This article highlights the beginnings of expanded athletic opportunities for women in the United States. History was made in December 1893 when the Colleen Bawns beat the Bonnie Lassies 2-0 on a soccer field in San Francisco in what is recognized as the first ever women’s soccer match played on American soil. Women had been playing different forms of football up until this point, but this game in particular stands out because it was the first game played under modern rules created in England. More games would go on to be played by these teams later on, but no league was formed and it was seen mainly as a way for organizers to create a spectacle for profit, rather than trying to develop the women’s game in its earliest stages.
There are many reasons as to why women’s soccer had difficulty taking off at this time, and even for the decades to follow. Cultural norms and patriarchal sentiments at the time stunted the advancement of women in many fields, especially in sports. There was a big divide between what was perceived as a “manly sport” and a “female exercise”, with doctors claiming that women’s bodies were too fragile to compete in most sports. Nonetheless, women’s physical education programs began to expand before the 20th century, but soccer was pushed to the side in favor of other sports. These games were commercialized and promoted to the public in the area. Local promoter Daniel R. McNeill was crucial in getting people to attend these games, as he was in promoting other women’s sports in San Francisco, however most who attended focused more on the women’s appearance rather than the actual gameplay. This reflected the idea that women in sports were still seen as a spectacle to men rather than actual competitors who looked to kickstart the growth of women’s sport.
The games that were played in San Francisco mattered much more than what was performed on the pitch. The players, who were working class women getting paid about $2 per game, cared deeply about their participation in the sport and would help spark a renaissance in women’s sports that saw higher participation in other areas such as basketball, cycling, and field hockey, among others. These games represented a beginning to a bigger story that looked to break century old barriers and challenge limitations that have been imposed on women.
