We say thanks to the ‘Devilettes’ of the 1970s

I’m sitting here at The Davis Enterprise, researching and getting on the nerves of those around me.

While editors and writers are concentrating on what I’m sure are very important tasks, I’m taking a trip down memory lane.

“Did you know the 1974-75 Davis High girls’ basketball team outscored their opponents — on average — 55-25?”

A couple of nods, but no comments from my colleagues.

Hmmm. Not impressed?

“Did you know in their two championship seasons, the Blue Devils girls were 47-2 — not to mention beating the UC Davis Aggies in a scrimmage?”

Look, over there, I think city-beat reporter Tom Sakash raised an eyebrow.

“Did you know …”

Finally, our editor looks up and goes, “Shhhhh.”

Fine, but she can’t stop me from talking about those early Davis girls. Thank goodness I have a column.

Wednesday night, before this year’s edition of the Davis High Lady Blue Devils takes the court against Natomas (7:30 p.m.), members of those 1974-77 squads will be introduced and honored.

Denise Curry, Cathy Speck, Marcy Place, Cindy Stein, Denise Gualco, Cindy McClanahan, Myrna Vasquez, Heidi Pfanner, Sue Towne, Cathy Cameron, Donna Prato, coaches George Fleming and Barb Iten will be among those in attendance.

Called the “Devilettes” in the old days, this collection of outstanding athletes helped the school earn more than 22 league titles in seven sports during those three seasons.

The 1974 and 1975 basketball titles were the first two ever awarded by the Sac-Joaquin Section in girls hoops.

It’s an old story now — especially if you’ve been reading The Enterprise recently — but Curry went on to become the all-time leading UCLA basketball scorer. She racked up more points than Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), more than Bill Walton, more than men’s leader Don MacLean (2,608). Curry scored 3,198 points. She still holds nine other Bruin records.

Curry, after whom the DHS girls’ basketball locker room is named, went on to win Olympic, Pan-Am and World Championship gold medals and played professionally in Europe before returning to a coaching career in California, at Cal, Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach State.

Curry is not much for the spotlight, although it has followed her everywhere. She’s a member of the five halls of fame, including the National Basketball Hall of Fame and UCLA hall, and she was among the first class of inductees in the Davis High Hall of Fame. Her No. 12 jersey was one of the first four retired at UCLA, joining Jabbar, Walton and Ann Meyers in 1990.

However talented Curry was in high school — her coaches Iten (’74) and Fleming (’75-76) ensured the Devilettes would be a complete team.

One year, Curry averaged 18 points a game, often playing alternating quarters with her teammates.

“I have many fond memories of all my teammates, especially Denise, who is one of the finest people I have ever known,” Wyoming resident Cindy Dailey (Stein in 1974) told me. “I also vividly remember our two awesome coaches, Barb and George, and how different their coaching styles were, but how effective they both were.

“I have great respect for them both. And, I’m sorry to admit, I also remember the night we tee-peed coach Barb’s home. Sorry about that, coach.”

The former standout adds, “I can’t wait to meet up with my awesome teammates and coaches — even if we older Blue Devils have to hobble onto the court.”

Pfanner, now Adamski, remembers having to battle hard in the Tournament of Champions when Curry went down with an ankle sprain: “It forced all of us to give our all in her absence.”

The Devilettes were up to the challenge. And quite a challenge it was.

At the time, girls sports were put under the heading of Girls Athletic Association and at many schools were still club-level endeavors.

When Title IX required schools to provide equal athletic opportunities for both boys and girls in the early 1970s, change was slow.

The exciting style and athleticism of the DHS players were an inspiration to young girls throughout California. Place, an Olympic field hockey medalist, and Curry served as role models for aspiring athletes.

Speck — as an activist for gay rights and a leader in the battle against ALS (which she and her family has valiantly fought for decades) — remains an inspiration to all who know her story.

Every woman who will be in attendance Wednesday night is inspirational in her own right.

Collectively, they were a standard by which thousands of prep sports teams everywhere have tried to gauge themselves.

Tomorrow, we can say thanks.

Meanwhile, our newsroom is just going to have put up with me …

“Did you know that those Davis girls once led a game 45-2 at halftime?”

— Bruce Gallaudet is a staff writer at The Davis Enterprise. Reach him at bgallaudet@davisenterprise.net or (530) 747-8047.

Short URL: http://www.davisenterprise.com/?p=110935

Posted by Bruce Gallaudet on Nov 29 2011.
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