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Paris Olympics
Ranging from the 1900's til 1920', physical educators strongly opposed competition among women, fearing it would make them less feminine. Therefore when women were first allowed to join the Olympics in 1900, the only two events they were allowed to participate in were tennis and golf with appropriate feminine attire. Men wanted to see women wearing long skirts, make-up, and looking as feminine as possible even if they were playing a considered sport. -
Madge Syers
Since there was no womens competition, figure skater Madge Syers of Britain enters the mens worldchampionships and places second. In 1908 she would win the first womens Olympic gold medal. -
First Womens National Title in Any Sport
Lucy Diggs Slowe becomes the first African-American woman to win a national title in any sport when she wins the first womens title at the American Tennis Association national tournament. -
Founding of Womens Association
In 1917, the American Physical education Association forms a committee on women's athletics to draft standarized and seperate rules for women's college field hockey, swimming, track and field, and soccer. Followed by the forganization of the National Women's Athletic Association in 1921, and the National Amateur and Athletic federation (NAAF) in 1922, commited on making sure boys and girls were being on an "equal footing with the same standards, same program, and same regulations." -
AAU opens the track & field events to women
AAU was known for being a leader in international sports. It represented the United States during the international sports federations. The AAU worked closely to prepare young athletes for the Olympic Games. The AAU was criticized a lot for women’s sport. People did not agree that women should be able to participate in events involving endurance or speed like running. In 1922, the AAU opens track and field events to women. This makes people outraged. -
Women finally compete in Olympic track and field events
In the 1928 summer Olympics, five track and field events were added for women. The women did astonishingly well, with American Betsy Robinson the first win a gold medal in track in field for 100 meter race. It appeared as if women athletes were pushing forward for new oppurtunities. Regardless of some women's success, due to some women appearing exhausted after the race, the committee decided to ban track and field evenWomen Track & Field -
All American Red Heads
The All-American Red Heads basketball team was formed in 1936. The team lasted for over fifty years, using mens rules and competed against male basketball teams, winning 85-90 % of their games. With the American basketball team continuing and growing stronger, USA womens basketball competed in international competitions and won the world championship for the first time in 1953. -
Althea Gibson
Althea GibsonOn this day in 1957, Althea Gibson defeats Darlene Hard 6-3, 6-2 to become the first black player ever to win Wimbledon -
Wilma Rudolph
Wilma Rudolph overcomes childhood polio to capture three Olympic gold medals at the Rome Olympic Games and the title of fastest woman in the world. She inspires generations of girls and women to participate in track and field -
Volleyball becomes first team sport for women in the Olympic Games
Volleyball is introduced as the first team sport for women in the Olympic Games. -
Post Title IX
Although Title IX was not officially in effect until June 21,1975, it had already started making changes. For one, the Boston Marathon now allowed women to receive a number and participate in the race. The first year, nine women ran, and one of the women, Nina Kuscik finished race before eight hundred other men. Another positive outcome was the increasing number of girl participants in highschool sports estimated at 1.3 million just one year later in 1973. -
Girls Can Do It All
Just in the short year of 1999, several advancements happened for women in sports. For starters, two women were featured in Sports IIlustrated under, "Our Favorite Athletes of the 20th century"! Also the womens US national team won the world cup for the first time and the first ever WNBA all-star game was held. -
Women In Sports Today
Women in sports today have come a long way from back in the day. Today we are allowed to basically play any sport we want and enjoy competing without having limits to what we can do. Today we are finally equal to man as far as in playing sports.
