1978–79 WBL season

1st WBL season October 2023 1978–79 WBL season Women's Professional Basketball League Basketball December 9, 1978 – May 2, 1979 8 Draft 1978 WBL draft Ann Meyers Houston Angels Regular season Houston Angels Rita Easterling (Chicago) Brenda Chapman (Milwaukee) Playoffs Finals Houston Angels Iowa Cornets List of WBL seasons WBL 1979–80 WBL season 1979–80 The 1978–79 WBL season was the 1st season of the Women's Professional Basketball League. The season ended with the Houston Angels winning the WBL Championship, beating the Iowa Cornets 3 games to 2 in the WBL Finals. The league was divided into two divisions, with Chicago Hustle, Milwaukee Does, Iowa Cornets and Minnesota Fillies playing in the Western Division, while the Dayton Rockettes, Houston Angels, New Jersey Gems and New York Stars were in the East. Notable occurrences In June 1978, Karen Logan became the first player to sign a contract with the league.Karen Logan is first to sign with women's pro cage league https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-paducah-sun-karen-logan-is-first-to/133556170/ 16 October 2023 The Paducah Sun Associated Press 21 June 1978 2D Newspapers.comBill Jauss Skyline acquires two shooting stars https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-skyline-acquires-two-sho/133556873/ 16 October 2023 Chicago Tribune 20 June 1978 2 Newspapers.com With the first overall pick in the 1978 WBL draft, Houston selected Ann Meyers from UCLA.Ann Meyers first choice in women's cage draft https://www.newspapers.com/article/great-falls-tribune-ann-meyers-first-cho/133558713/ 16 October 2023 Great Falls Tribune Associated Press 19 July 1978 11 Newspapers.com The league's inaugural game was on December 9, 1978, between the Chicago Hustle and the Milwaukee Does at the Milwaukee Arena, attracting coverage in the previous night's CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite. Milwaukee mayor Henry Maier issued a proclamation comparing this first game to the first professional football game, played in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and the first pro baseball game, played in Cincinnati.Harvin, Al. "Female Pros Make History; Playing Game Alone", The New York Times, December 10, 1978. Accessed July 26, 2010. The game attracted a crowd of 7,824, which saw the hometown team lose to Chicago 92–87. Debra Waddy Rossow of the Hustle, led all scorers with 30 points. The league was able to arrange an All-Star game in 1979, which was played at the Felt Forum in New York City's Madison Square Garden in front of 2,731 fans. The game was hastily arranged and inserted into the league's schedule, using a court borrowed from the United States Military Academy at West Point, and forcing some players to have to make hectic travel arrangements to get to their next regular season game. The East beat the Midwest by a score of 112–99. Althea Gwyn of the New York Stars led the East with 19 points and 16 rebounds, while Chicago Hustle players Debra Waddy Rossow with 26 points and Rita Easterling with 19 points led the Midwest. Easterling, who also had 18 assists, was named the game's most valuable player.Harvin, Al. "Miss Gwyn Stands Out As East Stars Triumph; No Break in Schedule", The New York Times, March 15, 1979. Accessed July 28, 2010. The Houston Angels defeated the Iowa Cornets, 111–104, on May 2, 1979, behind 36 points by Paula Mayo, to take the league's first championship in game five of a best-of-five finals series.via Associated press. "Houston Angels Win Title In Women's Basketball", The New York Times, May 3, 1979. Accessed July 26, 2010. Standings # Eastern Division Team W Games won L Games lost PCT Winning percentage GB Games behind1z-Houston Angels 26 8 .768 –2x-New York Stars 19 15 .559 73Dayton Rockettes 12 22 .353 144New Jersey Gems 9 25 .265 17 # Western Division Team W Games won L Games lost PCT Winning percentage GB Games behind1z-Chicago Hustle 21 13 .618 –2x-Iowa Cornets 21 13 .618 –3Minnesota Fillies 17 17 .500 44Milwaukee Does 11 23 .324 10 Notes z – division champions x – clinched playoff spot no Houston Angels 2 New York Stars 0 Chicago Hustle 1 Iowa Cornets 2 Houston Angels 3 Iowa Cornets 2 Statistics leaders + Category Player Team Stat Points per game Brenda Chapman Milwaukee Does 29.7 Rebounds per game Althea Gwyn New York Stars 17.3 Assists per game Rita Easterling Chicago Hustle 10.1 Steals per game Liz Galloway Chicago Hustle 4.00 Blocks per game Sue Digitale Chicago Hustle 1.12 WBL awards Most Valuable Player: Rita Easterling, Chicago Hustle Coach of the Year: Don Knodel, Houston Angels Manager of the Year Chuck Shriver, Chicago HustleShriver gets honor https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-columbia-record-shriver-gets-honor/133535420/ 16 October 2023 The Columbia Record 17 November 1979 4B Newspapers.com All-Pro team Rita Easterling (Chicago) Debra Waddy-Rossow (Chicago) Vonnie Tomich (Dayton) Paula Mayo (Houston) Belinda Candler (Houston) Molly Bolin (Iowa) Denise Sharps (Iowa) Doris Draving (Iowa) Brenda Chapman (Milwaukee) Marie Kocurek (Minnesota) Gail Tatterson (New Jersey) Althea Gwyn (New York) SourceThree Cornets named All-Pro https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-des-moines-register-three-cornets-na/133537830/ 16 October 2023 The Des Moines Register 5 June 1979 3S Newspapers.com References Category:Women's Professional Basketball League seasons