Girls Basketball - Beginning and Growth
Continued from "Basketball Background-The Beginning" Basketball was invented by James Naismith in 1891-92 as a boys and men's game. Women's coaches saw possibilities for girls and in 1899 rules for girls were written. Dubuque was probably the earliest Iowa High School with girls basketball in 1898. Other schools that pioneered basketball were Muscatine (1904), Washington (1904), Ottumwa (1906), Albia (1909) and Mystic (1909). The uniforms in vogue before1926 were pleated black bloomers with white or colored middies and long dark ties. Uniforms, generally homemade, so frequently was a variety in color and style on the same team. Full length black stockings were always worn. Tennis shoes were worn. In 1931 uniforms were quarter length sleeves and bloomers. In 1920 the first annual Iowa High School Girls Basketball tournament was held in Des Moines with Drake University Invitational on Friday and Saturday. Twenty-four teams participated including nearby schools of Mingo and Nevada. Correctionville (played 23-game season) defeated Nevada 11-4 for State Championship. All field goals = 2 points. Free throws = 1 point, dribble limit allowed = 1. During 1923 - 26 the recurring argument on strenuous competitive game might be harmful to girls' health and morals was debated quite strongly with the result; most "Big City" large schools discontinued inter-school competitive girls basketball. Most small-moderate size town schools continued competitive girls basketball. Basketball was often the only inter-school competitive girls sport and was very well supported by small-moderate-sized communities.
Girls State Tournaments: The first State Tournament sponsored by the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU) was 1926 in Hampton. Hampton won the "Round Robin" finals - Results: Hampton - 3 and 0, Audubon - 2 and 1, Ida Grove - 1 and 2, Mystic - 0 and 3. The 1927 through 1930 tournaments were also held in small towns with limited facilities. The 1931 tournament returned to Des Moines in the "New Drake Field house:" Attendance 2500 - 3000. (1948 finals had Drake Field house capacity crowd of 7200.) Customary uniform was quarter-length sleeves and bloomers. A unique occurrence in 1933 District "Round Robin" tournament with Hillsboro, Cincinnati, and Laurel tied. The coaches refused to let the elimination contest go further and agreed to draw for the school that would go on to the state tournament. Hillsboro won the draw and placed second in state finals, losing to Hampton 33-22. (Apparently no fixed rule on handling tie games). The sixteen-team tournament began in 1934.
Fall 1934 New rules for the "girls" are as follows:
- Three courts changed to 2 courts, 3 forwards and 3 guards in each court.
- Starting ball with either center toss/center throw is official - the center jump after each basket was eliminated
- The radius of the center circle has been increased from 2 to 3 feet
- If either a technical or personal foul is committed against forward while in the act of shooting and a basket is made, the goal shall count and one free three is allowed. If the basket is missed, two free throws shall be allowed.
From the beginning until fall 1934 the game was played in three courts of equal size; two forwards, two guards in each end court, and a running/side center and jumping center in center court. The importance of tall and good jumper "Jumping Center" is obvious plus aggressive running/side center. Perhaps the greatest major change was made when the game went to two courts with three forwards and three guards in each court. This eliminated center jumping after every basket and started play with the referee throwing the ball to a girl in the center circle in what is known as the "center toss.")