Women's Professional Basketball League
Encyclopedia
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
league in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The league played three seasons from the fall of 1978 to the spring of 1981. The league is generally considered to be the first American professional women's basketball league to be founded.
Formation and 1978-79 season
The league began with a player draft held in ManhattanManhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
's Essex House
Essex House
-Buildings:* Essex House - a historic house in London* Jumeirah Essex House - a luxury hotel in New York City...
in July 1978, with eight teams participating. While few of the teams had firm commitments on playing locations (or team names, for that matter), the league planned to play a 34-game season with teams in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Houston, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Houston drafted Ann Meyers
Ann Meyers
Ann Meyers Drysdale is a retired American basketball player and sportscaster. She was a standout player in high school, college, the Olympic Games, international tournaments, and the professional levels.Meyers was the first player to be part of the U.S. national team while still in high school...
from UCLA
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
, while New Jersey's top choice Carol Blazejowski
Carol Blazejowski
Carol Ann Blazejowski , nicknamed "The Blaze", is a retired women's professional basketball player and the former President and General Manager of the New York Liberty of the Women's National Basketball Association .-Family:Blazejowski is the daughter of Leon and Grace Blazejowski...
of Montclair State University
Montclair State University
Montclair State University is a public research university located in the Upper Montclair section of Montclair, the Great Notch area of Little Falls, and Clifton, New Jersey. As of October 2009, there were 18,171 total enrolled students: 14,139 undergraduate students and 4,032 graduate students...
said that she wanted to retain her amateur standing to be eligible to play in the 1980 Summer Olympics
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
. Lusia Harris
Lusia Harris
Lusia "Lucy" Harris-Stewart is a former American basketball player. Harris is considered to be one of the pioneers of women's basketball...
, a collegiate star at Delta State University
Delta State University
Delta State University, also known as DSU, is a regional public university located in Cleveland, Mississippi, United States, in the heart of the Mississippi Delta...
, was selected by the Houston team, but was reluctant to commit to playing after hearing the $3,000 to $5,000 salaries estimated by the Minnesota franchise. With its last pick in the draft, the Cornets selected Uljana Semjonova, a 7-foot-4-inch player for the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
's national women's basketball team who would be inducted as an inaugural member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
The Women's Basketball Hall of Fame honors men and women who have contributed to the sport of women's basketball. The Hall of Fame opened in 1999 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA...
in the class of 1999, but would never play a game in the WBL. The New Jersey Gems
New Jersey Gems
The New Jersey Gems was a franchise that played in the Women's Professional Basketball League, one of only three teams in the league to survive through all three seasons, from 1978-79 to 1980-81. The team made the league playoffs once, losing in the first round...
selected Carol Blazejowski
Carol Blazejowski
Carol Ann Blazejowski , nicknamed "The Blaze", is a retired women's professional basketball player and the former President and General Manager of the New York Liberty of the Women's National Basketball Association .-Family:Blazejowski is the daughter of Leon and Grace Blazejowski...
from Montclair State College
Montclair State University
Montclair State University is a public research university located in the Upper Montclair section of Montclair, the Great Notch area of Little Falls, and Clifton, New Jersey. As of October 2009, there were 18,171 total enrolled students: 14,139 undergraduate students and 4,032 graduate students...
, but she announced while on tour in Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
with the U.S. national women's team through her coach Maureen Wendelken that she had no intention of playing professionally and that her goal was to retain her amateur standing to be able to play for the U.S. at the 1980 Summer Olympics
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
. Molly Bolin, who grew up in Moravia, Iowa
Moravia, Iowa
Moravia is a city in Appanoose County, Iowa, United States. The population was 713 at the 2000 census.-History:Moravia is named for the religious faith. Moravian families left Salem, North Carolina in 1849 to start a colony in the west. Money was sent to purchase forty acres of land for a town site...
, became the first player signed by any team in the WBL when she was signed by the Iowa Cornets
Iowa Cornets
The Iowa Cornets was a team that played for two seasons in the Women's Professional Basketball League. The team made it to the league's championship series both seasons, falling to the Houston Angels in 1978-79 and to the New York Stars in 1979-80...
.
The league played its first game on December 9, 1978, between the Chicago Hustle and the Milwaukee Does
Milwaukee Does
The Milwaukee Does were a team in the short-lived Women's Professional Basketball League. Based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, their name was a play on that of the NBA Milwaukee Bucks. The Does played in the first two of the WPBL's three seasons, 1978–1979 and 1979–1980, before disbanding...
at the Milwaukee Arena, with the league's inaugural game attracting four minutes of coverage in the previous night's CBS Evening News
CBS Evening News
CBS Evening News is the flagship nightly television news program of the American television network CBS. The network has broadcast this program since 1948, and has used the CBS Evening News title since 1963....
with Walter Cronkite
Walter Cronkite
Walter Leland Cronkite, Jr. was an American broadcast journalist, best known as anchorman for the CBS Evening News for 19 years . During the heyday of CBS News in the 1960s and 1970s, he was often cited as "the most trusted man in America" after being so named in an opinion poll...
. Milwaukee mayor Henry Maier issued a proclamation likening this first game to the first professional football game, played in Latrobe, Pennsylvania
Latrobe, Pennsylvania
Latrobe is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania in the United States, approximately southeast of Pittsburgh.The city population was 7,634 as of the 2000 census . It is located near the Pennsylvania's scenic Chestnut Ridge. Latrobe was incorporated as a borough in 1854, and as a city in 1999...
, and the first pro baseball game, played in Cincinnati.
The league was divided into two divisions, with Chicago, Milwaukee, the Iowa Cornets
Iowa Cornets
The Iowa Cornets was a team that played for two seasons in the Women's Professional Basketball League. The team made it to the league's championship series both seasons, falling to the Houston Angels in 1978-79 and to the New York Stars in 1979-80...
and Minnesota Fillies
Minnesota Fillies
Minnesota Fillies was member of the Women's Professional Basketball League from 1978-81. It was one of only 3 teams to play in all 3 seasons of the league...
playing in the Western Division, while the Dayton Rockettes, Houston Angels
Houston Angels
The Houston Angels was a team that played for two seasons in the Women's Professional Basketball League. The team won the league championship in the inaugural season defeating the Iowa Cornets three games to two in the best-of-five tournament...
, New Jersey Gems
New Jersey Gems
The New Jersey Gems was a franchise that played in the Women's Professional Basketball League, one of only three teams in the league to survive through all three seasons, from 1978-79 to 1980-81. The team made the league playoffs once, losing in the first round...
and New York Stars
New York Stars (WBL)
The New York Stars were a team that played for the first two of three seasons in the Women's Professional Basketball League. The team won the 1979-80 league championship in its second season, defeating the Iowa Cornets, but folded after the season ended....
were in the East. The eight initial teams paid $50,000 for their franchise, while the four teams to be added for the 1979-80 season were expected to pay $100,000, and $250,000 per team for each of four more teams in the following season. The Does had a crowd of 7,824 at the game, which saw the hometown team lose to Chicago 92-87, with Debra Waddy Rossow scoring 30 points to lead the Hustle.
The league was able to arrange an all-star game in 1979, which was played at the Felt Forum in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
in front of 2,731 fans. The game was hastily arranged and inserted into the league's schedule, using a court borrowed from the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
at West Point, and forcing some players to have to make hectic travel arrangements to get to their next regular season game. The East beat the Midwest by a score of 112–99. Althea Gwyn of the New York Stars
New York Stars (WBL)
The New York Stars were a team that played for the first two of three seasons in the Women's Professional Basketball League. The team won the 1979-80 league championship in its second season, defeating the Iowa Cornets, but folded after the season ended....
led the East with 19 points and 16 rebounds, while Chicago Hustle
Chicago Hustle
The Chicago Hustle was a team in the Women's Professional Basketball League from 1978-1981. Their team colors were orange and blue. Its radio broadcaster was Les Grobstein....
players Debra Waddy Rossow with 26 points and Rita Easterling with 19 points led the Midwest. Easterling, who also grabbed 18 rebounds, was named the game's most valuable player.
Behind 36 points by Paula Mayo, the Houston Angels
Houston Angels
The Houston Angels was a team that played for two seasons in the Women's Professional Basketball League. The team won the league championship in the inaugural season defeating the Iowa Cornets three games to two in the best-of-five tournament...
defeated the Iowa Cornets
Iowa Cornets
The Iowa Cornets was a team that played for two seasons in the Women's Professional Basketball League. The team made it to the league's championship series both seasons, falling to the Houston Angels in 1978-79 and to the New York Stars in 1979-80...
on May 2, 1979, to take the league's first championship, 111-104 in the final game of a best three-out-of-five competition.
1979-80 season
The league made it through its first season with all eight teams in operation, though the Dayton Rockettes had been taken over by the league in February 1979 and was to be relocated to either IndianapolisIndianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
or Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. New franchises had been awarded to Dallas, San Francisco and St, Louis, Missouri, while applications were received for potential franchises from Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
On April 9, 1980, despite Iowa's league-leading scorer Molly Bolin's 36 point, the New York Stars held on to win game four of the finals 125–114, behind 27 points by Pearl Moore and 22 by Janice Thomas. Stars coach Dean Meminger
Dean Meminger
Dean Peter Meminger is an American basketball player and coach. Meminger starred at Rice High School in New York City. He attended Marquette University, where he played for coach Al McGuire...
called the game the "culmination of a year of hard work".
1980-81 season and demise
In a game scheduled in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
on March 21, 1981, players of the Minnesota Fillies
Minnesota Fillies
Minnesota Fillies was member of the Women's Professional Basketball League from 1978-81. It was one of only 3 teams to play in all 3 seasons of the league...
, one of only three teams to play in all three seasons that the league was in existence, walked off the court before the starting lineups were announced in a game against the Chicago Hustle
Chicago Hustle
The Chicago Hustle was a team in the Women's Professional Basketball League from 1978-1981. Their team colors were orange and blue. Its radio broadcaster was Les Grobstein....
in a protest over unpaid salaries. Referees and team coach Terry Kunze
Terry Kunze
Terry Kunze is a retired American professional basketball player. Kunze played in the 1967 season with the ABA's Minnesota Muskies after playing collegiately for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Kunze attended Duluth Central High School in Duluth, Minnesota.-External links:*...
tried to cajole the players back onto the court to play their game, but were unsuccessful. The team, which had been averaging 1,000 to 1,500 in attendance per game were suspended from the WPBL by commissioner Sherwin Fisher, who called the walkout as "very detrimental to the league".
The Nebraska Wranglers won the league's 1980-81 title, defeating the Dallas Diamonds
Dallas Diamonds (basketball)
For the football team of the same name, see Dallas Diamonds.The Dallas Diamonds were a team in the Women's Professional Basketball League from 1979 to 1981 and the Women's American Basketball Association abbreviated WABA) in 1984.The star of both incarnations of the team was Nancy Lieberman, an...
three games to two. In the fifth and final game, Rosie Walker led the victors with 39 points, while the Wranglers' defense held Nancy Lieberman
Nancy Lieberman
Nancy Elizabeth Lieberman , nicknamed "Lady Magic", is a former professional basketball player who played and coached in the WNBA.Lieberman is regarded as one of the greatest figures in women's basketball....
of Dallas to 12 points, less than half of her season average.
Bill Byrne had founded the league hoping that the 1980 Summer Olympics
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
would showcase the game's stars and bring media and public attention to women's basketball
Women's basketball
Women's basketball is one of the few women's sports that developed in tandem with its men's counterpart. It became popular, spreading from the east coast of the United States to the west coast , in large part via women's colleges...
, but the United States-led boycott of the Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
games only added to the league's misfortunes.
By November 1981, the league was showing what The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
described as "feeble flickers of life", and cited commissioner Dave Almstead as saying that the league was defunct, having had generated $14 million in losses in its three years on the court. Almstead, who had succeeded Fisher as league commissioner in May 1981, had tried to contact investors and team owners unsuccessfully during his tenure and made a formal announcement that the league, which had finished the 1981 season with eight teams, had folded. Fischer, owner of the Chicago Hustle, insisted that he would field a team that would go barnstorming if the league went out of existence, and thought that teams would be fielded for a fourth season by Chicago, Nebraska and New Orleans.
Teams
- California Dreams (1979–80) /Nebraska Wranglers (1980–81)
- Chicago HustleChicago HustleThe Chicago Hustle was a team in the Women's Professional Basketball League from 1978-1981. Their team colors were orange and blue. Its radio broadcaster was Les Grobstein....
(1978–81) - Dallas DiamondsDallas Diamonds (basketball)For the football team of the same name, see Dallas Diamonds.The Dallas Diamonds were a team in the Women's Professional Basketball League from 1979 to 1981 and the Women's American Basketball Association abbreviated WABA) in 1984.The star of both incarnations of the team was Nancy Lieberman, an...
(1979–81) - Dayton Rockettes (1978–79) /Washington Metros (1979–80)
- Houston AngelsHouston AngelsThe Houston Angels was a team that played for two seasons in the Women's Professional Basketball League. The team won the league championship in the inaugural season defeating the Iowa Cornets three games to two in the best-of-five tournament...
(1978–80) - Iowa CornetsIowa CornetsThe Iowa Cornets was a team that played for two seasons in the Women's Professional Basketball League. The team made it to the league's championship series both seasons, falling to the Houston Angels in 1978-79 and to the New York Stars in 1979-80...
(1978–80) - Milwaukee DoesMilwaukee DoesThe Milwaukee Does were a team in the short-lived Women's Professional Basketball League. Based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, their name was a play on that of the NBA Milwaukee Bucks. The Does played in the first two of the WPBL's three seasons, 1978–1979 and 1979–1980, before disbanding...
(1978–80) - Minnesota FilliesMinnesota FilliesMinnesota Fillies was member of the Women's Professional Basketball League from 1978-81. It was one of only 3 teams to play in all 3 seasons of the league...
(1978–81) - New England Gulls (1980–81)
- New Jersey GemsNew Jersey GemsThe New Jersey Gems was a franchise that played in the Women's Professional Basketball League, one of only three teams in the league to survive through all three seasons, from 1978-79 to 1980-81. The team made the league playoffs once, losing in the first round...
(1978–81) - New Orleans Pride (1979–81)
- New York StarsNew York Stars (WBL)The New York Stars were a team that played for the first two of three seasons in the Women's Professional Basketball League. The team won the 1979-80 league championship in its second season, defeating the Iowa Cornets, but folded after the season ended....
(1978–80) - Philadelphia Fox (1979–80)
- St. Louis Streak (1979–81)
- San Francisco Pioneers (1979–81)
Selected notable players
- Ann MeyersAnn MeyersAnn Meyers Drysdale is a retired American basketball player and sportscaster. She was a standout player in high school, college, the Olympic Games, international tournaments, and the professional levels.Meyers was the first player to be part of the U.S. national team while still in high school...
, top pick in the WBL draft in 1978, WBL Co-MVP for the 1979-1980 season playing for the New Jersey Gems, now the General Manager for the Phoenix MercuryPhoenix MercuryThe Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises... - Carol BlazejowskiCarol BlazejowskiCarol Ann Blazejowski , nicknamed "The Blaze", is a retired women's professional basketball player and the former President and General Manager of the New York Liberty of the Women's National Basketball Association .-Family:Blazejowski is the daughter of Leon and Grace Blazejowski...
, now the General Manager for the New York LibertyNew York LibertyThe New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league... - "Machine Gun" Molly Bolin, Co-MVP for the 1979-80 season
- Brenda Chapman, the WBL scoring leader in the 1978-79 season
- Rita Easterling, MVP for the 1978-79 season
- Donna Geils, now Donna OrenderDonna OrenderDonna Orender is a sports executive and a former collegiate and professional basketball player. She was recently president of the WNBA. She grew up on Long Island, New York and was a five-sport athlete in high school, lettering in basketball, field hockey, volleyball, softball, and tennis. She is...
, former President of the WNBAWomen's National Basketball AssociationThe Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association... - Althea Gwyn
- Marie Kocurek
- Nancy LiebermanNancy LiebermanNancy Elizabeth Lieberman , nicknamed "Lady Magic", is a former professional basketball player who played and coached in the WNBA.Lieberman is regarded as one of the greatest figures in women's basketball....
, former Phoenix MercuryPhoenix MercuryThe Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
player, first-ever coach of the Detroit ShockDetroit ShockThe Detroit Shock was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. They were the 2003, 2006 and 2008 WNBA champion...
, now a basketball analyst on ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming.... - Muffet McGrawMuffet McGraw-External links:...
, now Head Coach at University of Notre DameUniversity of Notre DameThe University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States... - Rhonda RompolaRhonda RompolaRhonda Rompola is the head women's basketball coach at SMU. She has coached the Mustangs basketball program since 1991. In her first season, she posted a 17-12 record. Overall, she has posted a 288-188 record at SMU. In 2007, SMU went 24-9, and finished second in Conference USA play with a 11-5...
, now Head Coach at Southern Methodist UniversitySouthern Methodist UniversitySouthern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church... - Rosie Walker, MVP for the 1980-81 season
- Kaye Young, now Kaye Young Cowher, the late wife of current NFL on CBSNFL on CBSThe NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:...
analyst and former Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh SteelersThe Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
coach, Bill CowherBill CowherWilliam Laird "Bill" Cowher is a former American football coach and player. Cowher resigned after 15 seasons as the Steelers' coach on January 5, 2007, 11 months to the day after winning 2005–06's Super Bowl XL...
Anita Ortega, played with the San Francisco Pioneers and a brief stint with the Minnesota Fillies. She was one of the women that decided not to play in a Fillies game due to contractual violations by the owners. She was a 1980 WBL All-Star and described as the "Dr.J" of her time because of her crafty athletic moves. She is now the highest ranking Afro-Puerto Rican in the Los Angeles Police Department.
1978-79 season
Eastern Division| Team | W | L | PCT. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Angels | 26 | 8 | .768 | - |
| New York Stars | 19 | 15 | .559 | 7 |
| Dayton Rockettes | 12 | 22 | .353 | 14 |
| New Jersey Gems | 9 | 25 | .265 | 17 |
Midwest Division
| Team | W | L | PCT. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Hustle | 21 | 13 | .768 | - |
| Iowa Cornets | 21 | 13 | .768 | |
| Minnesota Fillies | 17 | 17 | .500 | 4 |
| Milwaukee Does | 11 | 23 | .324 | 10 |
Semifinals
- Houston 2-0 New York
- Iowa 2-1 Chicago
Finals
- Houston 3-2 Iowa
1979-80 season
Eastern Division| Team | W | L | PCT. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Stars | 28 | 7 | .800 | - |
| New Orleans Pride | 21 | 13 | .618 | 6.5 |
| New Jersey Gems | 19 | 17 | .528 | 9.5 |
| St. Louis Streak | 15 | 21 | .417 | 13.5 |
| Washington Metros | 3 | 7 | .300 | ... |
| Philadelphia Fox | 2 | 8 | .200 | ... |
Midwest Division
| Team | W | L | PCT. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa Cornets | 24 | 12 | .667 | - |
| Minnesota Fillies | 22 | 12 | .647 | 1 |
| Chicago Hustle | 17 | 19 | .472 | 7 |
| Milwaukee Does | 10 | 24 | .294 | 13 |
Western Division
| Team | W | L | PCT. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Angels | 19 | 14 | .576 | - |
| San Francisco Pioneers | 18 | 18 | .500 | 2.5 |
| California Dreams | 11 | 18 | .393 | 6 |
| Dallas Diamonds | 7 | 28 | .200 | 13 |
- Philadelphia and Washington disbanded after 10 games.
Quarterfinals
- San Francisco 2-1 Houston
- Minnesota 2-1 New Orleans
Semifinals
- Iowa 2-1 Minnesota
- New York 2-0 San Francisco
Finals
- New York 3-1 Iowa
1980-81 season
Coastal Division| Team | W | L | PCT. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas Diamonds | 27 | 9 | .750 | - |
| New Jersey Gems | 23 | 13 | .639 | 4 |
| New Orleans Pride | 18 | 19 | .486 | 9.5 |
| San Francisco Pioneers | 14 | 22 | .389 | 13 |
| New England Gulls* | 2 | 10 | .167 | .. |
Central Division
| Team | W | L | PCT. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska Wranglers | 27 | 9 | .750 | - |
| Chicago Hustle | 18 | 18 | .500 | 9 |
| St. Louis Streak | 14 | 21 | .400 | 12.5 |
| Minnesota Fillies | 7 | 28 | .200 | 19.5 |
- New England disbanded after 12 games.
Division playoffs
- Dallas 2-1 New Jersey
- Nebraska 2-0 Chicago
Finals
- Nebraska 3-2 Dallas
See also
- American Basketball League
- National Women's Basketball LeagueNational Women's Basketball LeagueThe National Women's Basketball League, often abbreviated to the NWBL, was an organization governing professional basketball leagues for women in the United States. The league was founded in 1997 and began play in the Fall of that year. The league used to have its own season during the off-season...
- Women's American Basketball AssociationWomen's American Basketball AssociationThe Women's American Basketball Association played one season in 2002. The 2002 champions were the York City Noise. There was also an earlier, separate league of the same name, in 1984.-Clubs:* Allentown Crunch* Reading Rage* Schuylkill Syrens...
- Women's National Basketball AssociationWomen's National Basketball AssociationThe Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...