Women in Sport

By Erika Gensiejewski

  • Vassar College started the first women's baseball team

    Vassar College started the first women's baseball team
    The history of women in baseball started with the first organized women's baseball team in 1866. This team was formed at Vassar college in Poughkeepsie, New York. The Vassar Resolutes made baseball history, although collegiate women's baseball never fully took off and continues to be overshadowed by women's collegiate softball teams instead. At one point, there were as many as seven teams, although public censure of the rough and "plebian" nature of the sport led to its discontinuation in 1877.

  • First Female Olympic Champion

    First Female Olympic Champion
    Women were allowed in the Olympics for the first time in 1900, in Paris. Charlotte Cooper won the tennis singles and mixed doubles. She received a gold metal in both, and was the first woman to metal in an Olympic sport. Cooper also won Wimbledon five times in 1895, 1896, 1899, 1901, and 1908.

  • First Women's Swimming Gold Medal

    First Women's Swimming Gold Medal
    Australian, Sarah 'Fanny' Durack, won the gold in the 100m freestyle in 1912. She broke the world record twice, which wasn't broken for another eight or nine years until American Ethelda Bleibtrey. Twenty seven girls participated in the Olympic 100m, including six from Great Britain and four from Germany. There were restrctions on swimsuits and some reached down to the mid-thigh and others were sleeveless. Durack wore the heaviest costume of all - a woollen sleeveless garment with a skirt.

  • First woman to win four golds at a single Olympics

    First woman to win four golds at a single Olympics
    Koen raceFrancina Koen won four gold medals, though she nearly went home midway through the competition after European tabloids criticized her for not being a proper housewife and mother. She won the 100 meters, 80-meter hurdles, 200 meters, and 4x100-meter relay. Local fans honored her achievement by giving her the gift of a bicycle so she wouldn't have to run so much. At the age of 81, Koen lives in Amsterdam where she still plays tennis and rides her bike daily.

  • Title IX

    Title IX
    Title IX was signed into law by President Richard Nixon. It prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity, within an institution that is receiving any type of Federal financial assistance. Financial aid is determined on the ratio of male and female athletes. All other benefits must be equivalent but do not have to be identical.

  • First Woman in an NHL Game

    First Woman in an NHL Game
    Rheaume Review
    Manon Rheaume made sports history by appearing in an NHL exhibition game for the Tampa Bay Lightning, thus becoming the first female to play in a major professional sport. She continued her pro hockey career with various men's minor league teams but in 1995, she turned to professional roller hockey playing for the New Jersey Rock 'n Rollers. In 1998, Rheaume returned to the slick stuff and helped the Canadian te

  • The Begin of the WNBA

    The Begin of the WNBA
    Although it was annouced that there would be a woman's league in 1996, they did not perform until 1997. During the inaugural season, more than 50 million viewers watched WNBA games on the three networks. ESPN2 joined NBC and ESPN to cover the WNBA games live for 2001 for the first time. The first of the player signings was announced on October 23, 1996.

  • First-ever three-time U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year

    First-ever three-time U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year
    Mia Hamm won the U.S. soccer athlete of the year from 1994-1996. She became the first, male or female, athlete to win three times in a row. Considered the best all-around woman soccer player in the world, and at the age of only 15 she was the youngest to play with the U.S, National team.

  • First woman to Play in PGA since 1945

    First woman to Play in PGA since 1945
    PGA video clip
    Annika Sorenstam was the first woman in 58 years to compete on the PGA Tour. She became the first woman to shoot 59 and earn more than $2 million in one season. The last woman to play on the PGA Tour was Babe Zaharias.

  • First Woman to Win PBA

    First Woman to Win PBA
    Kelly Kulick won the 45th Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tournament of Champions at Red Rock Lanes becoming the first woman to win a PBA Tour title. She beat player of the year, Chris Barnes, in the championship match to win a $40,000 first prize in the PBA tournament. The final score was 265-195.