About Babe Didrikson Zaharias
Country of Birth
United States
Industry
Sport
Top achievements
As one of the most influential women in sports, Babe Didrikson Zaharias was the founder of the Ladies Pro Golf Association and an Olympic gold medal winner. She also broke world records in several sports despite the adversity of sexism and cancer.
Early life and education
Mildred Ella “Babe” Didrikson Zaharias was born in 1911 in Port Arthur, Texas, to Norwegian immigrants Ole and Hannah Marie Didrikson. Ole worked as a furniture maker and seaman, and Hannah Marie did laundry for a living. Babe Didrikson had seven siblings.
Early Career
In 1915, the Didrikson family moved to Beaumont, where Babe Didrikson Zaharias first started playing baseball in the local neighborhood. She made so many home runs that it earned her the nickname “Babe” after baseball legend Babe Ruth. Didrikson excelled in every sport she played.
While working at Employers Casualty Company, Didrikson joined the company baseball team and reigned supreme on the playing field. In 1928, she read about the Olympics and vowed that she would one day compete. To realize this dream, Didrikson began training daily with her sister. They would jump hedges in the neighborhood and run to prepare for the trials where she qualified for five events. However, because she was a woman, Didrikson was only allowed to participate in three of them.
Achievements
In 1932, Babe Didrikson Zaharias won a gold medal for javelin throwing at the Olympics and set a new world record. The following day she broke her own record and set a new world record, winning a gold medal in hurdles. Didrikson further achieved a silver medal for participating in the high jump event. Despite her achievement, the judges disqualified the innovative technique she used.
Besides her achievements at the Olympics and breaking records, Didrikson is also known for her role in women’s golf. Even though she faced significant gender discrimination for taking on the sport, Didrikson won 82 tournaments throughout her career. She became the first American woman to win the Women’s Amateur Golf Tournament in Britain and co-founded the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA.)
Cancer Diagnosis
In 1953, Babe Didrikson was diagnosed with colon cancer. She had surgery which included a colostomy. Resilient as ever, Didrikson participated in a golf tournament three months after her release from the hospital. A month later, she started her winning streak again, including in the U.S. Women’s Open.
Recognition
- 1930 – Babe Didrikson won the baseball and javelin throw at the National AAU.
- 1930 – 1932 – She earned the AAU All-American Award.
- 1931 – Didrikson achieved the National AAU record for 80m hurdles, set the world record for baseball throw, and was the leading scorer for the long jump with three wins at the National AAU.
- 1932 – She outscored 22 members of the Women’s Athletic Club and won the Olympic trials at the AAU Championships
- 1932 – Didrikson won two gold medals at the Summer Olympics.
- 1932 – Famous Athletes of Today named Didrikson as “The World’s Greatest Girl Athlete.”
- 1932, 1945, 1946, 1947, and 1950 – Associated Press declared her as “Woman Athlete of the Year.”
Additional facts
- Babe Didrikson Zaharias underwent colon cancer surgery but returned to the playing field, winning several rewards. She also became the second-oldest woman to win a major LPGA championship tournament.
- Sexism was rife when Didrikson pursued a career in sports and women were not encouraged to compete. She faced significant opposition – some claiming that she might be a man.
- Beaumont, Texas, opened the Babe Didrikson Zaharias Museum in her honor.
