HISTORICAL OVERVIEW

In 1955, Charles Emmons, the director of Marching Mizzou in the School of Music added sparkle to the band by founding the now-famous Golden Girls, a twirling line of six to eight majorettes and two feature twirlers. The group first danced in 1966, when then-director Dr. Alex Pickard had the girls throw down their batons and do the “Charleston.” Pickard and founding Golden Girl Patty Grahm Kespohl oversaw the gradual transition from a twirling line to a dance team. In 1970, the twirling line officially stopped using batons and became the gold-sequined, high-kicking dance line it is today.

In 1987, a 14-member pom squad was created to perform at MU basketball games. The Golden Girls won national dance titles in 1991 and 1992 under the direction of Patty Kespohl, coach of the squad for 33 years (1968-92, 1997), and in 2003 under leadership of former Golden Girl Shannon Fry, coach for 22 years. In 1993, the squad transitioned from the School of Music to MU’s Department of Athletics. Former Golden Girl Cayla Timberlake became Coach of the squad in 2020. The Golden Girls program was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2023.

I’D LIKE TO SEE THAT IN GOLD!

During the 1960s, a golden age for Mizzou football with 77 wins and five bowl games under the leadership of Head COach Dan Devine, a small group of baton-weilding majorettes accompanied the Marching Mizzou Band at every Saturday football gamel When Sandy Davidson BA ’68, MA ’73, JD ’82, wore a silver-sequined leotard ti the 1964 tryouts, the showman CHarles Emmons, band Director, had a eureka movement, “He said, “I’d like to see that in gold!”” said Patty Grahm Kespohl, BS Ed ‘68, a featured twirler on the 1965 squad and Golden Girls coach for 33 years. Read a Vox Magazine interview with Sandy Davidson.

Introduced the next year in 1965, the luminous gold sequin uniforms, reflecting sunlight to the stadium’s highest climbs, were a hit. “They were stretchy and thick, and they were hard to pull on,” says Emmons’ daughter Charla Emmons Kleopfer, BA ‘69, MA ‘79, an original Golden Girl. “They were modest, but they didn’t look modest on the football field.” The iconic white boots debuted in 1971. Although the gilded uniforms and thousand‐kilowatt smiles have been present since the inaugural season, nearly every other aspect of the iconic squad has evolved.

TOP HAT AND TAILS

During the 1960s and 70s, the squad frequently accented their gold leotards with satin tailcoats trimmed in gold sequins, a gold top hat and black cane. Original Golden Girl Patti Kespohl helped sew each girl’s tailcoat; walking sticks were made using a wood dowl rod and white tape.

Images: 1970s Gold Sequin Leotard with Black Satin Tailcoat, Gold Top Hat, Walking Stick

THE BIG RED LINE

In the 1970s, the Golden Girls caught the eye of executives at the NFL’s St. Louis Cardinals. For five seasons between 1976 and 1981, the MU Golden Girls bussed to St. Louis on Sundays and performed in red-and-white uniforms on the Busch Stadium sidelines as the Big Red Line.

On August 16, 1976, the Big Red Line gave their first NFL history-making moment as they accompanied the St. Louis Cardinals to play the first NFL game outside of the United States in Tokyo, Japan.

Pictured: 1977 Big Red Line Members in Red and White Cardinal Football Uniforms

MIZZOU BASKETBALL

In 1987, former MU Director of Athletics Joe Castiglione wanted to see more action during halftime and timeouts of men’s basketball games, so he invited the Golden Girls to perform at the Hearnes Center. The closer quarters forced Kespohl to trim the roster to 14 dancers.

DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT

During the 1980s and 90s, being a Golden Girl was a scheduled class, and members received two hours credit for their work. Practices were held four times a week preparing shows and two practices each week working on their dances. Performances included football and basketball games, pep rallies, parades, and private parties for groups at the former Reynolds Alumni Center.

To prepare for tryouts in spring semester, the varsity squad held a five-day tour between preliminaries and the final tryouts that consisted of performances at two high schools each day, to promote spirit for MU. After tryouts, the new squad attended a five-day summer camp in Nebraska and a band camp just prior to the start of school in the fall.

During the school year, girls are also called upon for other public appearances on campus, within the community, regional and even international events, often putting in 12 to14-hour days. Sporting events, campus spirit activities, and Homecoming wouldn’t be the same without this proud Missouri tradition.

NATIONAL CHAMPIONS: 1991

The MU Golden Girls won the National Cheerleading Association Championship in 1991. The uniform’s sequins were hand-sewn by team members and original Golden Girl and first Coach Patty Grahm Kespohl who coached the squad for 33 years (1968-92, 1997)! Pictured is former Golden Girl and Coach Shannon Fry wearing the flame uniform as a member of the championship team (1990-94).

1991 NCA National Champions Warm Up Jacket

Besides each girl receiving a jacket, plaque and ring for their 1991 championship victory, the squad was invited to represent the University of Missouri-Columbia in Tokyo, Japan. The Golden Girls performed at the Japan Classic during time-outs and half-times. Prior to this year, the collegiate cheerleaders had been the only squad invited to perform in Japan. According to Kespohl, they had not known about the change when they went to camp, and it was a great surprise. – MU Savitar, 1991, University Archives.

NATIONAL CHAMPIONS: 1992

The Golden Girls defended their national championship title by becoming National Champions the following year in 1992. “The sweetness of the victory was the fact that there were only four returning varsity members and five of the new dancers were freshmen. The women proved to everyone that dancing doesn’t come with age; it comes with talent.” (Savitar, 1992 page 240-41), University Archives

Pictured: 1992 championship uniform of black and white sequin/satin jumpsuit in style of football referee shirt, black baseball cap

NATIONAL CHAMPIONS: 2003

Under the leadership of former Golden Girl and Coach Shannon Wells Fry, BS Ed ‘95, the squad brought home a United Spirit Association National Championship in 2003!

Pictured: 2003 championship uniform of red sequined tie top and black spandex pants

“Our first responsibility is to be ambassadors for the University of Missouri,” Shannon Fry says. “When you become a Golden Girl, you take on the name of every single girl who wore the gold sequins before you. I always tell them, ‘This is not a job; it’s a lifestyle.’ ”