Nera White
Encyclopedia
Nera D. White is a retired American basketball player. She is considered one of the most outstanding female players in history.
and attended the George Peabody College for Teachers
(now part of Vanderbilt University
), along with Sue Gunter
and Doris Rogers, both of whom went on to play for the United States women's national basketball team
. She completed all of the undergraduate requirements for a degree in education except for the student teaching requirement, which she was unable to complete due to shyness. George Peabody did not have a women's basketball team, so she played for the AAU
team in Nashville sponsored by Nashville Business College.
n for 15 years in a row from 1955 to 1969, and she led the Nashville Business College team to ten AAU
national championships during that period. White was named the MVP
of the AAU National Tournament nine times. While she played for Nashville Business college, the team once had a stretch of 92 games where they won 91. White was "widely acknowledged as the greatest woman ever to play the game". In 1966, Harley Redin (head coach of the Wayland Baptist Flying Queens, the dominant team of the 1950s) called her the "greatest woman basketball player in history".
In 1957 she led the US National Team
to winning the World Championship
. She was named the MVP
of the tournament, and voted the Best Woman Player in the World. She was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
in 1992 and in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
in 1999. White is one of only two players inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame based on AAU accomplishments, the other being Joan Crawford
. At the turn of the century, Sports Illustrated for Women
identified the century's greatest sportswomen. Nera White is #51 on the listlist of all sports, and is the sixth highest basketball player on the list, behind Cheryl Miller, Teresa Edwards
, Ann Meyers
, Nancy Lieberman
and Anne Donovan
.
Hall of Fame player and coach Sue Gunter said that White was the best of the best.
In addition to her basketball prowess, White was also an accomplished softball
player. She was honored as All-World in 1959 and 1965 for the ASA
Fast Pitch softball team. She played centerfield, shortstop and pitcher. White was the first woman to ever circle the bases in ten seconds.
is named after her. A local highway (State Route 10 North) has been renamed Nera White Highway.
Early life and education
White was born in Macon County, TennesseeTennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
and attended the George Peabody College for Teachers
Peabody College
Peabody College of Education and Human Development was founded in 1875 when the University of Nashville, located in Nashville, Tennessee, split into two separate educational institutions...
(now part of Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
), along with Sue Gunter
Sue Gunter
Sue Gunter was a women's college basketball coach. She is best known as the head coach of the LSU Lady Tigers basketball team....
and Doris Rogers, both of whom went on to play for the United States women's national basketball team
United States women's national basketball team
The United States women's national basketball team are the defending Olympic champions in women's basketball. The team is composed of some of the top American players in the WNBA and the women's college game....
. She completed all of the undergraduate requirements for a degree in education except for the student teaching requirement, which she was unable to complete due to shyness. George Peabody did not have a women's basketball team, so she played for the AAU
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
team in Nashville sponsored by Nashville Business College.
Basketball career
She was named AAU All-AmericaAll-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n for 15 years in a row from 1955 to 1969, and she led the Nashville Business College team to ten AAU
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
national championships during that period. White was named the MVP
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
of the AAU National Tournament nine times. While she played for Nashville Business college, the team once had a stretch of 92 games where they won 91. White was "widely acknowledged as the greatest woman ever to play the game". In 1966, Harley Redin (head coach of the Wayland Baptist Flying Queens, the dominant team of the 1950s) called her the "greatest woman basketball player in history".
In 1957 she led the US National Team
United States women's national basketball team
The United States women's national basketball team are the defending Olympic champions in women's basketball. The team is composed of some of the top American players in the WNBA and the women's college game....
to winning the World Championship
FIBA World Championship for Women
The FIBA World Championship for Women is a world basketball tournament for women's national teams held quadrennially...
. She was named the MVP
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
of the tournament, and voted the Best Woman Player in the World. She was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
in 1992 and in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
The Women's Basketball Hall of Fame honors men and women who have contributed to the sport of women's basketball. The Hall of Fame opened in 1999 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA...
in 1999. White is one of only two players inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame based on AAU accomplishments, the other being Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford (basketball)
Joan Crawford is a former basketball player and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame , Women's Basketball Hall of Fame , and Amateur Athletic Union Hall of Fame.-Early life:Crawford was born to Monroe Crawford and Iris Crawford...
. At the turn of the century, Sports Illustrated for Women
Sports Illustrated for Women
Sports Illustrated Women and also known as SI Women, was a bimonthly sports magazine covering "the sports that women play and what they want to follow, from basketball to tennis, soccer to volleyball, field hockey to ice hockey and figure skating and more...
identified the century's greatest sportswomen. Nera White is #51 on the listlist of all sports, and is the sixth highest basketball player on the list, behind Cheryl Miller, Teresa Edwards
Teresa Edwards
-External links:******...
, Ann Meyers
Ann Meyers
Ann Meyers Drysdale is a retired American basketball player and sportscaster. She was a standout player in high school, college, the Olympic Games, international tournaments, and the professional levels.Meyers was the first player to be part of the U.S. national team while still in high school...
, Nancy Lieberman
Nancy Lieberman
Nancy Elizabeth Lieberman , nicknamed "Lady Magic", is a former professional basketball player who played and coached in the WNBA.Lieberman is regarded as one of the greatest figures in women's basketball....
and Anne Donovan
Anne Donovan
Anne Donovan is an American retired basketball player and the current head coach of the women's basketball team at Seton Hall University. She was formerly an assistant coach, then interim head coach of the New York Liberty of the WNBA...
.
Hall of Fame player and coach Sue Gunter said that White was the best of the best.
In addition to her basketball prowess, White was also an accomplished softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
player. She was honored as All-World in 1959 and 1965 for the ASA
Amateur Softball Association
The Amateur Softball Association is a volunteer, non-profit organization based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It was founded in 1933 with a tournament held in Chicago that was organized by Leo Fischer and Michael J. Pauley. The following year the 1934 National Recreation Congress recognized the ASA. ...
Fast Pitch softball team. She played centerfield, shortstop and pitcher. White was the first woman to ever circle the bases in ten seconds.
Legacy
The high school gym in her hometown, Lafayette, TennesseeLafayette, Tennessee
Lafayette is a city in Macon County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 3,885 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Macon County....
is named after her. A local highway (State Route 10 North) has been renamed Nera White Highway.