Babe Didrikson Zaharias was good at every sport she tried… and she tried a lot of sports. She played basketball, tennis, football, billiards, golf, softball, and polo, just to name a few. She ran track and field, she swam, and she bowled. Unquestionably, Babe Zaharias was one of the most talented female athletes the world has ever seen.

Born Mildred Ella Didriksen in 1911, Babe Zaharias was an unabashed tomboy. In high school, she played basketball, one of very few options for girls at the time (many schools didn’t have any sports for girls at all.) In 1930, she took up track and field training and qualified for the 1932 Olympics, where she won two gold medals and one silver (due only to a judging technicality.)

Throughout her career, Didrikson was often criticized by the public and the press for appearing too “mannish.” As her fame grew, she made a concerted effort to appear more feminine, often speaking in interviews about traditionally female pursuits, and making herself over to fit society’s standards for how women should look. In 1938, she married George Zaharias, a professional wrestler, and added his last name to her own.

Babe Zaharias’ most famous role was as a golfer in the the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. She won thirteen consecutive amateur tournaments in 1946 and later, became one of the first professional female golfers of the LPGA. In 1948, she won the U.S. Women’s Open, the World Championship and the All-American Open.

In 1953, Zaharias was diagnosed with cancer. Although she staged an incredible comeback to win her third U.S. Women’s Open only fourteen weeks after surgery to remove her tumor, the disease eventually defeated her. She died on September 27, 1956.

Related Links

National Women’s Hall of Fame: Mildred “Babe” Didrikson Zaharias
Didrikson was a woman ahead of her time
Heroine Worship: Babe Zaharias, Most Valuable Player
The “Texas Tomboy”: The Life and Legend of Babe Didrikson Zaharias