American Women! exhibit--Babe Didrikson Zaharias

Mildred Didrickson was called "Baby" by her parents. Soon her nickname was altered to "Babe" because of her ability to hit like Babe Ruth. She was a relentless self-promoter who was thrilled by the "unladylike" world of sports.

Babe excelled in all sports, especially basketball and track, and by 1932 was chosen "the world's greatest girl athlete" by Famous Athletes of Today magazine. After winning three medals (two gold, one silver) at the 1932 Olympics, she became a professional golfer and won 83 competitions. In 1938, she married professional wrestler George Zaharias.

Babe helped found the Ladies Professional Golf Association and was chosen female "Athlete of the Half Century" in 1950. A six-time Associated Press "Female Athlete of the Year," Babe was dubbed "the athletic phenomenon of all time, man or woman" by sports writer Grantland Rice.

Tragically, Babe's reign was cut short by cancer. Before her death, she and George established a fund to help others suffering from the disease.

POSTER showing Babe Zaharias' athletic prowess
LIST of ACHIEVEMENTS of Babe Zaharias
TROPHY presented to Babe Zaharias from Sports Illustrated, "Female Athlete of the Century"
-- On loan from the Babe Didrikson Zaharias Memorial. Beaumont TX

Continue the virtual tour of the entire exhibit or choose a time period from the exhibit:
	From Colony to Country, 1600-1800	From Jazz to War, 1920-1950
	From Growth to Civil War, 1800-1870	From Fifties to Feminism, 1950-1990
	From Prairie to Polls, 1870-1920	Into the 21st Century, 1990 onward

View an alphabetical list of all 106 women included in American Women! with links to photos and biographies for selected women
View a Thank You to over 100 lenders to Ameican Women!
Return to American Women! index page
Return to Hoover Library-Museum virtual exhibits page
Return to Hoover Library-Museum main index page