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Excerpt from Oral History Interview with Frances Hogan, May 23, 1991, and June 3, 1991. Interview L-0044. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007) See Entire Interview >>

Hogan's tomboy childhood

Because golf was considered a "ladylike sport," women could play in a national championship. Still, Hogan did not play to look nice—she grew up as a "tomboy."

Citing this Excerpt

Oral History Interview with Frances Hogan, May 23, 1991, and June 3, 1991. Interview L-0044. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007) in the Southern Oral History Program Collection, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Full Text of the Excerpt

Well, I'll give you an example of how things have changed now. We had the National Women's Golf Championship on campus in 1959. Golf is the oldest intercollegiate sport with a national championship for women, started in 1940. Did you know that?
MARY JO FESTLE:
Yes.
FRANCES HOGAN:
Because golf was considered a lady-like sport. Back in '59, we had to house the participants on campus. You couldn't do what they're doing now. And there were real specific rules about conducting the tournament. We housed them in the Institute of Government. It worked out really nice.
MARY JO FESTLE:
What other sports were considered lady-like?
FRANCES HOGAN:
I know that golf had the first national championship for women. I think your roughest sport is basketball. I've seen real rough looking softball teams. But the nature of the sport plays a role. I haven't noticed that this year. The softball team looks good, and they look like they are really fine girls. Actually, most all the female athletes are nice-tennis, gymnastics, volleyball, fencing, track.
MARY JO FESTLE:
Did you worry yourself at all about being lady-like, or you just wanted to play?
FRANCES HOGAN:
I just never thought about anything like that. I was a tom-boy, though. I'll admit that. And the boys picked me, you know, if they chose up teams, I'd be one of the first picked. They were sort of scared of me.