The Barnstormers

In Episode 4 of The Barnstormers, we look at the impact that the Barnstormers had on women's basketball as a whole in this country, as well as how it helped form professional basketball as we know it today: the WNBA. We speak with some players from the W and hear all about the historic induction of the All-American Red Heads into the Naismith Hall of Fame.--From the 1930s to the 1980s, women played professional basketball across the United States. But they didn't play each other—no, instead they toured from small town to big city playing against men and by men’s rules. It was wildly ahead of its time in the 1930s into the 60s and 70s. Culture had an idea of what women should do with their time post-education and being a professional athlete was not it. These women persevered, rose above any criticism they heaped from the public, the news, and even their families. In doing so, they paved the way for women’s professional basketball of today. They are humble, they are a delight to be around, and they are deserving of having their story told and their legacy revered.They are the Barnstormers, and this is their story.Thank you for listening. Please support Barnstorming history, the Women's Barnstorming Basketball Players Association, and keep telling their stories!Check out the WBBPA on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WBBPA.inc/ and contact Brenda and the WBBPA team at WBBPA@Outlook.comTo the Barnstormers, we could not be more grateful for all that you've done. You are heroes.--Narrated by LaChina Robinson.Written by Erica Ayala.Interviews done by Ashley Hart of She Plays.Audio mixing by Danelle Cloutier.Thank you to the incredible players we were privileged to interview:Marcia AdamsJolene AmmonsJessie BanksBrenda Moon DavisDebbie LofticeVicky NelsonPeps NeumanDianne Kirkland WarrenThank you to Tammy Moore Harrison, David Berri, and John Molina for their continued support of women's sports.—Download our free fantasy sports app that’s exclusively for women’s sports here: www.she-plays.com/fantasy-app

In Episode 3 of The Barnstormers, we discuss how players made it through the grueling basketball seasons and dive into the comedy and skills that the women brought to each hard-fought basketball game. One thing is clear: these Barnstorming teams were NOT like the Globetrotters. They came to play every night with men's teams doing everything they could to take them down. Even still, the Barnstorming teams had an average 75-80% win percentage. Thanks for tuning in! If you're loving the show, please rate and review and share it with friends - the more attention we can give the Barnstorming basketball players, the better!From the 1930s to the 1980s, women played professional basketball across the United States. But they didn't play each other—no, instead they toured from small town to big city playing against men and by men’s rules. It was wildly ahead of its time in the 1930s into the 60s and 70s. Culture had an idea of what women should do with their time post-education and being a professional athlete was not it. These women persevered, rose above any criticism they heaped from the public, the news, and even their families. In doing so, they paved the way for women’s professional basketball of today. They are humble, they are a delight to be around, and they are deserving of having their story told and their legacy revered.They are the Barnstormers, and this is their story.--Narrated by LaChina Robinson.Written by Erica Ayala.Interviews done by Ashley Hart of She Plays.Audio mixing by Danelle Cloutier.Thank you to the incredible players we were privileged to interview:Marcia AdamsJolene AmmonsJessie BanksBrenda Moon DavisDebbie LofticeVicky NelsonPeps NeumanDianne Kirkland WarrenThank you to Tammy Moore Harrison, David Berri, and John Molina for their continued support of women's sports.—Download our free fantasy sports app that’s exclusively for women’s sports here: www.she-plays.com/fantasy-app

In this episode, we dive into training camps, how the teams traveled across the country, and how the Redheads got their red hair!From the 1930s to the 1980s, women played professional basketball across the United States. But they didn't play each other—no, instead they toured from small town to big city playing against men and by men’s rules. It was wildly ahead of its time in the 1930s into the 60s and 70s. Culture had an idea of what women should do with their time post-education and being a professional athlete was not it. These women persevered, rose above any criticism they heaped from the public, the news, and even their families. In doing so, they paved the way for women’s professional basketball of today. They are humble, they are a delight to be around, and they are deserving of having their story told and their legacy revered.They are the Barnstormers, and this is their story.--Narrated by LaChina Robinson.Written by Erica Ayala.Interviews done by Ashley Hart of She Plays.Audio mixing done by Danelle Cloutier.Thank you to the incredible players we were privileged to interview:Marcia AdamsJolene AmmonsJessie BanksBrenda Moon DavisDebbie LofticeVicky NelsonPeps NeumanDianne Kirkland WarrenThank you to Tammy Moore Harrison, David Berri, and John Molina for their continued support of women's sports.— Download our free fantasy sports app that’s exclusively for women’s sports here: www.she-plays.com/fantasy-app

Before women’s basketball had the dazzling passes of Ticha Penichiero, Becky, Hammon, or Sue Bird - There was Peggy Lawson and “Tricky” Vicky Nelson. Before Riquna Williams scored 51 points and Liz Cambage dropped 53 points in a single game, Machine Gun Molly Bolin reached the 50-point mark four times and Butch Moore scored over 35,000 points in her barnstorming career. Before Maya Moore became synonymous with social justice in sports, Black ballers like Ora Mae Washington and Inez Patterson promoted discussions about race relations and Elvira “Peps” Newman spoke about economic empowerment for women. Welcome to The Barnstormers Podcast: An Introduction to the trailblazers of traveling women’s basketball.  I am your host LaChina Robinson, a women’s basketball analyst at ESPN. I will be narrating this four-part podcast series that chronicles traveling women’s basketball teams of yesteryear. --Narrated by LaChina Robinson.Written by Erica Ayala.Interviews done by Ashley Hart of She Plays.Audio mixing done by Danelle Cloutier.Thank you to the incredible players we were privileged to interview:Marcia AdamsJolene AmmonsJessie BanksBrenda Moon DavisDebbie LofticeVicky NelsonPeps NeumanDianne Kirkland WarrenThank you to Tammy Moore Harrison, David Berri, and John Molina for their continued support of women's sports.

From the 1930s to the 1980s, women played professional basketball across the United States. But they didn't play each other—no, instead they toured from small town to big city playing against men and by men’s rules. It was wildly ahead of its time in the 1930s into the 60s and 70s. Culture had an idea of what women should do with their time post-education and being a professional athlete was not it. These women persevered, rose above any criticism they heaped from the public, the news, and even their families. In doing so, they paved the way for women’s professional basketball of today. They are humble, they are a delight to be around, and they are deserving of having their story told and their legacy revered.They are the Barnstormers, and this is their story.--Narrated by LaChina Robinson.Written by Erica Ayala.Interviews done by Ashley Hart of She Plays.Audio mixing done by Danelle Cloutier.Thank you to the incredible players we were privileged to interview:Marcia AdamsJolene AmmonsJessie BanksBrenda Moon DavisDebbie LofticeVicky NelsonPeps NeumanDianne Kirkland WarrenThank you to Tammy Moore Harrison, David Berri, and John Molina for their continued support of women's sports.