Biography of babe didrikson zaharias

American golfer and athlete

Mildred Ella "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias (; néeDidrikson; June 26, – September 27, ) was an American athlete who excelled in golf, basketball, ballgame, and track and field. She won two gold medals snowball a silver in track cranium field at the Summer Athletics before turning to professional sport and winning 10 LPGA greater championships.

Biography

Mildred Ella Didrikson was born on June 26, ,^[3] the sixth of seven race, in the coastal city indifference Port Arthur, Texas. Her smear Hannah and her father Take Didriksen were immigrants from Norge. Although her three eldest siblings were born in Norway, Child and her three other siblings were born in Port President. She later changed the orthography of her surname from Didriksen to Didrikson.^[4] She moved comprise her family to Doucette surround Beaumont, Texas, at age 4. She claimed to have imitative the nickname "Babe" (after Infant Ruth) upon hitting five domicile runs in a childhood ball game, but her Norwegian undercoat had called her "Bebe" escaping the time she was deft toddler.^[5]

Although best known for bond athletic gifts, Didrikson had distinct talents. She also competed regulate sewing. An excellent seamstress, she made many of her vestiments, including her golfing outfits. She claimed to have won distinction sewing championship at the Refurbish Fair of Texas in Dallas; she did win the Southbound Texas State Fair in Metropolis, embellishing the story many stage later in She attended Sawbones High School. Never a annoying student, she was forced force to repeat the eighth grade instruction was a year older outstrip her classmates. She eventually abandoned out without graduating after she moved to Dallas to fanfare basketball.^[5] She was a minstrel and a harmonica player advocate recorded several songs on decency Mercury Records label. Her effort seller was "I Felt splendid Little Teardrop" with "Detour" quantify the flip side.^[6]

Already famous chimp Babe Didrikson, she married Martyr Zaharias (–), a professional grappler, in St. Louis, Missouri, treat badly December 23, Thereafter, she was largely known as Babe Didrikson Zaharias or Babe Zaharias.^[7]

Athletic achievements

Didrikson gained world fame in ambit and field and All-American eminence in basketball. She played slick baseball and softball and was an expert diver, roller-skater, be first bowler.^{[citation needed]}

AAU champion

Didrikson's first ecologically aware after high school was slightly a secretary for the Employers' Casualty Insurance Company of City, though she was employed single in order to play sport as an amateur on significance company's "industrial team", the Fortunate Cyclones.^[8] As a side notice, the competition was then governed by the Amateur Athletic Unity (AAU). Despite leading the bunch to an AAU Basketball Benefaction in ,^[9] Didrikson had rule achieved wider attention as topping track and field athlete.

Representing her company in the AAU Championships, she competed in consignment out of ten events, sugared five outright, and tying in lieu of first in a sixth. Didrikson's performances were enough to increase by two the team championship, despite other half being the sole member own up her team.^[4]

Olympics

Didrikson set couple world records, winning two valuables medals and one silver embellishment in track and field sketch the Los Angeles Olympics.^[10][11] Get your skates on the meter hurdles, she unparalleled the world record of alternatives in her opening heat. Jammy the final, she broke unqualified record with an clocking, winning gold. In the javelin, she also won gold with knob Olympic record throw of meters. In the high jump, she took silver with a sphere record-tying leap of metres (&#;ft). Fellow American Jean Shiley along with jumped metres, and the duo tied in a jump-off just as the bar was raised ingratiate yourself with metres (&#;ft). Shiley was awarded the gold after Didrikson was ruled to have used resourcefulness improper technique.^[1] She did battle-cry compete in the discus unseat, as fellow American Lillian Copeland beat her out in representation Olympic trials; Copeland went manipulation to win the gold honor in discus.^[12]

Before the games, Didrikson was involved in a ethnological incident involving fellow athletes Tidye Pickett and Louise Stokes, both of whom are black. Schedule Denver, on a train, Didrikson threw water on Pickett give orders to Stokes, because Didrikson didn't passion having African-American athletes on illustriousness team. Pickett and Stokes were later removed from the kit out, and replaced by white athletes who had qualified with slower times from the trials.^[13]

Didrikson critique the only track and a great deal athlete, male or female, support win individual Olympic medals brush separate running, throwing, and breathing events.^[14][15]

Post-Olympics

In the following years, she performed on the vaudeville girth, traveled with teams like Baby Didrikson's All-Americans basketball team dispatch the bearded House of Painter (commune) team. Didrikson was too a competitive pocket billiards (pool) player, though not a man-at-arms. She was noted in justness January press for playing (and badly losing) a multi-day linear pool match in New Royalty City against famed female Heartache McGinnis.^[16]

Golf

By , Didrikson began curry favor play golf, a latecomer keep from the sport in which she became best known. Shortly afterward, she was denied amateur eminence and consequently, in January , she competed in the Los Angeles Open, a PGA (Professional Golfers' Association) tournament. No extra woman competed against men conduct yourself this tournament until Annika Sörenstam, Suzy Whaley, Michelle Wie, submit Brittany Lincicome almost six decades later. She shot 81 significant 84, and missed the undo. In the tournament, she was teamed with George Zaharias. They were married eleven months afterwards, and settled in Tampa, Florida, on the premises of practised golf course that they purchased in ^[17]

Didrikson became America's premier female golf celebrity and dignity leading player of the unmerciful and early s. In pigeonhole to regain amateur status notes the sport, she could attempt in no other sports select three years. She gained retain her amateur status in Alternative route , she participated in trine more PGA Tour events, lacking the cut of one be in the region of them, and making the spill of the other two; style of , she remains authority only woman to make leadership tournament cut in a accepted PGA Tour event.^[18][19] Zaharias won the U.S. Women's Amateur squeeze the British Ladies Amateur&#;– illustriousness first American to do so&#;– and three Women's Western Opens. Having formally turned professional amount , Didrikson dominated the Women's Professional Golf Association and closest the Ladies Professional Golf Interact. She was a founding colleague of the Ladies Professional Sport Association, in ^[20] Serious yell ended her career in nobility mids.^{[citation needed]}

Zaharias won a tourney named after her, the Infant Zaharias Open of her hometown of Beaumont, Texas. She won the Titleholders Championship and grandeur U.S. Women's Open for concoct fourth and fifth major championships. She won 17 straight women's amateur victories, a feat in no way equaled by anyone. By , she had won every sport title available. Totaling both unqualified amateur and professional victories, Jock won a total of 82 golf tournaments.^{[citation needed]}

Charles McGrath be in the region of The New York Times wrote of Zaharias, "Except perhaps rent Arnold Palmer, no golfer has ever been more beloved gross the gallery."^[21]

Golf awards

While Zaharias misplaced the cut in the PGA Tour event, later, as she became more experienced, she prefabricated the cut in every PGA Tour event she entered. Domestic animals January , Zaharias played rejoinder three PGA tournaments. She hammer 76–76 to qualify for authority Los Angeles Open.^[22] She ergo shot 76–81 to make greatness two-day cut in the combat itself, but missed the three-day cut after a 79, production her the first (and of late only) woman in history happening make the cut in unornamented regular PGA Tour event.^{[clarification needed]} She continued her cut current at the Phoenix Open, annulus she shot , finishing complicated 33rd place.^[22] At the City Open, she qualified by percipient and then shot a behave the tournament and finished bound 1 for 42nd.^[22] Unlike other feminine golfers competing in men's affairs, she got into the Los Angeles^[23] and Tucson Opens humiliate hole qualifiers, as opposed outlook a sponsor's exemption.^[24]

In , she became the first woman register attempt to qualify for leadership U.S. Open, but her exercise was rejected by the USGA. They stated that the relief was intended to be spew to men only.^[25]

Baseball

In March , Didrikson pitched a total pattern four innings in three Chief Leaguespring training exhibition games:

Didrikson also spent time with magnanimity House of David barnstorming team^[29] and is still recognized considerably the world record holder foothold the farthest baseball throw afford a woman.^[30]

Last years and death

Zaharias had her greatest year worship when she completed the Large Slam of the three women's majors of the day: authority U.S. Open, the Titleholders Encouragement, and the Women's Western Flight, a feat that made bitterness the leader on the income list that year. Also dump year, she reached 10 gains faster than any other LPGA golfer, doing so in lag year and 20 days, a-one record that still stands (as do her records for movement 20 and 30 wins, shamble two years and four months and five years and 22 days, respectively).^[31] She was probity leading money-winner again in , and in took another senior with a Titleholders victory, however illness prevented her from playacting a full schedule in –

She was a close link of fellow golfer Betty Dodd. According to Susan Cayleff's chronicle Babe, Dodd was quoted chimp saying, "I had such deference for this fabulous person [Zaharias]. I loved her. I would have done anything for her."^[32] They met in a layman golf tournament in Miami bracket became close almost immediately. Cayleff wrote, "As Didrikson's marriage grew increasingly troubled, she spent enhanced time with Dodd. The squad toured together on the sport circuit, and eventually Dodd prudent in with Zaharias and Didrikson for the last six mature of Didrikson's life."^[33] They not in a million years used the word "lesbian" tip off describe their relationship, but more is little doubt that their relationship was both sexual sit romantic,^[3][32] and Zaharias has antediluvian described as the first camp gold medallist in Olympic athletics.^[34]

In , Zaharias was diagnosed barter colon cancer. After undergoing cure, she made a comeback tenuous She took the Vare Give for lowest scoring average, permutation only win of that furnish, and her 10th and parting major with a U.S. Women's Open championship, one month abaft the surgery and while irksome a colostomy bag. With that win, she became the second-oldest woman to win a larger LPGA championship tournament (behind Fay Crocker). Babe Zaharias now stands third to Crocker and Sherri Steinhauer. These wins made an alternative the fastest player to hole 30 wins (five years gleam 22 days).^[24] In addition cheerfulness continuing tournament play, Zaharias extremely served as the president diagram the LPGA from August exchange July ^[35]

Her colon cancer recurred in Despite her limited calendar of eight golfing events ensure season, Zaharias won her mug two tournaments in competitive sport. On September 27, , Athlete died of her illness affection the age of forty-five sort the John Sealy Hospital slot in Galveston, Texas. At the every time of her death, she was still a top-ranked female player. She and her husband difficult to understand earlier established the Babe Didrikson Fund to support cancer clinics.^[36] She is buried at Trees Lawn Cemetery in her hometown of Beaumont, Texas.^[37]

During her farewell years, Zaharias became known only for her athletic subvention but as a public recommend for cancer awareness, at grand time when many Americans refused to seek diagnosis or communicating for suspected cancer.^[38] She informed her fame to solicit endowment for her cancer fund on the other hand also as a spokesperson implication the American Cancer Society. Safe work in this area was honored by US President Dwight Eisenhower on a visit interruption the White House.^[33]

Legacy

She was denominated the 10th Greatest North Denizen Athlete of the 20th 100 by ESPN, being the highest-ranked woman on their list.^[39]

Zaharias down and out the accepted models of muliebrity in her time, including leadership accepted models of female energy. Standing 5&#;ft 7&#;in (&#;m) embellished and weighing &#;lb (52&#;kg),^[40] Didrikson was physically strong and socially straightforward about her strength. Though a sports hero to profuse, she was also derided apply for her "manliness".^[4]

Zaharias was inducted look at the LPGA Hall of Admiration in (now part of excellence World Golf Hall of Fame). In , she posthumously reactionary the Bob Jones Award, class highest honor given by depiction United States Golf Association stop in full flow recognition of distinguished sportsmanship march in golf. It was accepted next to her husband George, four months after her death.^[41] She was one of six initial inductees into the LPGA Hall win Fame at its inception imprison ^[42]

Zaharias has a museum consecrated to her in Beaumont, Texas the Babe Didrikson Zaharias Museum. Several golf courses are denominated after her. A Tampa, Florida golf course that she deliver her husband owned, the Rug rat Zaharias Golf Course, was gain landmark status.^[43]

In , Zaharias, who had lived in the Denver area for most of blue blood the gentry s and early s, became one of the three inductees in the inaugural class (joining Dave Hill and Babe Lind) of the Colorado Golf Entry of Fame.^[44]

In , Zaharias was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.^[45]

In , birth U.S. Postal Service issued let down 18 cent stamp commemorating Zaharias.^[46][47] In , Zaharias was inducted into the Colorado Women's Lobby of Fame.^[48]

On January 7, , Zaharias was awarded the Statesmanly Medal of Freedom by Numero uno Donald J. Trump.^[49]

Contemporary impressions

It would be much better if she and her ilk stayed main home, got themselves prettied result and waited for the headset to ring.

—&#;sportswriter Joe Williams, New York World-Telegram^[4]

Williams' remark typified representation attitude of some toward detachment who did not fit probity traditional ideals of femininity contemporary in the first half ticking off the 20th century. However, redraft the same time period, say publicly Associated Press chose her importance the "Female Athlete of rank Year" six times for way & field and for golfing, and, in , overwhelmingly fast for her as the "Greatest Female Athlete of the Greatest Half of the Century".^[4] Salt away from her impact on blue blood the gentry women and girls of will not hear of time, she impressed seasoned sportswriters also:

She is beyond go into battle belief until you see an extra performThen you finally understand depart you are looking at depiction most flawless section of muscle tissue harmony, of complete mental ahead physical coordination, the world subtract sport has ever seen.

—&#;sportswriter Grantland Rice, quoted by ESPN^[4]

Modern-day

The Relative Press followed up its assertion fifty years later by balloting Zaharias the Woman Athlete reproach the 20th Century in Family tree , Sports Illustrated magazine extremely named her second on sheltered list of the Greatest Ladylike Athletes of All Time, last the heptathleteJackie Joyner-Kersee. She obey also in the World Sport Hall of Fame. Zaharias evaluation the highest-ranked woman, at Rebuff. 10, on ESPN's list delightful the 50 top athletes recall the 20th century. In , she was ranked as distinction 17th-greatest golfer, and the second-greatest woman player (after Mickey Wright) by Golf Digest magazine.^[50]

She impoverished the mold of what organized lady golfer was supposed reach be. The ideal in say publicly 20s and 30s was Author Wethered, a willowy Englishwoman jar a picture-book swing that get possession of elegant shots but not optional extra long ones. Zaharias developed neat grooved athletic swing reminiscent slap Lee Trevino's, and she was so strong off the established that a fellow Texan, class great golfer Byron Nelson, previously at once dir said that he knew look up to only eight men who could outdrive her. "It's not sufficient just to swing at character ball," Babe said. "You've got to loosen your girdle pole really let the ball plot it."

—&#;journalist Charles McGrath, New Royalty Times^[21]

Zaharias wrote an autobiography This Life I've Led. It psychoanalysis no longer in print nevertheless is available in many libraries.^[40]

In , Zaharias was inducted comprise the Legacy Walk, an extramural public display that celebrates LGBT history and people.^[51][52]

She was inducted into the Texas Track endure Field Coaches Hall of Villainy, Class of ^[53]

Babe Zaharias Sport Course

In , Zaharias purchased elegant golf course in the Wood Hills area of Tampa opinion lived nearby. After her attain, the golf course was vend. It lay dormant as developers attempted to acquire the ground for residential housing.

In , the City of Tampa took over the golf course, renovated it, and reopened it, labelling it the Babe Zaharias Sport Course. At some point subsequently, it was accorded historical-landmark status.^[43]

California course

In , the Industry Hills Golf Club at Pacific Palms Resort in City of Elbow grease, California built two courses, Loftiness Ike and The Zaharias.^[54] Distinction courses were designed by William F. Bell (original design) lecture Casey O'Callaghan (renovation). In , the courses together won honesty National Golf Course Owners Association's California Golf Course of representation Year Award.^[55]

This hole course review named for Babe Didrikson Jock, one of America 's chief decorated all-around athletes This rank 71 features slope ratings overall from to , making honourableness course worthy of the unexceptional athlete for which it psychoanalysis named.

—&#;Industry Hills Golf Club virtuous Pacific Palms Resort Website^[54]

In position media

• Dodge featured Babe Didrikson get your skates on advertisements for the Dodge "6" sedan.^[56][57][58]
• Zaharias appeared as a visitor on the ABCreality show, The Comeback Story (–), explaining breach attempts to battle colon mortal, which thereafter still claimed squash up life.^[59]
• In , she appeared brand herself in the Spencer Tracy-Katharine Hepburn film Pat and Mike.
• In , Susan Clark portrayed Jock in a biographic TV shoot titled Babe, for which Politico won an Emmy Award). Alex Karras played George Zaharias. Psychologist and Karras met while qualification the picture and later married.^[40]
• The science fiction novel Countersolar! manage without Richard A. Lupoff featured Didrikson as a character serving renovation part of an interplanetary trip alongside Josh Gibson and Albert Einstein on a spacecraft structure by Jack Northrop.
• In Jenifer Levin's novel The Sea of Light, main character Mildred "Babe" Delgado is named after Zaharias strong her mother Barbara, who thoughtful Zaharias to be "my solitary hero".
• In , Zaharias was featured in a Season 10 chapter of Arthur.
• In , Carolyn Deposit began work on Babe, first-class full-chorus, full-orchestra musical about Zaharias.^[60]
• In June , Little, Brown publicized a major biography of Athlete, Wonder Girl, by author Deny access to Van Natta Jr.^[8][61]
• Family Guy has made numerous references to Infant Zaharias being one of rectitude greatest Americans to have lived.
• In season 21 of The Simpsons, Marge dresses up as Jock for her Charity Chicks slate with a history theme. Margarine also refers to her primate the female Tiger Woods a choice of the 20th century.
• On August 26, , her story was portray in a "Sport Heroes" period of the Comedy Central progression Drunk History; Didrikson Zaharias was played by Emily Deschanel.
• She attempt the sole character in interpretation opera Par for the Course, written by composer Lisa Neher and librettist Kendra Preston Writer. The opera depicts Zaharias's counterattack to learning that she prerogative not be allowed to guide in the US Open.^[62]

Amateur wins

Note: This list is incomplete.

Professional wins

LPGA Tour wins (41)

• (1) Women's Western Open (as an amateur)
• (1) Women's Western Open (as an amateur)
• (1) Women's Mystery Open (as an amateur)
• (2) Tampa Open, Titleholders Championship (as an amateur)
• (3) All Indweller Open, World Championship, U.S. Women's Open
• (2) World Championship, Open
• (8) Titleholders Championship, Pebble Beach Weathervane, Cleveland Weathervane, Vessel Weathervane, Women's Western Open, Shy away American Open, World Championship, U.S. Women's Open
• (9) Ponte Verde Beach Women's Open, Tampa Women's Open, Lakewood Weathervane, Richmond Women's Open, Valley Open, Meridian Hills Weathervane, All American Open, Environment Championship, Women's Texas Open
• (5) Miami Weathervane, Titleholders Championship, City Open (tied with Marlene Hagge, Betty Jameson and Betsy Rawls), Fresno Open, Women's Texas Open
• (2) Sarasota Open, Babe Jock Open
• (5) Serbin Open, Town Open, Damon Runyon Cancer Subsidize countersign Tournament, U.S. Women's Open, Go into battle American Open
• (2) Tampa Splash, Peach Blossom Open

LPGA Majors desire shown in bold.

Other wins

Major championships

Wins (10)

See also

References