Marion and Mercedes DeSutter
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| Marion and Mercedes first attended Alvernia High School and then Schurz their senior year (their parents couldn’t afford the tuition at Alvernia). The girls were playing basketball at this time, and the nun always told them that they should not be playing sports because it was not physically safe for girls – "they were in danger of a heart attack." | Marion and Mercedes first attended Alvernia High School and then Schurz their senior year (their parents couldn’t afford the tuition at Alvernia). The girls were playing basketball at this time, and the nun always told them that they should not be playing sports because it was not physically safe for girls – "they were in danger of a heart attack." | ||
| - | The sisters first played competitive basketball for the St. Andrews Lutheran church team in the 1933-34 season. In March of 1934, the team entered the [[American Tournament Women's and Girls' Champions | American Tournament]] in the church division. Mercedes playing center and Marion playing forward led the team to the championship, beating the the Bird Memorial Church team that featured the three Hull sisters (Coral, Mabel, and Loral), 18-14, the DeSutters combining for 14 of the 18 points. | + | The sisters first played competitive basketball for the St. Andrews Lutheran church team in the 1933-34 season. In March of 1934, the team entered the [[American Tournament Women's and Girls' Champions | American Tournament]] in the church division. Mercedes playing center and Marion playing forward led the team to the championship, beating the Bird Memorial Church team that featured the three Hull sisters (Coral, Mabel, and Loral), 18-14, the DeSutters combining for 14 of the 18 points. |
| ==Amateur Competition== | ==Amateur Competition== | ||
| - | Marion and Mercedes first entered the top ranks of the amateur basketball in Chicago with the 1935-36 season when they became members of the [[T. J. Bowlers]] team directed by manager/coach Mark Singer. The came onto the team highly respected, as evidenced by the ''Chicago Tribune'' remark in January 1936 on the team: "the Bowler five is led by teh DeSutter twins, regarded as the best women players in the central west." Perhaps exaggerated, but indicative of how highly the DeSutter twins were rated. Other members of the team included two great veterans [[Lillian Rozhon]] and [[Anne Goldstein]], plus Francis Wallace. | + | Marion and Mercedes first entered the top ranks of the amateur basketball in Chicago with the 1935-36 season when they became members of the [[T. J. Bowlers]] team directed by manager/coach Mark Singer. The came onto the team highly respected, as evidenced by the ''Chicago Tribune'' remark in January 1936 on the team: "the Bowler five is led by the DeSutter twins, regarded as the best women players in the central west." Perhaps exaggerated, but indicative of how highly the DeSutter twins were rated. Other members of the team included two great veterans [[Lillian Rozhon]] and [[Anne Goldstein]], plus Frances Wallace. |
| The girls' debut on the elite basketball stage came crashing down in March of 1936, when the coach and the twins and the other players were suspended by the Central AAU, over issues of professionalism. Goldstein had been declared ineligible at the beginning of the season because she worked as a physical education director, but Singer continued to use her and the whole starting lineup was punished. | The girls' debut on the elite basketball stage came crashing down in March of 1936, when the coach and the twins and the other players were suspended by the Central AAU, over issues of professionalism. Goldstein had been declared ineligible at the beginning of the season because she worked as a physical education director, but Singer continued to use her and the whole starting lineup was punished. | ||
Revision as of 18:23, 22 February 2012
Marion DeSutter (born August 31, 1916, died July 16, 2005) and Mercedes DeSutter (born August 31, 1916, died March 18, 2002), twin sisters who were amateur woman's basketball players of the 1930s and 1940s. Marion Mercedes were ranked as leading players in Chicago's flourishing woman's amateur and semi-pro basketball of the 1930s and 1940s.
Church Competition
Marion and Mercedes first attended Alvernia High School and then Schurz their senior year (their parents couldn’t afford the tuition at Alvernia). The girls were playing basketball at this time, and the nun always told them that they should not be playing sports because it was not physically safe for girls – "they were in danger of a heart attack."
The sisters first played competitive basketball for the St. Andrews Lutheran church team in the 1933-34 season. In March of 1934, the team entered the American Tournament in the church division. Mercedes playing center and Marion playing forward led the team to the championship, beating the Bird Memorial Church team that featured the three Hull sisters (Coral, Mabel, and Loral), 18-14, the DeSutters combining for 14 of the 18 points.
Amateur Competition
Marion and Mercedes first entered the top ranks of the amateur basketball in Chicago with the 1935-36 season when they became members of the T. J. Bowlers team directed by manager/coach Mark Singer. The came onto the team highly respected, as evidenced by the Chicago Tribune remark in January 1936 on the team: "the Bowler five is led by the DeSutter twins, regarded as the best women players in the central west." Perhaps exaggerated, but indicative of how highly the DeSutter twins were rated. Other members of the team included two great veterans Lillian Rozhon and Anne Goldstein, plus Frances Wallace.
The girls' debut on the elite basketball stage came crashing down in March of 1936, when the coach and the twins and the other players were suspended by the Central AAU, over issues of professionalism. Goldstein had been declared ineligible at the beginning of the season because she worked as a physical education director, but Singer continued to use her and the whole starting lineup was punished.
The sisters the joined a new powerful amateur women's team in the 1936-37 season, the Alamo Theater Co-eds. The team was coached by William Thompson. The girls came to prominance that year, leading the Alamo Theater Co-eds to the American Tournament the girls championship. Subsequently, the team beat the three-time CYO winner St. Ignatius team for the Central AAU championship. In 1939, William Thompson and Marion DeSutter became man and wife.
In the 1938-39 season, the twins joined the Bill Rand Girls, and helped make it a powerhouse in the city. The twins along with Madge Kline, Natalie Young, Anne Goldstein, Solloway, and Fellmeth won the Windy City League championship, defeating the Taylor Trunks in the title game as part of the Central AAU tournament that year, 25-23. Earlier in the year they had beaten the legendary Trunks in several games, one notably on January 23, 35-22. On the other hand, the Rands lost the title game of the American Tournament to the Queen Anne Aces, 18-14, in the free-lance class. Other teams they played that year included the Sappanos, the Alderman Daleys, and Olympic Women’s Athletic Club team.
In the 1939-40 season, Mercedes DeSutter joined the legendary Spencer Coals, playing center, and helped lead her team to second place in the American Tournament, losing to the Queen Anne Aces. In the 1940-41 season, now playing as Mercedes McGrath, she helped her team, the Standard Transformers, win the girls championship of the American Tournament, beating the Brills Lassies in a close game, 23-22.
After Basketball
Marion DeSutter, besides her twin, had two brothers and one other sister. With her husband, William Thompson, she had five children (4 girls and 1 boy). DeSutter was a member of the St. Mary's church in West Chicago, and and was employed as a clerk in the DuPage Recorder of Deeds office for 12 years. She was a volunteer for over 15 years at DuPage County Convalescent Center.
Mercedes DeSutter married Terrance McGrath in 1940, and had two sons and one daughter. She worked at Easter Seals part-time, and like her sister volunteered at the DuPage County Convalescent Center.
