Cheryl Newland hopped a freight train from Seattle to LA to play in a disc golf tournament.
Host Jon Vanders introduces the episode solo, noting co-host Terry Miller is traveling. Guests Matt Rothstein and Cheryl Newland join to discuss Rothstein's documentary 'No Girls Allowed,' which examines the history of women's exclusion in disc golf. Rothstein explains he began the project while researching for a book on disc golf history, converting old newsletters to audio and uncovering patterns of women being barred from major events. Newland, PDGA number 76, shares anecdotes like hopping a freight train to a tournament and her nickname 'Boxcar Mama.' She describes organizing women in the late 1970s, including a petition campaign that led Wham-O to invite women to the $50,000 tournament, though without prize money. Rothstein discusses the documentary's theme of 'equal on paper, unequal in practice,' relating it to modern debates over equal prize payouts in disc golf. Newland reflects on her advocacy, emphasizing she never gave up despite resistance from figures like Ed Headrick. Rothstein highlights key moments, such as finding a 1983 letter from Paula Elsner that pressured the PDGA to add a women's division. The guests talk about the documentary's production, including voiceover work and collaboration with women pioneers. Newland expresses hope that the film will educate players about the sport's history and encourage women's support. Rothstein promotes the documentary on steadyhistory.com. After the interview, Vanders provides disc golf news updates, including sponsorship signings, recent tournament results, and previews of upcoming events like the Memorial. He also discusses his fantasy disc golf website, Skip Ace, and shares a personal story about a back injury.
