Penny Ann Early played in an ABA game for the Kentucky Colonels, becoming the first woman to do so.
On November 27, 1968, Penny Ann Early broke new ground in American basketball history by becoming the first woman to play in a men's professional league. During her brief appearance with the Kentucky Colonels in the American Basketball Association, she checked into the game, inbounded the ball, and was immediately substituted. While her involvement was minimal, its symbolism was profound: challenging gender norms and opening dialogues on women's roles in professional sports.