Doris Coleman Guillory Memorial Bridge: The Legend from Longville

Louisiana is home to a lot of amazing people who carry Louisiana’s culture within them. Louisiana is also home to many local legends. One in particular is Doris Coleman Guillory.Doris Coleman Guillory’s love for basketball exemplify her role as an extraordinary athlete who helped shape the future of women’s basketball. Born in 1943, Doris Coleman grew up in Longville, Louisiana, a small community in Beauregard Parish. Her love for basketball was evident from an early age. At just eight years old, she built her own basketball hoop by nailing an old foot tub to a pecan tree in her backyard. This gave her access to practice and perfect her skills.

When Doris graduated from high school in 1961, athletic scholarships for women were nonexistent. If a woman wanted to pursue a career in basketball, she had to play professionally, but opportunities were extremely limited. At the time, there were only two known professional women’s basketball teams: Hazel Walker’s Arkansas Travelers and the Red Heads. After high school, Doris tried out for a spot on the Arkansas Travelers and earned a place on the team. Between 1962 and 1968, she played professional basketball.

While playing, Doris and her teammates competed against male teams under men’s rules. Sometimes, they played against military and semi-professional teams. There were no exceptions to basketball rules when competing agaisnt male teams. During an interview, Doris stated, “It was rough and tough playing against male teams. They didn’t have any pity on us.” During games, Doris and her teammates were required to maintain a ladylike appearance. They had to roll their hair and apply full makeup before each game. However, this requirement did not stop the Arkansas Travelers from matching their opponents’ energy and dominating on the basketball court. As a member of Hazel Walker’s Arkansas Travelers, Doris played approximately 200 games per season, and the team won 85 percent of its games. During her professional career, she competed against legends such as Wilt Chamberlain, who played for the Harlem Globetrotters, the San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Los Angeles Lakers. Together, Doris and her teammates were true pioneers, paving the way for the future of women’s professional basketball, including the WNBA. In 1968, Doris retired from professional basketball and worked at Trunkline Gas Company for forty years, performing engine maintenance and serving as a fire extinguisher and crane inspector. She also dedicated several years to the Beauregard Parish School Board.

In recognition of her extraordinary high school basketball legacy, Doris was inducted into the Louisiana High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 1993. She was credited with popularizing the overhand jump shot, a maneuver that could not be duplicated by any girl at the time. This move even made boys envious. Doris was also recognized for scoring more than 4,000 points during her high school career, setting a record that would not be broken for over thirty years. Additionally, her free-throw record was recognized during her induction: she made 1,147 free throws, averaging 39 per season and 10.6 per game.

In 2007, Senator James David Cain of Dry Creek, Louisiana, proposed Senate Bill No. 61 to rename the Hickory Creek Bridge in honor of Doris Coleman Guillory. On August 15, 2007, the bridge was officially renamed the Doris Coleman Guillory Bridge to recognize her remarkable basketball accomplishments.The bridge is located on Louisiana Highway 110 over Hickory Creek, west of Longville. It is a relatively small, two-lane tee-beam bridge that measures 160 feet. The bridge was originally constructed in 1948.

Unfortunately, Doris Coleman Guillory passed away in 2022. However, her legacy lives on through the renaming of the Hickory Creek Bridge and her contributions to sports. Her accomplishments continue to inspire athletes across the state of Louisiana.