Anne White
She shocked the tennis establishment and captivated global audiences by wearing a daring, full-body white catsuit at Wimbledon in 1985.
Born 1961 (age 65)·American tennis player·Birthday: September 28·Baby Boomers
Biography
Anne White emerged from Charleston, West Virginia, with a powerful serve-and-volley game that took her into the world's top 30. Her athletic career, however, became forever linked to a single, sartorial act of rebellion. During a rain-delayed first-round match at the 1985 Wimbledon Championships, White took to the court not in a traditional skirt but in a form-fitting, one-piece bodysuit. The garment, designed for warmth and aerodynamics, caused an immediate sensation, with headlines overshadowing her play. Wimbledon officials swiftly deemed it inappropriate, and she returned the next day in conventional attire. While the stunt defined her public persona, it also highlighted the rigid dress codes and gendered expectations in professional sports. After retiring, White channeled her energy into acting and modeling, ensuring her legacy rests not on titles won but on a moment of unforgettable sporting theatre.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Anne was born in 1961, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Anne Was Born
The biggest hits of 1961
#1 Movie
101 Dalmatians
Best Picture
West Side Story
#1 TV Show
Wagon Train
Anne's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1961Born
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1966Started school
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1974Became a teenager
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Could drive
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1979Could vote
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Turned 21
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1991Turned 30
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 40
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 50
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 60
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 65 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Reached a career-high singles ranking of World No. 19 in 1985.
- Defeated top-ten player Pam Shriver at the 1984 US Open.
- Her 1985 Wimbledon bodysuit is permanently displayed at the Wimbledon Museum.
Did You Know?
She was a nationally ranked junior skier before focusing on tennis.
She appeared in several films and TV shows, including a role in 'The Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult'.
She dated actor Matthew Perry for several years in the 1990s.
“I wore a white unitard at Wimbledon because it felt right for the match.”
