"Provide equal programs" editorial from the April 30, 1974 Door County Advocate
Provide equal programs
As one who has encouraged sports for girls I was glad to see the Little League issue resolved as it was. It will give more girls a chance to participate. A gung-ho mother with a strong, well-coordinated daughter might still want to crack the male barrier but merely allowing a talented few to participate does not give the many a fair chance. Our sports editor summed up the arguments well.
I think one of the sore points is that at Little League age many girls still have an edge because of their earlier maturity. You find a lot of girls in that group who have more strength and can run faster than boys. Not a majority, but quite a few.
By the time the youngsters are passing Little League age, however, the maturity gap has almost closed. You can see it in track. Many girls are stars in their freshman year. A few boys are but most keep getting better.
Billie Jean King is a great rallying point for female equality. She beat a man in his mid-50's. It was a lot of fun, a show Barnum would have loved, but it showed difference more than it showed equality.
Mrs. King isn't trying to get on the men's tour, and here's the point the sport libbers should understand. What we should be after is equality of PROGRAMS for girls and women. The women professionals want recognition and high pay for their own tour, and thanks to Billie Jean and even Bobby Riggs they're deservedly getting it. The King-Evert match on the tube Sunday was a dandy, with long, interesting rallies. The golf tournament was also fun to watch.
In summary, I think getting a few talented girls on boys teams would be a hollow victory for liberation. Exceptions only prove the rule. Limiting girls sports to those who could make the boys teams would provide a convenient cop-out for not providing girls programs at all. Perhaps some want to crack the boys because that's where the prestige and fan following have been. They would do better to build girls sports and watch the interest come naturally. The Sturgeon Bay girls track team isn't complaining. They've earned their publicity and following.
Recognize the difference and give both an equal opportunity to compete. Each in its own sphere is fun to participate in and fun to follow.
Courtesy of the Door County Library Newspaper Archive
Other posts about girls sports
https://doorcounty.substack.com/t/girls-sports