All American Red Heads
From Hoopedia
The All American Red Heads was one of the first professional women’s basketball teams. Established in 1936, this exhibition team played until 1986. The Red Heads supposedly began as a joke, when players who worked at a hair salon all decided to dye their hair red and then play a local men's team. They played by men's rules and were a smash success with the audience. C.M. "Ole" Olson, the salon owner's husband decided to take them on tour. They were so successful as an exhibition team that they fostered another team, the Ozark Hillbillies and a third team, the Famous Red Heads.
Orwell Moore, a high school coach, coached two of the teams from 1948 and then purchased them. The teams boasted AAU All American players and stars like Peggy Lawson, Kay Kirkpatrick, Hazel Walker, Willa “Red” Mason, Johnny Farley, and Cheryl Clark. Orwell Moore’s wife, Lorene “Butch” Moore was also a spectacular Red Heads player. Through the 1960s and 70s, three teams toured. During the off-season, players taught basketball to girls. Orwell also began Camp Courage, a basketball camp for girls. Charlotte Adams, Glenda Hall, Kay O’Bryan and Jolene Ammons became player coaches.
A book project on the Red Heads is currently in process. John Molina, the eminent historian of women's basketball (and honorary All American Red Head), is working with Matt Zeysing, an historian with the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The publication date has not yet been set.
