Management, including Colonels owners Joseph and Mamie Gregory, ordered coach Gene Rhodes to play Early in a game.

Wearing a miniskirt and a turtleneck sweater with a number 3 on the back (to represent the three boycotted races at Churchill Downs), Early warmed up with the players during pre-game and sat on the bench with the team.

[4] During the first half of play, during a timeout, Coach Rhodes sent Early to the scorer's table, where she officially checked into the game.

He then quickly called a timeout and the Colonels removed Early from the game to a mix of cheers and booing from the crowd of 5,345.

In 1974, at the age of 30, she went on a strict diet and worked diligently to get her weight down; however, her comeback was short-lived when she broke her arm, ankle, wrist, and some ribs in a racing spill.