USA BASKETBALL HISTORY
USA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP TEAM 1953 RESULTS
SANTIAGO, CHILE • MARCH 7-22, 1953
While the AAU had been holding women’s basketball championships since 1929, 1953 marked the first time a major international competition was held for women. The uncertainty of where the U.S. women would rate was quickly eliminated with the USA women claiming the first World title (5-1 record) led by Pauline Bowden and Katherine Washington. The games were held in Chile’s national stadium on a specially built wooden platform and with seating for 35,000. In its only game of the pre- liminary round, the USA qualified for the six-team final round by virtue of its 60-28 win over Paraguay as Agnes Baldwin scored a game-high 13 points, Bowden added 12 and Betty Murphy rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points. Opening the final round competition facing France, the USA fought its way to a four-point victory, 41-37, as Washington scored 12 and Bowden added 11 points. Leading Argentina by at halftime, 16-15, behind a game-best 14 points from Bowden, the U.S. dominated the second half to capture a 34-22 win. Washington was the only U.S. player to reach double digits with 10 points as Brazil handed the USA its only loss. After being limited to just seven first half points, falling behind 18-7 at the midway point, the USA fought back in the second half, outscoring Brazil 16-11, but it was not enough as Brazil earned the 29-23 victory. Holding Paraguay to six points in the first half to take command 21-6, the U.S., behind 13 points from Washington, posted a 41-31 victory. Meeting Chile in the last game of the final round, both teams entered contest with 3-1 records. Playing in front of a crowd reported to num- ber 30,000, the U.S. jumped out to a 26-19 halftime lead and maintained the momentum in the second half to claim a 49-36 victory and the World title. Bowden led the team to victory with a USA tournament-high 17 points, while Washington added 14. By claiming top honors in the World Championship, the U.S. earned the huge World Championship trophy. However, because of its size, the U.S. team was unable to bring it home. The trophy was even too big to fit through the bomb bay doors of a U.S. B-17!
1953 USA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP TEAM ROSTER
1953 USA RESULTS (5-1)
NAME
POS HGT WGT AGE AFFILIATION
HOMETOWN
Paraguay
W, 60-28
Agnes Baldwin Pauline Bowden Betty Clark Agnes Loyd Betty Murphy Mildred Sanders Janet Thompson Fern Nash
F C G G
5-6 6-1 5-8 5-2 5-8 5-6 5-6 5-8 5-9
115 142 120 115 140 120 120 135 125
26 26 25 25 24 24 24 24 20
Nashville Business College Nashville Business College Iowa Wesleyan College Nashville Business College Nashville Business College Nashville Business College Nashville Business College Iowa Wesleyan College Nashville Business College
FINAL ROUND
France
W, 41-37 W, 34-22 L, 23-29 W, 41-31 W, 49-36
Argentina
Brazil
F F
Paraguay
G
Chile
F
Katherine Washington
G
Murfreesboro, TN
HEAD COACH: John Head, Nashville Business College (TN) ASSISTANT COACH: Tennie McGhee, AAU
FINAL STANDINGS
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
United States (5-1)
Chile (4-2)* France (4-2)* Brazil (4-2)* Paraguay (4-5) Argentina (2-4)
1953 USA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP TEAM CUMULATIVE STATISTICS
NAME
G/S
FGM-A
FTM-A
PCT
PF
PTS
Washington
6 6 5 5 5 6 6 4 5 6 6
23- 24-
19- 26 16- 18 10- 17 8- 14 3- 10
.731 .889 .588 .571 .300 .000 .500
22 15 16 10 11 18 7
65/ 10.8 64/ 10.7 28/ 5.6 24/ 4.8 21/ 4.2 16/ 2.7 13/ 2.2 11/ 2.3
Peru (3-3)
Bowden Baldwin
Mexico (2-3)
9- 8- 9- 8- 4- 4- 3-
9.
Switzerland (1-4)
Loyd
10. Cuba (2-5)
Murphy
Nash
0- 5
Sanders
5- 10
Thompson
3- 3 0- 3
1.000 .000 .604 .314
7
Clark USA OPP
15
6/ 1.2
92- 62-
64-106 59-129
123
248/ 41.3 183/ 30.5
93
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