Popular Culture Review Vol. 8, No. 2, August 1997 | Page 97

All American Red Heads

93

could say the women were excellent players for women but no match
for professional men's basketball players, thus setting the record
straight as to male athletic superiority. The Red Heads' statistic of
having beaten most of the men's teams also could be called into
question. Comments could be made that these games revolved more
around entertainment than sports competition, or that the men were
just good sports and let them win. There was no need to stigmatize
these women as masculine, freaks, or lesbians, because they posed no
threat to the traditional gender role hierarchy of male superiority.
The women were "feminine," glamorous, humorous, and just happen^
to be able to play basketball. How could these beautiful, feminine
ladies of charity basketball be construed as threatening the male
basketball establishment or male athletic superiority?
The Game
When the women first came out on the court, the men on the
opposing teams usually didn't take them seriously. This was a big
mistake and often allowed the women to score a few quick points that
put them in the lead. Many of the men started out cocky, arrogant,
and over-confident. It was for this reason that during the first
quarter of the game the women played serious basketball and didn't
use any tricks or gimmicks. They wanted first to gain the respect of
the men and the fans. The women's playing left no doubt in the minds
of their opponents that they were serious contenders. Sheryl Wood
Borgman, a player in the 1970's, recalls the typical men's reaction:
"They thought that they could easily beat us. However after about
five minutes of play, they realized they were in trouble. Most men
were good sports and were very respectful." Another 1970's player,
Gretchen Pinz Hyink, remembers, "lW]e usually earned their respect,
IbutJ some had wounded egos."^
After the first quarter, the game really became exciting
especially if the women were winning. Then they combined fancy
dribbling, spectacular passes and trick shots with standard play.
The men's play looked very ordinary in contrast. At half time, the
women put on a dazzling show of basketball tricks -- spinning
basketballs on one finger, dribbling between their legs, juggling
basketballs, and doing trick shots such as making baskets from behind
their backs or off their heads. During the second half of the game,
the women performed staged comedy routines on the court. These