1979 оны есдүгээр сарын 5-нд UCLA-ийн тамирчин Энн Майерс NBA-ийн багтай гэрээ байгуулсан анхны эмэгтэй болж, мэргэжлийн сагсан бөмбөгийн түүхэнд шинэ хуудас нээсэн юм.
Индиана Пэйсэрсийн эзэн Сэм Насси түүнд 50,000 ам.долларын гэрээ санал болгож, багийн бэлтгэлд урьснаар Майерс Батлер их сургуулийн Хинкел Филдхаус талбайд NBA-ийн тоглогчидтой хамт бэлтгэл хийж эхэлжээ. Тэрээр UCLA-д байхдаа Kodak All-American шагналыг дөрвөн удаа хүртэж, үндэсний аварга болсон төдийгүй NCAA-ийн түүхэнд анхны “квадрупл-дабл” хийсэн тамирчин байв. Мөн тэрээр 1976 оны Олимпоос мөнгөн медаль хүртсэн туршлагатай тамирчин юм.
Дасгалжуулагч Слик Леонард эхэндээ эргэлзэж байсан ч Майерс бэлтгэлийн үеэр өөрийгөө бусад эрэгтэй тоглогчдоос дутахааргүй гэдгээ харуулж, эхний шатны хасалт давж байв. Леонард түүнийг багтаа үлдээгээгүй ч энэ нь зөвхөн сагсан бөмбөгийн шийдвэр байсан гэдгийг онцолж, түүний гүйцэтгэлд сэтгэл хангалуун байснаа илэрхийлжээ.
Хэдийгээр Энн Майерс NBA-д тоглох мөрөөдлөө биелүүлж чадаагүй ч спортын түүхэнд үлдээсэн энэхүү алхам нь эмэгтэйчүүдийн спортын ертөнцөд олон хаалгыг нээж өгсөн юм. Хожим нь тэрээр Финикс Санс багийн дэд ерөнхийлөгч, WNBA-ийн Финикс Меркури багийн ерөнхий менежерээр ажиллаж, 1993 онд Нэйсмитийн сагсан бөмбөгийн алдрын танхимд, 1999 онд Эмэгтэйчүүдийн сагсан бөмбөгийн алдрын танхимд тус тус багтсан билээ.
Дэлгэрэнгүй эх сурвалжийг харах
Эх сурвалжийг нээх ↓
On September 5, 1979, Ann Meyers of UCLA shattered a barrier that had stood untouched in professional basketball: she became the first woman to sign a contract with an NBA team.
Though she ultimately didn’t make the Indiana Pacers’ final roster, her presence at training camp marked a seismic moment in sports history—one that continues to resonate nearly half a century later.
Meyers was no ordinary athlete. By the time she graduated from UCLA, she had already earned four Kodak All-American honors, led the Bruins to a national championship, and become the first player in NCAA history—male or female—to record a quadruple-double. She was also the first woman to receive a full athletic scholarship from UCLA and had won a silver medal with Team USA at the 1976 Olympics.
So when Pacers owner Sam Nassi offered her a $50,000 contract and an invitation to rookie camp, Meyers didn’t hesitate. She joined the team at Butler University’s Hinkle Fieldhouse, determined to prove she belonged.
Meyers wasn’t treated as a novelty—she was treated as a competitor. Under head coach Slick Leonard, she survived the first round of cuts and practiced alongside NBA hopefuls for several days. Leonard, initially skeptical, later praised her performance:
“She was better. We had a bunch of guys come in trying out and she was better than a whole bunch of them,” he told the Indy Star.
Though she was eventually released, Leonard emphasized that the decision was based on basketball, not gender:
“I cut her just like any other player. I felt bad about it. She really did do a great job. I was proud of her.”
Meyers’ tryout wasn’t universally celebrated. Critics dismissed it as a publicity stunt, and some teammates and media figures questioned the seriousness of the move. But Meyers never backed down. She saw the opportunity not just as a personal challenge, but as a chance to open doors for women in sports.
“I didn’t want to be just one of the guys,” Meyers said. “I wanted to be better than them.”
Though her NBA dream didn’t materialize, Meyers went on to have a storied career in broadcasting and front-office leadership. She became a vice president for the Phoenix Suns and general manager of the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury. She was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993 and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999.
Her courage and conviction in 1979 helped redefine what was possible for women in sports—and her legacy continues to inspire athletes across generations.
The post 47 Years Ago, Ann Meyers Made NBA History With The Indiana Pacers appeared first on OpenCourt Basketball.
Та шинэ түүх бүтээхэд чинь юу хамгийн сонирхолтой санагдав? Энн Майерсийн амжилт спортын ертөнцөд ямар өөрчлөлт авчирсан бол гэж бодож байна?