O God of Players: The Story of the Immaculata Mighty Macs (Religion and American Culture)

This is the remarkable story of the first stars of women's basketball. In the early 1970s, few women participated in organized athletics, but in Catholic Philadelphia, women's basketball was already a well-established, thirty-year tradition. In this vivid account of Immaculata basketball, Julie Byrne explores the unusual lives of these young women, the rare opportunities and pleasures they were allowed, their religious culture, and the broader ideas of womanhood that they inspired and helped redefine. Between 1972 and 1974, the Mighty Macs of Immaculata College—a small Catholic women's school outside Philadelphia—made history by winning the first three women's national college basketball championships ever played. A true Cinderella team, this unlikely fifteenth-seeded squad triumphed against enormous odds and four powerhouse state teams to secure the championship title and capture the imaginations of fans and sportswriters across the country. But while they were making a significant contribution to legitimizing women's sports in America, the Mighty Macs were also challenging the traditional roles and obligations that circumscribed their Catholic schoolgirl lives. In this vivid account of Immaculata basketball, Julie Byrne goes beyond the fame to explore these young women's unusual lives, their rare opportunities and pleasures, their religious culture, and the broader ideas of womanhood they inspired and helped redefine. Between 1972 and 1974, the Mighty Macs of Immaculata College--a small Catholic women's school outside Philadelphia--made history by winning the first three women's national college-basketball championships ever played. In 1972, this unlikely fifteenth-seeded team, representing the smallest school in the tournament and the only Catholic institution, triumphed against enormous odds and four powerhouse state teams to secure the championship title and capture the imaginations of fans and sportswriters across the country. In doing so, they helped to legitimize women's sports in America. In the early 1970s, few women participated in organized athletics, but in Catholic Philadelphia women's basketball was already a well-established, thirty-year tradition, sponsored by the Philadelphia Archdiocese far in advance of public schools. In this vivid account of Immaculata basketball, Julie Byrne explores the unusual lives of these young women, the rare opportunities and pleasures they were allowed, the religious culture in which they lived, and the broader ideas of womanhood they inspired and helped redefine Contents List of Illustrations List of Abbreviations Note on Notation Preface Acknowledgments Introduction: Philadelphia Hoop and Catholic Fun 1 Making the Team, Making Identity 2 Practicing Basketball, Practicing Class 3 Bodies in Basketball 4 Praying for the Team 5 Ladies of the Court 6 Championships and Community Postscript: Immaculata Basketball and U.S. Religious History Appendix A: Immaculata College Basketball Survey Appendix B: Surveys, Interviews, Correspondence, andUnpublished Memoirs Notes References Index Between 1972 and 1974, the Mighty Macs of Immaculata College -- a small Catholic women's school outside Philadelphia -- made history by winning the first three women's national college basketball championships ever played. A true Cinderella team, this Looks at the history of the Immaculata Mighty Macs through a collection of surveys and interviews with more than 130 former players and others affiliated with the program. For the 1940 season, team tryouts were scheduled for a December afternoon shortly before the Christmas holidays. Julie Byrne. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [273]-277) And Index.