40 years ago, a Kansas woman made Harlem Globetrotters history

Forty years ago this month, the comedic basketball troupe, the Harlem Globetrotters, added a woman to its roster. NPR's Ashley Montgomery has the story of legendary athlete Lynette Woodard, a Wichita native and University of Kansas star.

In 1926 the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team was founded, more than 20 years before Black men were allowed on professional basketball teams. But this squad composed of only African American players gradually gained popularity in the basketball world.

When their founder, Abe Saperstein, died 40 years later, the team struggled to maintain that popularity. Over the next two decades the Harlem Globetrotters team was sold twice, and by 1984 the new owner was looking for ways to freshen up the performance. In 1985, the team put out a newspaper ad offering