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Jan 1, 776
Ancient Greece
In Ancient Greece of 776 B.C., when the Olympic Games started, women were not allowed to participate nor watch the games. http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/sports/A0860127.html -
Period: Apr 28, 776 to
Women in Sports
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Catharine Beecher
Catherine Beecher, sister of Harriet Beecher Stowe, published the first exercise manual for women. Born in New York, was home-schooled until the age of 10. She went to a private school in Connecticut, and attended Hartford Female Seminary. She became a school teacher who wrote her own books. She was very interested in the human body and would experiment on her students. -
Olympic Games
In 1900 Paris Games, women were able to participate for the first time. Games in which they could particpate included only tennis and golf. There were a total of 19 female participants, and Charlotte Cooper, a professional tennis player, became the first female Olympic champion. -
May Sutton
May Sutton, an infamous female tennis player, became the first American to win the Wimbledon singles title. Born in England, she began playing from an early age. She was known for her informal behavior of rolling up her sleeves and wearing a skirt that revealed her ankles. -
Track and Field
Women were able to compete in the Olympics Track and Field for the first time in 1928. They were able to participate in five track and field events. -
Jackie Mitchell
Jackie Mitchell was the first professional female baseball player. On April 2, 1931, she struck out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. She played for the Chattanooga Lookouts, a Class AA minor league team. Unfortunately, the baseball commissioner at that time, Kenesaw Mountain Landis, restricted women from playing baseball saying that it was "too strenuous." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMBo0titC6o -
Title IX
Title IX became a law in 1972. This law was supposed to provide women with equal equipment and supplies, practice and game times, travel, compensation of coaches, publicity, tutoring, etc. They were to have equal training and dining facilities, and financial aid. It states that "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity..." -
Battle of the Sexes - Billie Jean King
Billie Jean Kings, a professional female tennis player beats professional men's tennis player, Bobby Riggs. The game was play at the Houston Astrodome in Texas, which attracted many spectators. Billie Jean won $100,000 from the game. -
Junko Tabei
Junko Tabei was an English major who graduated from Showa Women's University and was a member of a mountain climbing club there. She also climbed Mt. Fuji and the Swiss Alps. In 1972, she was recognized as a mountain climber in Japan. Early 1975, she began her expedition with a group of Sherpa people. She was even covered, and knocked unconscious by an avalanche but was dug out by one of her guides. On May 16th, she became the first woman to climb Mt. Everest. -
Janet Guthrie
Janet Guthrie became the first female to qualift and compet in the Indianapolis 500. Although she finished the race in 29th place, she competed 11 more times. Out of all her events, the best she finished was fifth place, which is amazing being the first women to do so. -
FIFA Women's World Cup
The FIFA Women's World Cup was held for the first time in China, 61 years after the men's world cup started. The U.S. women's team won the world cup that year against Norway. -
Justine Henin
Justine Henin is known as one of the best female tennis players. Even Billie Jean King said that "Henin is the best player of her generation." In 2008, she was named Laureus World Sports Academy's Sportswoman of the Year after 50 straight weeks as number one in the world. She won the French Open from 2005-2007 and the Grand Slam in 2006 and 2007. -
Amy Palmiero-Winters
Amy Palmiero-Winters was a marathon runner and a triathlete. She lost her leg in a motorcycle accident in 1994, but set 12 world records since then. Although she participated in many races, in 2010, she became the first amputee to finish a 100-mile race in the Western States Endurance Run.
