary's, Omaha, NE 1995
OKC - Miami Civic Center, Miami, OK 1993
OKF - East Central High School Gymnasium, Tulsa, OK 1994
McLain High School Gymnasium, Tulsa, OK 1995
Union High School Gymnasium, Tulsa, OK 1995
Expo Square Point Pavilion, Tulsa, OK 1995
STR - Webster University Gymnasium, Webster Groves, MO 1994
Mark Twain Center, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 1995
WBA 1993 - 1995
1993 WBA
AMERICAN CONFERENCE W L Pct. GB
Nebraska Express 13 2 .867 ..
Missouri Mustangs 10 5 .667 3
Oklahoma Cougars 3 12 .200 10
WORLD CONFERENCE W L Pct. GB
Kansas Crusaders 10 5 .667 ..
Iowa Unicorns 5 10 .333 5
Illinois Knights 4 11 .267 6
WBA FIRST ROUND
Iowa 119, Missouri 103
Missouri 98, Iowa 93
Missouri 117, Iowa 112 (OT)
Kansas 92, Oklahoma 77,
Kansas 114, Oklahoma 64
Nebraska 166, Illinois 129
Nebraska 127, Illinois 115
WBA SECOND ROUND
Kansas 121, Missouri 97
Kansas 109, Missouri 99
WBA CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Kansas 125, Nebraska 119
Nebraska 118, Kansas 100
Kansas 111, Nebraska 96
Kansas 100, Nebraska 98
1994 WBA
AMERICAN CONFERENCE W L Pct. GB
Nebraska Express 10 5 .667 5
Indiana Stars 8 7 .533 7
Oklahoma Flames 3 12 .200 12
Iowa Twisters 1 14 .067 14
NATIONAL CONFERENCE W L Pct. GB
Kansas City Mustangs 15 0 1.000 ..
Memphis Blues 10 5 .667 5
St. Louis River Queens 9 6 .600 6
Kansas Marauders 4 11 .267 11
WBA FIRST ROUND
Memphis 126, St. Louis 111
Memphis 122, St. Louis 110
Indiana 107, Oklahoma 91
Indiana 103, Oklahoma 91
WBA SECOND ROUND
Kansas City 98, Memphis 94
Memphis 101, Kansas City 87
(winner determined by total points - Memphis 195, Kansas City 185)
Nebraska 99, Indiana 89
Nebraska 91, Indiana 87
WBA CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Memphis 102, Nebraska 101
Nebraska 123, Memphis 108
Memphis 138, Nebraska 128
Nebraska 111, Memphis 101
Nebraska 103, Memphis 101
1995 WBA
American Conference W L Pct. GB
Chicago Twisters 15 1 .938 ..
Nebraska Express 6 9 .400 8.5
Minnesota Stars 5 10 .333 9.5
Oklahoma Flames 5 10 .333 9.5
National Conference W L Pct. GB
St. Louis RiverQueens 9 7 .562 ..
Kansas City Mustangs 7 8 .467 1.5
Kentucky Marauders 7 8 .467 1.5
Memphis Blues 7 8 .467 1.5
WBA CHAMPIONSHIP
29Jul95 Chicago 107, St. Louis 96
WOMEN'S PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION 1975
[Disbanded before season]
Arkansas Lassies 1975
Atlanta 1975
Greenville 1975
Indianapolis Pink Panthers 1975
Nashville 1975
Winston-Salem 1975