Shattering the Glass: The Remarkable History of Women’s Basketball

Women’s basketball is in an upswing in terms of popularity and opportunities for athletes. But as Pamela Grundy and Susan Shackelford show, such upswings have happened before, and today’s relative good times can’t be taken for granted. Following women’s basketball in the United States from its earliest beginnings in 1891 (just after the creation of the men’s game) to the end of the 2004 WNBA season, this book tells stories of many women who played the game at all levels, and women and men who coached and supported it. It credibly relates the status of women’s basketball to the status of women in society. The numerous anecdotes of the sport’s pioneers, and the (too few) photos, are captivating. Too bad the authors couldn’t have stretched into 2005, when the Sacramento Monarchs won the WNBA championship!