Product Description

Shattering the Glass presents a sweeping chronicle of women's basketball in the U.S. Offering vivid portraits of forgotten heroes and contemporary stars, Grundy and Shackelford provide a broad perspective on the history of the sport, exploring its close relationship to concepts of womanhood, race, and sexuality, as well as efforts to expand women's economic and political rights. Extensively illustrated and based on original interviews with players, coaches, administrators, and broadcasters, this book is both an insightful historical work and an empowering story of the generations of women who have shaped women's basketball.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #466959 in Books
• Published on: 2007-03-05
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

Ms.
"This engaging chronicle... reflects all female athletic endeavors over the past 100-some years--full of physical joy, political struggle and ultimate glory."

Review
A must read for both scholars and laypersons interested in basketball, sport or women's history.

Women in Sport and Physical Activity Journal

A remarkable look at the diversity and richness of this beautiful game.

Dawn Staley, three-time Olympic gold medalist

Filled with vivid characters and heart-stopping moments.

Jacqueline Dowd Hall, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

[A]n indispensable resource for the sport played more than any other by women all over the world.

Bust

A must read for both scholars and laypersons interested in basketball, sport or women's history. . . . Difficult to put down.

Women in Sport and Physical Activity Journal

BUST
"An indispensable resource for the sport played more than any other by women all over the world."

Customer Reviews

Vital Reading to Understand Why the WNBA is Great
In "Shattering the Glass," Pamela Grundy and Susan Shackelford explain how women's basketball became one of the most exciting and dynamic sports in America today. They document how the sport first became popular in the late 1800s, leading many high schools and colleges to create teams. The book contains outstanding biographical sketches of the game's early pioneers, many of whom came from rural communities, factory towns, and working class neighborhoods to attract local support to the game. The authors also describe how women's basketball was strongly embraced by black high schools and historically black colleges, long before the civil rights era, as a means to combat racism and demonstrate the courage, determination, and ability that black athletes possessed, following in the footsteps of Jesse Owens and Joe Louis.

Grundy and Shackelford do an excellent job of describing how women's sports have historically been hamstrung by presumptions about women's role in society. In the early 1900s, concerns about female frailty led many communities to ban women from playing. As time progressed and more colleges created teams, administrators feared that women's teams wouldn't bring in enough revenue, or that funding women would draw too much revenue away from men's teams. In the 1950s, rising incomes and the introduction of television loosened local community ties around the nation, forcing the women's game to evolve to appeal to a national audience. Even after Title IX was enacted in the early 1970s, the severe recession forced many colleges to reduce funding for women's programs. Over time, though, women's basketball overcome these obstacles and began to thrive.

The most fascinating parts of "Shattering the Glass" involve debates regarding the future direction that the sport should take. In 1974, a group of female physical education instructors created the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) to govern women's basketball because the NCAA had little interest in supporting it. The AIAW banned athletic scholarships because it wanted to avoid the academic and recruiting scandals that plagued the NCAA. As the AIAW built momentum and achieved success, the NCAA lobbied vigorously against federal enforcement of Title IX. However, when the women's game reached the limits of where the AIAW's limited resources could take it, many women's programs chose to make the transition to the NCAA. Grundy and Shackelford explain that while giving up on the AIAW was agonizing, many women had the foresight to see that working within the confines of the NCAA was necessary to give women's college basketball the exposure it deserved.

This debate played out again in 1996, when conditions became ripe to launch a professional women's league. Once again, women had to choose whether to create their own league and achieve success on their own terms, or to work with the established men's organization, in this case the NBA. Grundy and Shackelford explain how women who wanted to strike out on their own created the American Basketball League (ABL), which played during the winter, sponsored teams in college cities, offered relatively high player salaries, and held games in small arenas. Women who chose to work with the NBA formed the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), which played in the summer, had relatively modest salaries, played in large NBA cities, and used the NBA's large arenas. Although both leagues got off to a good start, the ABL was not able to secure the long-term television contracts and corporate sponsorship necessary to survive. The WNBA went on to become an extraordinarily success, offering exciting games while solving many of the problems that plague men's professional sports leagues.

"Shattering the Glass" is a rewarding account of how women persevered over time to make women's high school, college, and professional basketball as exciting to watch as men's. The book is strongly recommended to WNBA fans who want to learn more about how the league got to where it is today with athletes who demonstrate character and integrity, vibrant franchises in both small and large market cities, strong competitive balance among the teams, and great people working to make the league work behind the scenes. The women who paved the way for the WNBA's stars overcame extraordinary adversity to make women's basketball what it is today, and fans owe it to themselves to read this excellent book and learn more about their stories.

Slam-dunk celebration and tribute to women and sports
I just purchased two more copies for friends and fellow coaches ... and I'm only halfway through this mesmorizing read. I especially enjoyed the accompanying photographs beginning in the 1890s ... and the timeless, oh-so-familiar looks of intensity, confidence, and joy in the eyes of the players. My own life in sports was incomplete until I was introduced to the women's game through my own daughters. Attention Ken Burns: Here is the script for your next project. Long live Title IX!

I had no idea
I checked this book out from the library after I first got WNBA fever two years ago. Before that, my only experience with women's bball was playing in 7th grade. Although it was the funnest sport I ever tried, I left it completely behind when i became a grungy teen and eschewed all sports. (Blame in on Texas' sports-centric culture y'all, I was just reacting, ha!)

Then WNBA games starting broadcasting regularly on ESPN2. The women's game mesmerized me. I couldn't get enough - which brought me to Shattering the Glass. It's a great overview of the history. If you're new to the scene, it's a fabulous introduction to the stories behind the big names. I didn't know Nancy Lieberman was nicknamed Fire in the 70s, thanks to her showy moves! Too awesome. The cover, showing Chamique Holdsclaw (who recently retired, sadly) and Lisa Leslie, is a great indication of the guts, brawn and glory that is the women's game.