Senda Berenson Abbott
From Hoopedia
Senda Berenson Abbott (born Senda Valvrojenski, March 19, 1868, Vilnius, Lithuania, Russian Empire – died February 16, 1954) was a pioneer of women's basketball, authoring the first Basketball Guide for Women (1901-07). She also edited Spalding's Official Basket Ball Guide for Women for many years. She was inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a contributor on July 1, 1985 and was part of the first class of inductees into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.
She served as instructor, and later director, of physical education at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, She modified existing men's basketball rules for women in 1893. On March 21, 1893 she supervised the first women's basketball game, which was played at Smith College. Her purpose in adapting the new game for her female classes was to provide a means of exercise, stressing socialization and cooperation rather than competition.
She served as Chairwoman of the Women's Basketball Committee for 12 years.
Abbott was the sister of the art historian Bernard Berenson and a great-great-aunt of the photographer Berry Berenson and the actress and model Marisa Berenson.
She is considered the Mother of women's basketball.
She and Margaret Wade were the first women inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1985.
