Already an excellent basketball and baseball player (in 1934, she pitched a shutout in an exhibition game for the Athletics against the Brooklyn Dodgers), Didrikson took up golf, and three years later, became one half of a power couple when she married wrestler/actor, George Zaharias.
Didrikson Zaharias's profile raised women's golf, and she would win 82 tournaments, including ten Majors. She was the most popular woman on the tour, and she was a six-time AP Female Athlete of the Year, five of which occurred as a golfer.
Sadly, her life came to an early end when she died of colon cancer in 1956, a disease she first contracted three years earlier. She was only 45.
We are proud to nominate Babe Didrikson Zaharias for the United States Athletic Hall of Fame.
Babe Didrikson-Zaharias
In 1932, Mildred “Babe” Didrikson had one of the best Olympics of any American female, winning Gold in the 80 m hurdles and the javelin while also capturing Silver in the high jump. That in itself is impressive enough, but she was just getting started.
Additional Info
- Sport: Track & Field, Golf
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Statistics:
1 80 m Hurdles Olympic Gold Medal (1932)
1 Javelin Throw Olympic Gold Medal (1932)
1 High Jump Olympic Silver Medal (1932)
10 Majors
4 Western Open Wins (1940, 1944, 1945 & 1950)
3 Titleholders Championship Wins (1947, 1850 & 1952)
2 U.S. Women’s Open Wins (1948, 1950 & 1965)
6 AP Female Athlete of the Year Awards (1932, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1950 & 1954)
Member of the IAAF Hall of Fame
Member of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame
Member of the World Golf Hall of Fame
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