Women in Sport by Mike Devlin: Lily Parr, A Kick Like A Mule
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Recently I wrote about the treatment of women's football, and briefly what they were forced to endure, because, men. But that only gave us a basis of what we now know to be the World's Game where women are concerned. What we need is to centre in on one of those women. A woman who never gave up, when it would have been so much easier to do. A woman who could easily have played in the man's game. A woman who was the greatest of her generation.
Lily Parr.
Born in 1905 in north-west England, the rambunctious Lily discovered a love affair with football and rugby, and with the help of the brothers, played regularly. But it was not until, at the age of 14, that Dick, Kerr Ladies came a calling. She was just 14 when she began her 'career' at St. Helens before DKL came calling. The men had been called up for the Great War, so women's football had become incredibly popular and gave the people something to take their minds away from what was happening in Europe.
Signing for 10 shillings a game (about £100) and a pack of Woodbines - a popular brand of cigarette - she went on to score almost 1,000 goals in 30 years. But, at the time, she sadly never got the recognition she so deserved.
Women's Football was effectively banned at the end of 1921, but she, and the hundreds of other women, consistently challenged the male hierarchy by playing both league and international football, both at home and abroad, despite it never being official, additionally, raising the equivalent of millions for charities (more often than not for disabled veterans) from the gate proceeds.
She was also, unashamedly, a lesbian; her partner, Mary who worked with her at the hospital they were in, were both ostracised in the community; lesbianism, unlike homosexuality, was not illegal, but this was in part because women 'did not need any ideas'. However, when Lily entered the field of play she was the star. She even played against men and reportedly broke the men's keeper's arm after firing a shot on goal at him.
She broke record after record, both domestically and internationally, and has since become a female (and LGBTQ) icon. The women's game today owes everything to Lily and her colleagues.
Sadly, she died in 1976 from cancer, five years after the ban ended, and in 2002 a statue was placed at The National Football Museum in Manchester, England, and then in 2008 an official apology for the treatment she and her colleagues endured.
Possibly one of the greatest footballers in the world you've never heard of. The woman with a kick like a mule.