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Jan 1, 776
First Known Women Competing
The Heraean Games were established as the first official all women’s athletic competition in 776 B.C. This was because women were excluded from competing in the Olympics with the men. Like the Olympics, this was held every four years. They took place in the stadium of Olympia in honor of the Goddess Hera. These games mostly consisted of foot races. -
Required P.E.
In 1875, Wellsley College opened a gymnasium for required physical education. -
Gertrude Ederle
Gertrude Ederle had won a gold medal and two bronze medals in the in the 100 and 400 meter freestyle races and 4x100 meter freestyle relay team in the 1924 Paris Olympics. On August 6, 1926 Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to swim across the English Channel. She finished the swim in 14 hours and 30 minutes, this was two hours faster than any man that had completed it before her. -
1928 Olympics
Woman were allowed to compete in the summer olympics for the first time in 1928 for track and field. After the 800 meter run, several woman had collasped after completing the race. Even though all of these women completed the race, the male referees thought that the 800 meter was too much for the women. tBecause of this women were not allowed to run races over 200 meters until 1960 -
All Aerican Girl Baseball League
Men were sent to the war, and this left all of the baseball stadiums empty with no entertainment. During the year of 1943 a committee sugested that a group of women get together and form softball league to fill the deficit that was left by the men at war. Salaries ranged from $45 to $85 a week plus. However, the girls were reqired to attend Rubenstein's evening charm school classesthey had to learn proper etiquette for every situation was taught, and every aspect of personal hygiene. -
Alice Coachman
Akice Coachman was born November 9, 1923 in Albany, Georgia. She is the first African American woman to win a gold medal. She specialized in the high jump and competed in this in the 1948 Summer Olympics. During the competition, she jumped 1.68 m (5 and a half feet) on her first try. Not only did she compete in the high jump, but sh also did very well in the indoor and outdoor 50 m dash and the outdoor 100 m dash. dash. -
Wilma Rudolph
Wilma Rudolph was known as the fastest woman in the world or "the tornado" during the 1960's. She was able to compete and win medals in two different Olympics. She was also the first American woman to win three gold medals in in the 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay in track and field during a single Olympic Games. She is also regarded as a civil rights and women's rights pioneer. -
Title IX
The United States Congress passed Title IX under the Education Amendments of 1972. Title IX states that no person on the basis of sex can be excluded from participation, denied of benefits or discriminated under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial aid. This gave women the opportunity to go to college for athletics and created many athletic programs around the country for women. There were still limitations placed on the things they played and the types of uniforms worn. -
Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Jackie Joyner-Kersee became the first woman athlete on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine. She is ranked among the all-time greatest athletes in the women's heptathlon aw well as the women's long jump. She was able to win three gold, one silver, and two bronze Olympic medals. After this great achievment she was then voted greatest female athlete of the 20th century by Sports Illustrated. -
1991 Womens's World Cup
WINS 2-0In 1991, FIFA established the Women's World Cup with the United States winning its inaugural championship. The championship is awarded every four years, and the first championship was held sixty one years after the men's first FiFa World Cup in 1930. Today the tournament involves 16 international teams. It was held in Guangdong, China and won by the United States. It was originally called the Women's World Championship. Team USA wins 2-0 over Norway. -
Danica Patrick
Danica Patrick was the first woman to win the Indy Japan 300 at Twin Ring Montegi in Montegi, Japan. Danica finished 5.8594 seconds before Helio Castroneves, who was the former winner, on the 1.5 mile oval track. Patrick was as low as eighth placeon the 189th lap and still placed first as her competitors were forced to take a pit stop for fuel on the final laps. Patrick, however, made her final pit stop on lap 48. She stated later that this tactic with fuel was part of her own strategy.
