Legends of the Ball, - LOB

About Legends of the Ball, - LOB

Did you know there was a women's professional basketball league in the U.S. before the WNBA? Before the ABL? In fact, there have been a total of "9" women's professional leagues that attempted to launch. The WBL (Women's Basketball League) AKA WPBL - was the first viable league. It is the second longest-running league behind the WNBA (1978-81). This league has a unique status that goes beyond being the "first" league. Most of the women who played in the WBL were the first African Americans at their universities, they were the first recipients of the educational and athletic opportunities afforded them by Title IX, the first to become All-Americans, the first to play on the U.S. International teams, the first Olympians, first Wade Trophy winners (best collegiate player) Carol Blazejowski, first to be drafted by an NBA team (Lusia Harris), first to sign a contract with an NBA team (Ann Meyers-Drysdale), first to graduate, and in many cases the first to coach. The impact of these women goes beyond their playing days. While there is name recognition for some of the members, the league was founded by unheralded players who made names for themselves in the league and after by taking on many professions and making an immeasurable impact in the coaching profession. The LOB, Inc., mantra is passing it on ... paying it forward. These women have done that as hidden figures and LOB, Inc., was founded with the intent to unearth the amazing contributions they have made to the sports world and beyond. It is our goal to showcase the WBL as a league and each individual accomplishment made. They are vast! There were men with a vision who founded the WBL and also coached in the league. Some of special note continue to push the game forward. This story needs to be told. While new history is being made in the WNBA and women's sports overall, it is impossible to gauge how far the game has come without knowing where it began. Those before and after the WBL all contibuted.

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