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Thursday, April 30, 2015

Z is for Babe Didriksen Zaharias

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Babe Didriksen Zaharias
( 1911 - 1956 )

Babe Didriksen was a fantastic all-around athlete.  She claims to have played everything - except dolls. 

The post would be a mile long if I listed all the tournaments and such that she won! 

Her life revolved around athletics.  She excelled in every sport she tried. Basketball, track, golf, baseball, tennis, swimming, diving, boxing, volleyball, handball, bowling, billiards, skating and cycling. 

In 1932, she qualified for five Olympic events in Los Angeles, however, women were only allowed to compete in three. She won the first women's Olympic javelin and set a world record in winning the first Olympic 80-meter hurdles. In the high jump, she tied the world record at 5-foot-5.

In 1949, she helped to found the Ladies Professional Golf Association.

The Associated Press voted her the Greatest Female Athlete of the first half of the 20th century.

She passed away in 1956 from cancer in her lymph nodes. 

source
#AtoZChallenge

3 comments:

  1. She was amazing! My girls both admire her ability to succeed at so many different sports.

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    Replies
    1. That was an amazing feat to excel at so many things. Imagine what she could do today with so many more Olympic events open to women.

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  2. Loved your A to Z! I learned about some amazing women in April.

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