About the Authors

Marian Bemis Johnson

Marian Bemis Johnson was a pioneer in the development of girls´ and women´s sports. She graduated from Waterville High School in 1948 during the period when no sports programs existed for high school girls or college women. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Mankato State University in 1952 and her Master of Education degree from the University of Minnesota in 1973.

Johnson was a physical education teacher at Stillwater High School from 1952 until 1957. She started the competitive synchronized swimming team in 1953. As a member of the faculty of Hamline University, St. Paul, from 1957-1964, she also coached synchronized swimming. From 1968-1987 Johnson developed the women´s varsity sports program at Lakewood Community College. She was Women´s Athletic Director and coached volleyball, basketball, softball and tennis. During this time she took an active role in establishing intercollegiate competitive programs.

Her interest in chronicling the history of girls´ and women´s participation in sports comes from a long time quest to answer the question: " Why wasn´t I allowed to play?"

Dorothy E. McIntyre

Dorothy E. McIntyre was born and raised on a farm near Hawkeye, Iowa. She graduated in 1953 from Hawkeye High School earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1957 from Luther College, Decorah, Iowa. In 1969, McIntyre was awarded her Master of Education degree from the University of Minnesota

McIntyre was a teacher at Ellendale-Geneva High School from 1957-1959 and at Eden Prairie High School from 1959-1970. In the 1960s, McIntyre began a lifelong advocacy for expanded sports programs for girls, and moved into leadership positions at the state and national levels.

In 1970, McIntyre was employed as an associate director at the Minnesota State High School League where she was active for the next 32 years promoting equity for girls´ and women´s sports. The Minneapolis Star Tribune named McIntyre as one of Minnesota´s 100 most influential sports figures of the 20th century

We are pleased to announce that Brad Luther, Golden Valley, is the website developer for Daughters of the Game. Brad is the grandson of Aileen Just Luther, Rapidan, the player featured on the front of the book jacket.

In St. James, Brad grew up next door to his grandmother and recalls shooting baskets with her on their driveway. Brad didn´t know until years later that his grandmother was such a basketball "shooting star" whose scoring records earned her the nickname, "Point-A-Minute Just," scoring more than a point for every minute she was in the game. Her records were sent nation wide to newspapers in major cities across the country. Brad only knew her as ´Grandma Aileen´ until one day at a family gathering an uncle showed him the scrapbooks Aileen had meticulously kept of her high school years.

Now, Brad is ´giving back´ to his special Grandma Aileen by contributing his talents to the website designed to preserve her history and that of all young women who played from 1891-1942 and beyond.

Credits

Jacket design: Leslie Johnson, Oahu, Hawaii

Interior design: Wendy Cutting, Apple Valley, MN & Rebecca Kurk, Eden Prairie, MN

Printer: Sentinel Printing, St. Cloud, MN