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The A-String in the Village:

A Moment of Magic in Women’s Basketball

Dr. (Ms.) Michael S. Whitt

    Amanda put on her red satin uniform, fastened thick strands of her long curly hair atop her head, and mused, “I wonder how we got these sexy uniforms. The bottoms fit like short shorts. The other teams’ bottoms are baggy. Our tops are super, exposing our midriffs. Our mothers didn’t wear these when they played.”
    Carolyn tied her high tops saying, “Then the courts had three sections: for two guards, two centers, two forwards.”
    Daphne grinned. “Not much action.”
    Cheryl said, “Maybe these uniforms are why we win all our games.”
    Teresa, hollered from the gym door, “It’s time to warm up. Manda, the crowd is waiting for the high scorer. Let’s warm up so we can pound Mulberry.”
    “I’m ready,” Manda said followed by the others.
    When they ran on the court, the fans cheered loudly. This village was proud of their women’s team. The girls had not lost a game in three years. The team had received more than its share of championships, although Frostproof High was the smallest school in the Central Florida Conference. No one was prepared for what happened that night, January 8, 1960. The game was close. When there was a minute left, the score was tied.
    Amanda commented during a time-out. “We must win, or we’ll break our winning streak.”
     “This couldn’t happen before,” Erica whispered.
    Manda knew she referred to the fact that two A-String guards graduated. Cheryl had not played until now. That was a weakness. They recruited her because she was the best player available. Inadequate coaching was also implied by Erica. That Mary Crawford was not a committed coach showed in her sheath dress and spiked heels. She replaced Coach O’Neil. Alene led the team to championships twice. Some bigots got her fired. They correctly suspected she was a lesbian. That angered the A-Stringers. They did not care about their beloved coach’s sexual preferences.
    When play resumed, Carolyn out jumped Nancy Osteen even though the later was 6'1" and Carolyn was a tad under 6'. She tipped the ball to Manda who rang a long one. The crowd cheered loudly; they were heard for blocks. Soon Osteen tied the score. At mid-court Manda passed the ball to Teresa. A rival guard intercepted the ball and passed to Osteen who shot. The ball hovered for a moment like it missed, but it went in.
    With twenty seconds to go, Carolyn passed to Teresa. She tried a long shot which missed. Manda’s and Carolyn’s expressions indicated they could choke Teresa. She rarely made those shots. Ten seconds and the Frostproof forwards were covering Mulberry’s guards, but they managed a pass to a forward. Erica darted toward the latter and stole the ball when she dribbled. Erica hurled the ball to Manda. She made a shot, but the referees ruled it invalid. The buzzer was sounding when the ball left her hands. The A-String walked out in tears.
    Daphne said, “We missed overtime by a second. I wish we’d gotten the ball to you sooner, Manda”
    “You did the best you could. Did you notice some of our boys cheering?”
    Erica snapped, “Now you, Daphne, Cheryl, Teresa and I have to cheer for them.”
    The girls won every game before they had to replay Mulberry. Manda and Carolyn, who lived next door to each other, waited for their ride in Manda’s bedroom. Carolyn peered out a window, “There’s ‘coach’s’ car.”
    When Manda and Carolyn got in the car, the other teammates were there. “Hi friends,” Erica said. Let’s beat Mulberry.”
    “Okay,” Manda answered.
    In the game Mulberry pulled ahead early by six points. When the game ended, the final score: Mulberry sixty-four, Frostproof fifty-two. The A-String trudged toward the showers. Manda cried, “How could we let them beat us again?”
    “I‘m too numb to cry,” Erica said. “There’s a pain in my broken heart.”
    “Those creeps on the boys’ team didn’t cheer tonight,” Teresa noted.
    Manda said, “If they did I’d remind them that although we have lost two games, they’ve only won two.” They all laughed. It relieved their pain.
    The girls won all their games before the championship meets. They did not speak much about them assuming they would lose. These games were in Ft. Meade, a nearby citrus town. Mulberry played third ranked Sebring, a tourist town south of Frostproof. Fourth ranked Kathleen, by a phosphate mining town, played Frostproof. Mulberry and Frostproof were victorious.
    Manda awoke on final game day with feelings that anything was possible. Reggie Teisinger, the A Strings favorite teacher, drove them to the game.
    “He’s here,” Manda said from her bedroom.
    Carolyn replied, “Let’s go.”
    In the car Manda felt her consciousness expand in new ways. There was an energy rush as Manda became aware they could defeat Mulberry if they believed this. Something within her spoke, “We can win tonight. We have to believe in ourselves and stay focused. We must work together better than we ever have.”
    “We must do it!” Daphne exclaimed.
    “Yes,” Erica said. “We can’t go out losers after winning four championships.”
    “We’re going to win,” Carolyn said.
    “I’ve been weak,” Cheryl began, “but tonight I’ll not be. I’m inspired by Manda and all your responses.”
    Teresa exclaimed, “I’m a believer!”
    The game was close at first. Then Frostproof moved ahead. The score was seventy-four to sixty. Many Frostproof fans rushed on the court to salute and hug their heroines. Erica and Manda embraced and joined the others strutting to the showers.
    “I don’t know what happened to you, but I’m certain it made this victory possible.”
    “Me either, but I’m glad it helped us win,”
    Later Reggie said, “I knew you all would win. After Manda started that conversation, a strong resolution gripped you. I’m proud of you.”
    “Thanks, Mr. T.,” Amanda replied. “We amazed many people, especially ourselves.
    Cheryl asked, “Do you all think I’m still weak?”
    Manda touched her saying, “No!”
    Three weeks later, the CFC coaches eliminated women’s basketball. It was the last conference to make this move. Every team was gone, which was established in and around the time the Women’s Suffrage Amendment passed. Manda and Carolyn discussed this tragedy in Manda’s bedroom.
    “Can you believe those chauvinist coaches did this?” Carolyn asked.
    Amanda replied. “It’s done but all isn’t grim. Mr. Teisinger received a letter from Alene. She’s at Florida State in graduate school. She wrote that women’s teams now have a rover, who plays the whole court.”
    “That’s one step from everyone playing the whole thing.”
    “Since we’ll be among few who’ve played sports, we’ll be recruited to play the rover in college intramurals.”
    “Was there other news?” Carolyn asked.
    “She said many seniors were only taking jobs in schools favorable toward women’s sports. That’s encouraging but we need legal protections. The coaches did as they pleased. They justified their actions with a good reason instead the actual one. The reason they gave is that we ‘dainties’ might be hurt. Dad pestered them until they admitted their true motive. They want the gym time for boys’ teams—varsity, junior varsity, sixth and seventh grades.”
    “Lord!” Carolyn exclaimed.
    “We’re leaving a legacy that’ll be passed on to new generations of athletes when the women’s movement starts back.”
    “Will it?” Carolyn asked
    “I believe so,” Manda replied. “The Civil Rights Movement gains strength daily. These things are contagious. Soon women’s athletics will be in the high schools and universities. Then we’ll have more constitutional rights. Frostproof will be a town. We’ll have been the last A-String in the village.

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