Babe Didrikson Zaharias
Perhaps America's greatest all-around athlete, she dominated track, then conquered golf, shattering records and expectations about women in sports.
1911–1956 (age 45)·American golfer and athlete·Birthday: June 26·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Babe Didrikson Zaharias didn't play sports; she attacked them. Growing up in Texas, she excelled at every game she tried, earning the nickname 'Babe' for her Ruthian power. At the 1932 Olympics, she put on a one-woman track team performance, winning gold in the javelin and 80-meter hurdles and silver in the high jump—all in a single afternoon. Seeking a lasting career, she turned to golf, a sport that initially barred her as a professional. With her characteristic ferocity, she practiced until her hands bled, winning amateur titles and forcing the sport to accept her. As a founding member of the LPGA, she won 10 major championships and became the tour's biggest draw, known for her long drives and competitive fire. Her final act was her most courageous: winning a U.S. Open just over a year after cancer surgery, a public battle that changed how America viewed the disease. She died at 45, a force of nature until the end.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Babe was born in 1911, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Babe Was Born
The biggest hits of 1911
Babe's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1911Born
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire kills 146 in New York
President: William Howard Taft
1916Started school
The Battle of the Somme claims over a million casualties
President: Woodrow Wilson
1924Became a teenager
First Winter Olympics held in Chamonix, France
President: Calvin Coolidge"It Had to Be You" — Isham Jones
1927Could drive
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1929Could vote
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1932Turned 21
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1941Turned 30
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1951Turned 40
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1956Died at 45
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
Key Achievements
- Won two gold medals (javelin, 80m hurdles) and one silver (high jump) at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics, nearly single-handedly topping team scores.
- Won 10 LPGA major championships, including three U.S. Women's Opens, helping to establish the professional tour.
- Became the first American woman to win the British Ladies Amateur golf championship in 1947.
- Named the Associated Press Woman Athlete of the Year six times and the top female athlete of the first half of the 20th century.
Did You Know?
She once struck out baseball star Joe DiMaggio in an exhibition game.
She was an accomplished seamstress and made many of her own clothes, including some of her golf outfits.
She performed on the vaudeville circuit, demonstrating sports tricks and playing the harmonica.
The Babe Zaharias Museum in Beaumont, Texas, is dedicated to her life and is located on the golf course that bears her name.
“The formula for success is simple: practice and concentration then more practice and more concentration.”
