Most Western New Yorkers are at least marginally aware of Buffalo’s illustrious football history.  But far less known is the fact that the city was one of the earliest pioneers in women’s professional tackle football. In the early 1970s, less than 300,000 girls across the country participated in high school athletics, with most participating in softball, volleyball or swimming. In 1972, the passage of Title IX, the education amendment to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, expanded high school athletic opportunities to include girls, revolutionizing sports participation. But prior to 1972, sports opportunities for girls were extremely limited—participation in football was unheard of and was actually frowned upon by most. Yet in 1970, Buffalo fielded a team in the newly formed Women’s Professional Football League. 

During the same period, the United States was embroiled in the very unpopular Vietnam War and protests were being staged across the country on college campuses and in large cities. Among these was the most violent protest in the University of Buffalo’s history. The women’s liberation movement was fighting for equal rights, not only in sports but in employment, education, politics and all walks of life. On the gridiron, the National Football League had just completed its merger with the American Football League, and for the first time the two leagues were playing interlocking schedules. Football was quickly becoming America’s most popular sport, a designation it achieved in 1972.

It was a tumultuous time in the United States—so why not start a women’s professional football league? In the eyes of Syd Friedman at least, it seemed like an opportune time. Friedman was a 50-year-old talent agent and promoter who ran the All-Star Theatrical Agency in Cleveland. He had experience as a sports agent, with clients that included baseball All-Star Jimmy Piersall and future Pro Football Hall of Famer Bobby Mitchell. He also directed several local and state beauty pageants. According to Neal Rozendaal, author of the Women’s Football Encyclopedia, “He loved to promote with the press and get attention for doing wild and unusual things.” Friedman was smart, personable, innovative, salesy and quick to make a buck—a true P. T. Barnum type. 

Friedman first conceived the idea of a women’s professional football league in 1967. At first, he was looking to mimic basketball’s Harlem Globetrotters. He wanted to create a women’s team that would barnstorm across the country and play all comers—amateur teams and semi-pro men’s teams. The idea began as a gimmick, but once he saw how competitive the women were and how serious they were about playing the game of football, his mind changed. It quickly became a venture to develop a football league of women’s teams. 

The initial team in Friedman’s scheme was the USA (later Cleveland) Daredevils. Syd hired former Cleveland Browns star running back and future Hall of Famer, Marion Motley, to be the head coach. For several years, Motley had tried to get a coaching job in the NFL but was continually denied a chance because of the color of his skin. So, he saw Friedman’s offer as an opportunity to prove himself.  For Friedman, hiring Motley gave his team instant credibility. Marion had been a terrific player for the Browns. He played for Cleveland from 1946-1953, averaging 5.7 yards per carry as a fullback, still an NFL record for a non-quarterback.

“This isn’t going to be any joke. We plan on having topflight coaching. We don’t want any fly-by-night operation. It’s going to be strictly major league,” Friedman told the Scranton Times Tribune. “After watching some of that action, I was amazed at what ferociousness they have on the gridiron. These girls said they’ll play any men, as long as they get paid. Most of the women are married and some have children. They’re just big, strong and tough girls.”

That first season, the Daredevils fielded a roster of 25 women. They played mostly men’s teams and garnered significant publicity. Each of the three games against men’s semi-pro squads was very competitive. In its most spirited contest, the Daredevils lost 31-27 to a team named the Erie Pussycats, a veiled attempt to make fun of women playing football. These women were all business and played tough and hard. They played one game against a women’s team from Detroit, a quickly arranged All-Star team. The Daredevils beat the All Stars and Friedman immediately became intrigued with women playing against other women. Thus, the idea of a women’s professional league came to the forefront of his mind. Syd’s goal was to create four teams in what would be called the Women’s Professional Football League (WPFL).

The following season, Friedman raised a second women’s team, the Pittsburgh All Stars (later named the Hurricanes). The two teams traveled around the country, playing each other in exhibition contests to demonstrate that women could play a good brand of NFL-style football. Coached by former NFL running back Charles Scales, the Pittsburgh team made its debut in the Steel City on November 29, 1968. The All Stars tied the Daredevils 8-8 in front of 1,600 spectators. 

The rules for the women’s game were identical to the NFL, including use of a regulation-size NFL football.  The only differences were that there were no kickoffs—each team instead beginning play at the 20-yard line—and the quarters were 12 minutes instead of 15. In 1969, Friedman added a third team—the Toronto Canadian Belles—and with it, expanded internationally to Canada. And by 1970, he finally had his fourth team, the Buffalo All Stars. Now he could promote it as a full-fledged women’s professional football league.

Friedman had invested his own money, over $50,000, to get the league going. He owned the league and each of its franchises. For operating revenue, the teams were totally dependent on gate receipts and sponsors. Securing additional investors and sponsors for the teams proved difficult, as Syd liked to do things his own way. In spite of this, however, he had cobbled together four teams to make a viable league. The women were supposed to be paid $25 per game. But for many of these women, it was less about being paid as it was about the opportunity to participate in a sport that they loved and thought they would never get a chance to play. 

Friedman wanted his WPFL teams to play during halftime at NFL games to gain more exposure. The promotion never came to fruition, however, and Friedman blamed NFL marching bands for disrupting his plans by refusing to give up any halftimes. The Daredevils and Belles did manage to play one game in Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium on October 18, 1970, immediately prior to the Browns versus Lions NFL game that day. This would be the closest Syd would come to gaining any kind of alignment and exposure with the NFL.

The Buffalo All Stars were organized by 18-year-old Denise “Dee Dee” DeBone, from Lackawanna in 1970. The 5-foot, 9-inch, 132-pound blonde had adopted her nickname, Dee Dee, after her mother disciplined her when she was five. Danica DeBone was exasperated with her daughter after a teacher complained, and with her deep Serbian accent, was saying, “Deeee, Deeee, Deeee, what should I do?” Denise hated her given name and didn’t think it fit her, so she began telling everyone her name was Dee Dee, and it stuck. 

Dee Dee, having just turned 18, was watching football one Sunday afternoon with a few friends and announced, “I can do this.” DeBone was then told about the women’s team in Cleveland and was referred to a player on the Daredevils. Dee Dee was a natural athlete and said she wanted to play because, “football offers more possibilities and offers more self-satisfaction than any other sports I’ve tried.”

At the time, DeBone was the assistant manager at the Mayflower restaurant in the Statler Hilton Hotel. A short time later, Dee Dee began running her grandfather’s Gulf Station, on the corner of Whitehaven Road and Grand Island Blvd., due to his increased health issues. Meanwhile DeBone pursued her goal to play football.

She obtained Friedman’s telephone number and contacted him. “I told him that I would be an asset to his team and that I would like a tryout.” The fact that she didn’t live in the Cleveland area did not deter her, as Dee Dee was willing to make the three-hour drive from Buffalo for practices so she could play. Friedman thought better of it and offered her a team in Buffalo instead. Less than a week later, they met at the Hotel Lafayette in Buffalo and a contract was signed. Friedman committed to provide the uniforms and equipment, pay the coaches and players and cover other business expenses. DeBone would organize the team, including advertising for the coaches and players, recruit additional players and manage the local logistics.

Dee Dee thought that was a good deal and set out to start a team in Western New York. She advertised, placing want-ads, in the Buffalo News and Buffalo Courier-Express for women football players and 100 answered the call. The initial organizing meeting was held on October 14, 1970, at the Hotel Lafayette. Skip Klimas was named head coach. Skip played for Kenmore West and for the Marines, and was employed at General Motors. His style was more like Vince Lombardi. He told the players they would work hard and his words were the last and final—there would be no arguments. Dee Dee was given the title of team manager. 

These women had no playing experience, though in many cases they were excellent athletes in other sports. They represented various ethnic groups and races. The players were also students, teachers, key punch operators, nurses, secretaries, bartenders, restaurant managers and housewives that ranged in age from 18 to 32. The coaches had to teach them the fundamentals of the game, while at the same time installing offensive and defensive plays and formations. The women had to learn basic things like lining up in a three-point stance, catching, throwing, how to take a hand-off, how to move at the snap of the ball, what were penalties, etc. At the same time, they had to learn how to run intricate plays that required the right movement of all 11 players at the same time. They also had to learn the correct techniques for blocking and tackling.

The team’s first practice was held on October 15 at 5:30 p.m. at Delaware Park, thus allowing the working females time to get to the practice. More than 100 came out, as lines and lines of cars entered Delaware Park. “We fielded them into different groups for linemen, running backs, receivers and defense. If they did not fit one position, we would try them on defense,” DeBone said. “Some of them were just curious,” said Pennachio, the 4-foot, 10-inch, 100-pound safety and offensive halfback. “At our first practice we put on the pads and started hitting and you better believe that separated the men from the—I mean the women from the girls.” 

The team practiced every day for several weeks to prepare for what would be a two-game schedule in 1970. The women learned the game, were taught the plays and practiced executing them with pads on in almost all the practices. “I liked it because you could hit,” Pennachio said. “Indeed the girls feel that a practice would be a waste if there was not hitting.” Coach Klimas said, “They listen and they want to learn. But when we’re trying to run plays they want to tear each other up.”

The All Stars’ primary offense was the “wishbone” attack with three running backs (a popular offense in 1970). It was also known as the “triple option” because the quarterback always had three choices of who to give the ball to—or she could keep it herself. DeBone loved running that offense. The team also practiced the “I” formation and the I with a slotback to add some versatility. The All Stars also were somewhat unique in that they used the Kansas City Chiefs’ choir huddle. The choir huddle was structured so that the backs and receivers stood in front of the linemen, all facing the quarterback as if she was the conductor. DeBone liked it because she could read the faces of her teammates.

Klimas finalized a roster of 20 women with a taxi squad of five additional players in case of injuries. Fred Sardino was added as the offensive coordinator and Charles Leixner as the defensive coordinator. Mike Pawlak was provided by the Burn Treatment Center, as the trainer and to nurse any injuries. He also taped the women’s ankles before practice, and many enjoyed that experience. The starting offensive line averaged 145 pounds and the defensive line beefed up to a 185-pound average.

Buffalo All Stars 1970 Roster

Barrett, Sharon #22 defensive back

Bongiovanni, Marilyn #24 safety

Bullard, Pat

Carbone, Diane #22 running back

Cooper, Sherrill #18 halfback

Davidson, Arlene #20 linebacker

Davidson, Billie #23 defensive back

DeBone, Denise (Dee Dee) #16 quarterback

Gabriel, Ursula linebacker

Gilbert, Diane #25 center

Grabowski, Colleen #26 guard

Holt, Carol #1 tackle

Horey, Mary Ann #19 halfback

Kless, Judy #21 guard

Long, Dolores #24 end

Louther, Sherrie #14 halfback

Morgan, Margo #23 halfback

Mulcahy, Hellena

Pennachio, Barbara #44 defensive back

Pawlak, Barbara #27 guard

Raines, Eula tackle

Rebon, Carol #00 tackle

Sadler, Barbara #77 tackle

Sutter, Donna #11 halfback

Tedrick, Mary tackle

Trey, Karen #28 end

Turner, Gladys#18tackle

The week prior to the first game, the All Stars came to practice and awaiting them were their brand-new navy blue jerseys and white pants. The Buffalo Courier Express was there to photograph the women in their new outfits. The players were all excited. Following the photo shoot, the team practiced and suffered its first casualty. Running back Leslie Lynne, a school teacher and an excellent athlete who looked like she was going to be one of the team’s top offensive threats, was tackled by Diane Gilbert (nicknamed “Dynamite”) and suffered a leg injury. In the ambulance on the way to the hospital, all Leslie was thinking about was would she be able to play in the game. When the x-rays came back, they revealed a broken leg and she was out for the season. 

At home the next morning, her younger brother Rob saw a photo of the Buffalo All Stars in the paper. While gazing at the picture he observed to his dad, Tommy, that Leslie Lynne in the photo looked like his sister, Sherrill (who was on crutches with a broken leg). Tommy agreed with Rob that there was a striking resemblance. Sherrill looked at the photo and said, “Wow, it does look like me.” After a brief period, Sherrill came clean and admitted that she was the Leslie Lynne in the photograph. She had been playing under an assumed name. Sherrill Leslie Cooper was afraid that she would embarrass her family and did not tell them. Her dad, Tommy Cooper, was a former Buffalo Bisons hockey player, who played with the team from 1945-1950 and was a member of the 1945-46 Calder Cup champions. Her two brothers were also excellent athletes. But Sherrill just wanted a chance to play football and now her family was fully supportive.

The All Stars’ inaugural season was set to open on November 7, 1970, against the Daredevils in Cleveland. Dee Dee DeBone was to be the starting quarterback, and in the backfield along with her were Donna Sutter, a 22-year old housewife, Diane Carbone, a bartender, and Shirley Louther. Louther replaced the injured Lynn in the lineup at running back. She was an African American fullback who was originally cut from the team because she was only 17. Louther was distraught at being cut. But as it got closer to her 18th birthday, she was brought back. Now she was in the starting lineup and was ready to prove herself. 

For the first time in their lives these trail blazing women put on game-ready football equipment, including shoulder pads, white football pants with thigh pads, football cleats and socks and nice, navy blue-colored jerseys. When they inserted their mouthpieces and strapped on their white helmets, with a few straps and a little foam rubber inside for protection, an adrenaline rush went through many of the women. They had practiced hard and put in a lot of work to be ready. These women were about to play live tackle football against an experienced opponent. They were excited and equally apprehensive about playing their first game.