How Did Babe Didrikson Change the World

At the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles, 21-year-old Zaharias received a gold medal for the javelin throw, setting a new world record at 143 feet. The next day she set a new world record (breaking her own) of 11.7 seconds in the 80-meter hurdle, winning another gold medal.

How did Babe Didrikson Zaharias influence US history?

Zaharias won the 1946 U.S. Women’s Amateur and the 1947 British Ladies Amateur – the first American to do so – and three Women’s Western Opens. Having formally turned professional in 1947, Didrikson dominated the Women’s Professional Golf Association and later the Ladies Professional Golf Association.

What did Didrikson have to say about luck?

“Before I was in my teens, I knew exactly what I wanted to be: I wanted to be the best athlete who ever lived.” “Luck? Sure. But only after long practice and only with the ability to think under pressure.”