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| Date | March 14, 1979 | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Venue | Felt Forum, New York | ||||||||||||||||||
| Coaches |
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| MVP | Rita Easterling | ||||||||||||||||||
| Attendance | 2,731 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Network | WOR-TV | ||||||||||||||||||
The 1979 WBL All-Star Game was a basketball All-star game which was played on March 14, 1979, at the Felt Forum in New York, during the 1978–79 WBL season.[1][2]
The East team was coached by Don Knoedel of the Houston Angels while the Midwest was coached by Doug Bruno of the Chicago Hustle.[3] Three players were selected from each of the eight teams in the league.[4]
After falling behind 18–30 after the first quarter, the East team won the game, 112–99, behind Althea Gwyn's 19 points and 16 rebounds.[5] Rita Easterling of the Midwest team was named MVP after scoring 19 points and handing out 18 assists. Midwest's Debra Waddy-Rossow finished with a game high 26 points.[6]
This was the inaugural All-Star Game of the Women's Professional Basketball League, which was in its first season. Originally, no game was planned for the first year but Bill Byrne, the president and founder of the WBL, decided to organize it few weeks before.[7] The game was broadcast on WOR-TV.[8]
Team rosters
Midwest
| Player, Team | MIN | FGM | FGA | FTM | FTA | REB | AST | BLK | PF | PTS |
| Debra Waddy-Rossow, CHI | - | 9 | - | 8 | 14 | - | - | - | - | 26 |
| Rita Easterling, CHI | - | 5 | - | 9 | 10 | - | 18 | - | - | 19 |
| Marie Kocurek, MIN | - | 7 | - | 3 | 8 | - | - | - | - | 17 |
| Doris Draving, IOW | - | 4 | - | 2 | 7 | - | - | - | - | 10 |
| Gerry Booker, MIL | - | 3 | - | 3 | 9 | - | - | - | - | 9 |
| Janie Fincher, CHI | - | 2 | - | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 5 |
| Donna Wilson, MIN | - | 2 | - | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 5 |
| Brenda Chapman, MIL | - | 2 | - | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 4 |
| Joanie Smith, MIL | - | 1 | - | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| Joan Uhl, IOW | - | 1 | - | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| Molly Bolin, IOW | - | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 0 |
| Marquerite Keeley, MIN | - | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 0 |
| Totals | - | 36 | - | 27 | 52 | 58 | - | - | - | 99 |
East
| Player, Team | MIN | FGM | FGA | FTM | FTA | REB | AST | BLK | PF | PTS |
| Althea Gwyn, NYS | - | 8 | - | 3 | 8 | 16 | - | - | - | 19 |
| Denise Craig, DAY | - | 7 | - | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 14 |
| Paula Mayo, HOU | - | 5 | - | 4 | 7 | - | - | - | - | 14 |
| Vonnie Tomich, DAY | - | 5 | - | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 11 |
| Gail Tatterson, NJG | - | 5 | - | 0 | 3 | - | - | - | - | 10 |
| Belinda Candler, HOU | - | 4 | - | 1 | 3 | - | - | - | - | 9 |
| Vivian Greene, DAY | - | 4 | - | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 8 |
| Janice Thomas, NYS | - | 3 | - | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 8 |
| Karen Aulenbacher, HOU | - | 2 | - | 3 | 4 | - | - | - | - | 7 |
| Wanda Szeremeta, NJG | - | 1 | - | 4 | 5 | - | - | - | - | 6 |
| Debbie Mason, NJG | - | 0 | - | 3 | 4 | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| Kaye Young, NYS | - | 1 | - | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| Totals | - | 45 | - | 22 | 40 | 73 | - | - | - | 112 |
References
- ↑ Donna Olshan (15 March 1979). "WBL All-Stars please the fans". Newsday. p. 123. Retrieved 22 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Vinny DiTrani (15 March 1979). "WBL All-Star game has a long way to go". The Record. p. D2. Retrieved 22 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Ed Marks (15 March 1979). "WBL - Best coming up". Daily Record. p. 39. Retrieved 22 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Women's league sets Pro All-Star contest". The Tennessean. Associated Press. 9 March 1979. p. 24. Retrieved 22 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Bob Glauber (15 March 1979). "Stars' Gwynn sparkles in WBL All-Star game". The Daily Times. p. D6. Retrieved 22 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Bill Madden (15 March 1979). "Women cage stars shine in Felt showcase". New York Daily News. p. 110. Retrieved 22 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Bill Barnes (16 March 1979). "WBL all-star game survives first test". Morning News. p. 30. Retrieved 22 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Ernie Palladino (2 March 1979). "WBL to showcase stars at Felt Forum". Mount Vernon Argus. p. C6. Retrieved 22 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.