I remember those days fondly. My sister was an excellent player. I once asked if she’d rather play boys’ rules. She said Iowa girls’ rules made for a faster game. A girl could only dribble three times before they had to pass the ball on. Plus you were restricted to your half of the court. Three girls on your team were defense and played on your opponent’s side of the court. Three girls on your team were offense and were restricted to the side of the court with your basket. So the game was fast and each girl had to be an active player.
It’s too bad the rules changed. Girls’ basketball in Iowa was certainly a big deal when I was in high school.
I went to a small school in NYS and we played 6 man football and I believe the girls were still playing 6 girl BB, 3 to a side.
I don’t think the girls played ANY outside the school sports at that time, mostly intramural - especially for the small schools scattered about.
Of course in mid to late 50’s we only played 3 sports, Football, Basketball and Baseball, with usually the same people playing all three sports. Some exceptions, of course, but for the most part.....
Wait, women/girls actually played sports prior to the “landmark” Title 9 ruling???? The hell you say....
Trivia: I went to college with Denise Long’s brother. From Whitten, Iowa. I’ve always wondered what became of him.
It was played also in Western North Carolina in the late 1930’s. I’m sure.
In Ohio, they added the two rovers. They played the whole court. That made more sense. At least it was better than Illinois, who didn’t even have girls’ sports at the time. When I married and moved to Illinois, I told my husband that I couldn’t live here, but 43 years later...here I am...still.