OT: Women's hoop historians...fascinating article!

[Blakeon18]

March 2022 issue of Sports Illustrated

Chris Ballard has a lengthy piece on the first women's pro league. Not the WNBA...that one is a Johnny-Come-Lately group
compared to the WBL which started around 1980. Ballard outlines the history of the league from the start to its demise...just a few years later.
He does so through the events of a featured player...Connie Kunzmann...whose trials and tribulations are presented in detail. She was not a star but a
lunch bucket type whose personality shines through. Makes for a great read.

A couple of names mentioned in the article;

Nancy Lieberman...played in the league...a star then... and considered in the running now for consideration as the GOAT.
Holly Warlick! LadyVol's own ex-coach...a player in the league.
Doug Bruno! Geno's very own Doug Bruno....coached in the league.
Molly Bolin...a teammate of Connie...."Machine Gun Molly" was her moniker...known for her excellent shooting and her beauty.
Guess which one got the most attention.

The story of Connie...from her childhood on a farm in Iowa through her college days followed by her pro career with a few teams... is entertaining for sure.
Frankly she seems like she would be a good fit on a UConn team...feisty/strong/hustler/in your face/super energy...6'1" forward.

While Ballard provides the start and end of the league he also recounts the start and end of Connie's career as well...including details of her murder at the age of 24.
Yes...murder...yikes!

I don't know if the article in part or as a whole is online. We have a down-time after today's game till our quarterfinal on Saturday...this piece would be well worth your time.

 

[Cornell Lt]

Connie Kunzmann, the WBL and one horrifying act of violence - Sports Illustrated

Long before the WNBA, there was the WBL. And there was Kunzmann, who scraped and hustled to relative fame in a shoestring, sexist league. You might know her name today, if not for a horrific act 40 years ago.

www.si.com

 

[Blakeon18]

Thank you, Cornell! It seems like pretty much the entire article...with a few additional pictures thrown
in.

 

[JavaMan]

March 2022 issue of Sports Illustrated

Chris Ballard has a lengthy piece on the first women's pro league. Not the WNBA...that one is a Johnny-Come-Lately group
compared to the WBL which started around 1980. Ballard outlines the history of the league from the start to its demise...just a few years later.
He does so through the events of a featured player...Connie Kunzmann...whose trials and tribulations are presented in detail. She was not a star but a
lunch bucket type whose personality shines through. Makes for a great read.

A couple of names mentioned in the article;

Nancy Lieberman...played in the league...a star then... and considered in the running now for consideration as the GOAT.
Holly Warlick! LadyVol's own ex-coach...a player in the league.
Doug Bruno! Geno's very own Doug Bruno....coached in the league.
Molly Bolin...a teammate of Connie...."Machine Gun Molly" was her moniker...known for her excellent shooting and her beauty.
Guess which one got the most attention.

The story of Connie...from her childhood on a farm in Iowa through her college days followed by her pro career with a few teams... is entertaining for sure.
Frankly she seems like she would be a good fit on a UConn team...feisty/strong/hustler/in your face/super energy...6'1" forward.

While Ballard provides the start and end of the league he also recounts the start and end of Connie's career as well...including details of her murder at the age of 24.
Yes...murder...yikes!

I don't know if the article in part or as a whole is online. We have a down-time after today's game till our quarterfinal on Saturday...this piece would be well worth your time.

Connie Kunzmann, the WBL and one horrifying act of violence - Sports Illustrated

Long before the WNBA, there was the WBL. And there was Kunzmann, who scraped and hustled to relative fame in a shoestring, sexist league. You might know her name today, if not for a horrific act 40 years ago.

www.si.com

Thank you! A remarkable story if you are a true women's basketball fan.
Well worth the time to read.

SPOILER: AFTER STORY RESEARCH: After quickly turning himself in at the urging of his law officer father, Lance Tibke pled guilty to 2nd degree murder and was sentenced to 10-40 years in prison. He was released after serving just under nine years.

There is additional info on the Wikipedia page about Connie:

Connie Kunzmann - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Blakeon18]

BTW: I had never heard of Chris Ballard. If you are an NFL fan you might have
recognized the name. He has been the GM of the Indianapolis Colts for the last few years...just looked at some favorable
evaluations of his abilities. Props to him for leaving his bailiwick and putting this article together for Sports Illustrated.