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On Sunday, June 10th, Richard and Joe interviewed Ann Meyers Drysdale who has a long list of ground-breaking athletic accomplishments. She was the second woman to earn a full four-year scholarship to UCLA, and the only woman to ever sign a contract with an NBA team, the Indian Pacers in 1979. Meyers Drysdale is currently the Vice-President and General Manager for the WNBA’s Pheonix Mercury. She also worked as a sports analyst for ESPN, NBC and CBS. She has recently written a book chronicling her experiences, You Let Some Girl Beat You?: The Story of Ann Meyers Drysdale.
The day after our interview the San Diego Union Tribune published this article that outlines Meyers Drysdale’s quest for equality.
2012 celebrates the 40th anniversary of Title IX, the groundbreaking federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in schools that receive federal funding, mandating gender equity in athletics. Meyers Drysdale kicked off the Title IX 40th Anniversary Celebration festivities at her book signing on Monday, June 11th by briefly sharing stories about the impact of Title IX on her life.
The book description describes Ms. Meyers Drysdale best:
Annie was one of the best players ever. I didn’t say male or female; I said ever.”—Bill Russell, former Boston Celtics player
Ann Meyers Drysdale is one of the greatest stars in the history of basketball. But her rise wasn’t without controversy. Her 1979 NBA bid to play with the Indiana Pacers brought a barrage of criticism. But Ann simply wanted to play among the best. She had always competed with the guys, and she never let anyone keep her down. In You Let Some Girl Beat You? she shares her inspirational story for the first time.
A female first in many categories, Meyers Drysdale was the first woman ever signed to a four-year athletic scholarship to UCLA, where she remains the only four-time Bruin basketball All American, male or female. Ann was also the only woman ever asked to compete in ABC Sports’ Superstars, pitting her against elite athletes like Mark Spitz, Joe Frazier, O.J. Simpson, and Mark Gastineau.
After her athletic career Meyers Drysdale went on to do color commentary on all the national stations. She also married Don Drysdale, legendary pitcher and announcer for the Los Angeles Dodgers, making them the first ever married couple enshrined in their respective sport’s Hall of Fame. Today Ann continues to break through barriers. She is the only female vice president in the NBA (she is vice president of the Phoenix Suns), and is also the general manager of the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, which has won two WNBA championships since she took over four years ago. The New York Times featured her prominently in a piece in August 2011 called “Pioneers Continue to Shepherd Women’s Basketball.” Time magazine recently named her one of the ten greatest female athletes of all time.
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