Babe Zaharias - JuniorLinks

INSIDE: One Woman Team Barnstorming Babe Girl Wonder Solve the Mystery Spot Puzzle 

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United States Golf Association

Whois Babe 

I N D I V I D U A L I T Y 

“A 

2 

Babe’s first photograph. 

s far back as I can 

remember, I played 

with boys rather than 

girls.The girls did not play 

games that interested me. I 

preferred baseball, football, 

foot-racing and jumping 

with the boys, to hopscotch 

and jacks and dolls, 

which were about the only 

things girls did. I guess the 

habit of playing with boys 

made me too rough for the 

girls’ games. Anyway, I 

found them too tame.” 1 

Babe was not afraid to be herself and 

develop her unique skills. Some people 

who choose to be different make 

responsible choices. Others make 

choices that hurt others. Find two articles 

about people who dare to be different 

and demonstrate their individuality by 

the things they say or do with positive 

and negative results. 

The story of Babe Didrikson 

Zaharias is a tale of inspiration, 

courage and ground-breaking 

achievements for women in sports. 

Considered one of the greatest 

female sports figures the world has 

ever known, Babe was the only 

woman to appear in the top ten of 

ESPN’s SportsCentury list of 100 

greatest athletes, coaches, 

developments in sports or events of 

the twentieth century. 

Most athletes concentrate on 

excelling in a single sport. Not 

Babe! During her lifetime she was 

an accomplished golfer, All- 

American basketball player, 

Olympic gold medalist in track and 

field, an exhibition baseball and 

hockey player, an extraordinary 

bowler, swimmer, diver, tennis 

player and even the marble 

champion of 2nd grade! At a time 

when many young girls didn’t 

participate in sports, Babe burst on 

the sports scene with an unmatched 

confidence in her natural athletic 

gifts. Any one chapter of her life is 

the story of a legendary athlete and 

person. Together these chapters 

show how one 

woman’s 

determination, 

confidence and hard 

work made her dreams 

come true. 

Texas 

Childhood 

While growing up in 

Beaumont, Texas, 

Babe’s adventurous, 

daring nature and high 

energy always kept 

her busy and those 

around her entertained. She 

preferred playing with boys and was 

Character of a Champion: Babe Didrikson Zaharias 

“ Before I was even 

into my teens I 

knew exactly what 

I wanted to be 

when I grew up. 

My goal was to 

be the greatest 

athlete that ever 

lived.” 1 

—Babe Didrikson Zaharias 

Didrikson Family 

Ole and Hannah Didrikson immigrated from Oslo, Norway in 1908, 

settling in Port Arthur, Texas with their three young children – Ole Jr., 

Dora and Ester Nancy. Their family grew to five with the arrival of 

twins Louis and Lillie. Mildred Ella Didrikson was born on June 26, 

1911, and was the “Babe” until the arrival of her youngest brother, 

Arthur, four years later when the family relocated to Beaumont. 

often the first to be chosen for a 

neighborhood team. Whether 

hitching rides on the back of 

trolleys, jumping off 

moving freight trains 

for fun, or climbing to 

the top of a flagpole 

at school, Babe 

remained constantly 

active in very creative 

ways using 

Beaumont’s South 

End as her 

playground. 

Sports grew in 

popularity during the 

1920s and high 

schools began 

forming competitive teams for both 

boys and girls. Babe became a star 

member of Beaumont High’s girls’ 

Table of Contents 

Who is Babe . . . . . . . . .2-3 

Babe’s Hoop Dreams . . . .4-5 

One Woman Team . . . . . .6-7 

Media Star . . . . . . . . . . . .8-9 

Barnstorming Babe . . . .10-11 

Girl Wonder . . . . . . . . .12-13 

Let Me Play Again . . . .14-15 

The Mystery Spot . . . . . . .16

“MILDRED ‘BABE’ DIDRIKSON — ‘Babe,’ has been a very 

necessary player on the Miss Royal Purples squad this year. 

She never failed to star in any game. — High School Yearbook entry, 1929 

baseball, volleyball, and golf teams 

her first year. Although she excelled 

in any sport she played, Babe did 

not receive an automatic spot on 

the girls’ basketball team, the Miss 

Royal Purples. “They said I was 

too small. I couldn’t accept the 

idea that I wasn’t good enough for 

the basketball team. I was 

determined to show everybody.” 1 

And she did. Babe worked extra 

hard – spending hours each day 

perfecting her shooting, dribbling, 

pivoting and passing skills until 

she earned a spot. Eventually Babe 

played on every girls’ team at 

Beaumont High. 

Babe’s interest in sports was not 

shared by the popular girls in her 

high school. Some preferred to cheer 

only for the male athletes and formed 

a group called the Klackers Klub. 

Babe was never a member of the 

well-dressed social Klackers as she 

was more interested in playing sports 

than watching sports. Preferring her 

sensible denim skirts and flat shoes 

to “fussy clothing” 1 and shunning 

make-up and jewelry, Babe was not 

always understood by girls her age. 

Ignored by some and teased by 

others, Babe nevertheless remained 

true to herself and her dream. 

Hedge Hurdles 

When the news of the 1928 Olympic Games filled the papers, Babe decided to begin training right away. 

With her little sister Lillie running by her side, Babe practiced hurdles and high jumps by soaring over 

seven hedges alongside her street. When one of the hedges was a bit too high, she asked the people who 

lived there to cut it down to the right size – and they did! 

Babe’s school yearbook photo, 1929. 

On Par for Greatness: 

Babe’s accomplishments at this 

point in her life: 

• Marble champion of her 

school in 2nd grade 

• 1st place in a swimming 

match sponsored by 

YMCA as a young teen 

• In high school, she and 

classmate Lois “Pee Wee” 

Blanchette captured the 

doubles crown in tennis 

•Babe gets first job 

packing figs for 30 cents 

an hour 

Let’s Talk It Over 

What kinds of things did Babe do 

as a child that were not typical of 

girls her age 

How do you show your individuality 


3

Hoop Dreams 

“W 

henever I got extra 

money, one of the 

things it always meant to 

me was that now I’d be 

able to do more for my 

mother and dad.” 2 

Babe demonstrated responsibility to 

herself, her teammates, her company and 

her family. Work as a team with other 

classmates to look through the newspaper 

to find articles or photographs showing 

examples of responsibility. 

4 

R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y 

Women’s basketball was 

becoming more and more 

popular in the 1920s. In the 

South and Midwest, businesses, 

churches and clubs sponsored 

women’s teams and fans flocked to 

watch games and tournaments. 

Babe’s success as the high scorer, 

sure shot and aggressive forward on 

Beaumont High’s Miss Royal 

Purples was written up in 

newspapers across the state and 

caught the attention of Melvin 

“Colonel” McCombs in Dallas. 

Colonel McCombs was a manager 

for the Employer’s Casualty 

Insurance Company and directed 

the women’s athletic program as 

well. 

One year earlier, Colonel 

McCombs’ basketball team, the 

Golden Cyclones, finished second 

place in the women’s national 

American Athletic Union’s (AAU) 

tournament. The Colonel hoped 

Beaumont High’s fast and feisty 

fifteen-year old star 

player could help his 

team win the 

tournament the 

following month. 

Although her parents 

were afraid she was 

too young to travel 

so far from home, 

Babe’s eagerness 

and Colonel 

McCombs’ assurances 

convinced them to 

give her a chance to 

play in the 

tournament if she 

agreed to return and 

finish school when 

the season ended. 

Star of the 

Golden Cyclones 

As the newest, youngest and 

smallest member of the Golden 

Cyclones, Babe did not wait long 


Can you find Babe in this picture of the Miss Royal Purples basketball team (ANS: Babe 

is in the front row, second from the left.) 

to make a big impression. “My 

very first night they started me in 

a pretournament game against the 

Sun Oil 

Company team, 

“ 

You never saw anybody 

more excited than I was 

that night at the railroad 

station in Beaumont … 

Here I was, just a little 

old high-school girl, 

wanting to be a big 

athlete. And now I was 

getting a chance to go 

with an insurance 

company in Dallas and 

play on their basketball 

team in the women’s 

national championships.” 2 

defending 

national 

champions. We 

beat them pretty 

badly. I was the 

leading scorer 

and a regular 

from that night 

on. When the 

tournament 

came, Sun Oil 

wound up 

beating us by 

one point.” 2 For 

her skillful play 

in the AAU’s 

tournament, 

Babe was named 

an All-American 

forward. True to her word, Babe 

went back to Beaumont to finish 

school once basketball season 

ended. 

—Babe Didrikson Zaharias 

Babe’s Interest 

in Sports 

The popularity of sports began 

after the turn of the century and 

steadily increased during the 

1920s. Babe’s father regularly 

followed the world of sports 

encouraging his daughter’s 

interests, talents and athletic 

dreams. 

Backyard Gymnasium 

Their backyard in Beaumont 

became an outdoor gymnasium 

with bars for jumping and weights 

to lift. Years later Babe recalled, 

“My dad helped swing me in that 

direction. He’d tell us about the 

sports stars. I read the sports 

pages myself.” 2 Women were 

making headlines, breaking 

records and participating in the 

Olympics for the first time and 

Babe aspired to join their ranks 

and begin making headlines of 

her own!

“How would you like to play on a real big-time basketball 

team … at the Employer’s Casualty Company in Dallas We’re 

getting ready to go into the nationals in March.” 

– Melvin “Colonel” McCombs, 

Manager, E.C.C. 

Babe: Hard-Working and Responsible 

Babe took her responsibilities 

seriously both on and off the 

court. The summer of 1930 

she returned to Dallas to work for 

Employer’s Casualty in a clerical 

position with time set aside to 

practice basketball. She earned 

$75.00 a month for her office 

work – a far cry from the 30 cents 

an hour she had earned years 

earlier in a fig-packing plant! 

Where does the money go 

After paying her room and board, 

Babe sent $45.00 home to her 

parents, keeping only a few dollars 

for herself. 

The money Babe earned was 

important to her family. With the 

unexpected crash of America’s 

stock market in 1929, the Great 

Depression had begun and quickly 

turned into the worst economic 

downturn this country had 

ever seen. Babe’s father was 

unable to find steady work. 

Although a loaf of bread cost only 

a nickel and apples were a mere 

ten cents a pound, the family still 

depended on Babe’s contributions 

to make ends meet. When Babe’s 

salary was raised to $90.00 a 

month, she increased the money 

sent to her family without a 

second thought. 

Make a circle graph to show how Babe spent her monthly paycheck her first year at Employer’s Casualty. 

Monthly salary: $75 

Send to family: $45 

Rent and food: $20 

Money for Babe: $__________ 

Can you figure out how much money Babe had 

left to spend on herself each month 

Challenge: Make a pie graph showing how 

much money you earn each month and how 

you spend it. 

Here is what some different things cost in 

1930 when Babe first worked for Employer’s 

Casualty. 

Movie Ticket: 25¢ 

Pair of Shoes: $2.48 

Magazine: 25¢ 

Sweater: $1.00 

4 Bars of Soap: 57¢ 

Winter Coat: $13.74 

Electric Iron: $1.00 

Comb: 33¢ 

Shampoo: 49¢ 

Camera: $20.00 

What could Babe buy each month with the 

money she has left after paying rent, buying 

food and sending money to her family 

1 slice = $5 

Babe worked at Employer’s Casualty to 

support herself and help her family while 

she trained for athletic competitions. 




• Enters Beaumont High School 

- plays baseball, volleyball, 

golf and basketball 

• Leads Miss Royal Purples to 

a state championship; named 

to all-city and all-state 

basketball team 

• Selected to All-America 

basketball team 


How did Babe demonstrate 

responsibility to herself, her team, her 

company and her family 

What things are you responsible for 

around your house with your family At 

school or work 

How have your responsibilities changed 

since you were younger Give specific 

examples. 


5

One-Woman eam 

D I S C I P L I N E 

“T 

6 

he more you practice 

the better. But in any 

case, practice more than 

you play.” 3 

Becoming a star athlete meant Babe had 

to discipline herself to practice long 

days. Look through the newspaper to 

find examples of people demonstrating 

discipline and not demonstrating 

discipline. Make a chart. Label one 

column “Demonstrating Discipline” and 

the other column “Lack of Discipline.” 

Work with a partner to find at least two 

examples for each column. 

One day while hard at work 

for Employer’s Casualty, 

Colonel McCombs invited 

Babe to go to nearby Lakeside 

Park and watch a track meet. 

After watching each of the track 

and field events, Babe was ready 

to start training for them all. 

Babe’s athleticism, 

determination, and ambition 

helped Employer’s Casualty 

launch a woman’s track and 

field team. 

“We all got together and 

started talking about this track 

team we were going to 

organize. One girl said, ‘I’m 

going to throw the javelin.’ 

Another said, ‘I’m going to 

throw the discus.’ When it 

came around to me, I said, 

‘Colonel, how many events are 

there in this track and field’ 

He said, ‘Why, Babe, 

I think there are about nine 

or ten.’ I said, ‘Well, I’m 

going to do them all.’ 

Everybody nearly died 

laughing. Some people thought 

I was just popping off. But I was 

serious.” 2 

Babe remained true to her word 

and trained for every track and field 

event possible. In one of her first 

meets against the Bowen Bus Lines 

girls, she entered all ten events and 

won first place in eight of them. 

One reason for her success was extra 

practice. “Our regular hour or two of 

practice in the afternoon wasn’t 

enough to satisfy me. I’d go out to 


Babe set a new 

record in the 80- 

meter hurdles at the 

women’s national AAU 

track-and-field meet in 

Jersey City, New Jersey, 

July 1931. 

Lakeside 

Park after 

supper and 

practice by 

myself until it got dark. The last 

night before that first track meet I 

went out and worked extra hard. I 

practiced my step timing for the 

broad jump and for the high jump. 

I put in about two hours at that, and 

then finished off 

by running the 440 yards. I 

competed in my four events that 

afternoon, and I won all four. 

It was that last extra practice 

that did it, especially in the broad 

jump and the high jump, where I had 

my steps down just right.” 2 

Through her discipline and 

dedication, Babe continued rising 

as a track star. In 1930, she won 

two events in the women’s National 

AAU championships and in 1931 

she placed first in three events, 

setting world records in both the 

women’s baseball throw and 

eighty-meter hurdles. 

Going for the Gold 

In 1932 Babe got her big 

chance at the try outs for 

the U.S. Olympic team. But 

which events should she 

enter “There were a lot of 

different events I wanted to 

qualify for. I was sitting in 

the office one day when 

Colonel McCombs buzzed 

for me. He said, ‘I think 

if you enter enough 

different events and 

give your regular performance, 

you can do something that’s never 

been done before. I believe we can 

send you up there to represent the 

Employer’s Casualty Company, and 

you can win the national 

championship for us all by yourself.’” 2 

So Babe became a one-woman 

track team. Out of ten individual 

events, she was entered in eight. On 

the day of the event, squads of up to 

fifteen players gathered on the field 

as the announcer called each team’s 

name. When it came time to 

announce Babe’s “team,” she

“The most flawless section of muscle harmony, 

of complete mental and physical coordination the 

world of sports has ever known.” 

– Sportswriter Grantland Rice 

describing Babe in 1932 

sprinted onto the field all alone. The 

crowd roared in approval. For the 

next two and a half hours, Babe was 

sprinting from event to event – and 

putting on quite a show! 

In just three hours, Babe placed 

first in six events, breaking four 

women’s world records and 

winning the team championship for 

Employer’s Casualty. She received a 

well-deserved spot on the Olympic 

team and was on her way to making 

another dream come true! 

RIGHT: Babe ready for competition at the 

1932 Olympics in Los Angeles. 

BELOW: Babe stands on the Olympic 

winner’s platform after setting a new world 

record in the 80-meter women’s hurdles. 

Pictured with her is Evelyne Hall of the United 

States, who came in second, and Marjorie 

Clark of South Africa, who came in third. 

Make It Happen 

Babe said that one reason for 

her success was lots and lots 

of practice. She practiced at 

least 3 hours everyday. 

Is there something you 

would like to get really 

good at A sport 

Playing a musical 

instrument 

Use the chart below to make 

a plan for your week that 

includes times for practicing 

the thing you want to improve. 

Poised for a javelin throw. 




• At AAU meet in Jersey City, 

New Jersey, sets record in 

baseball throw, broad jump, 

and 80-meter hurdles 

• Represents Employer’s 

Casualty at the AAU 

Nationals as a one-woman 

team in eight of ten track 

and field events, breaking 

four world records and 

qualifying for 1932 Olympic 

Games in Los Angeles 

NOTE: Use a different color to 

show different activities. Red 

could be for school, blue for 

watching TV, green for the 

times you will practice what 

you want to get better at, etc. 


Babe had remarkable discipline when it 

came to sports. What incidents in this 

passage are examples of Babe’s high 

level of discipline to become the best 

athlete she could be 

Think about a dream or goal in sports, 

school or career you have for yourself. 

What steps will you take to discipline 

yourself, achieve your goal, or make 

your dream come true 


7

Babe The Media Star 

NEWSREEL TELLS THE STORY OF BABE AT THE OLYMPICS 

During the Great Depression, going to the movies was one of the few treats Americans could 

afford. For about 25¢, a person could see two movies, a short film about animals or unusual 

people or places, a couple of cartoons and a newsreel. A newsreel was a short film that 

shared the news of the day in an entertaining way. 

Below is the actual script from “The Wonder Girl,” a 1933 newsreel from Blackhawk Films 

about Babe’s triumphs at the 1932 Olympics. Read it aloud in class. In this version, it has 

been broken into parts for three announcers, but you can make more parts if you want to. 

Be like a real newsreel announcer and read with lots of enthusiasm. 

ANNOUNCER 1: In the discus throw you see the 

perfect coordination and timing that let the famous 

Babe win a big track meet single-handed that made 

her the main attraction of the recent Olympic games. 

Her discus record is 133 feet seven inches. It was 

“The Babe’s” first javelin throw that broke a 

world’s record for women and lifted 80 thousand 

cheering spectators to their feet at Los Angeles. 

ANNOUNCER 2: She broke a world's record by 

11 feet, her first attempt by throwing a javelin 

143 feet four inches. The final lash of hand, wrist 

and strong right arm does the trick. She’s never 

off balance. 

ANNOUNCER 3: In addition to speed, skill and 

grace, “The Babe” is amazingly strong. But again, 

it is her knack of timing that brings the women's 

shot putt record of 39 feet. 

ANNOUNCER 1: Along the ground or in the air, 

it makes no difference. High jumping is a difficult 

event. A sport for only the specialist. But the 

Texas cyclone conquers this one as easily as all 

the others. Watch the flexibility of her splendid 

leap. That kick and body twist are called the 

Western roll, and it’s the last word in style. And 

don’t forget the bar is resting five feet and four 

inches high. Her take off is perfectly timed. And 

she gets the height needed for distance. 

ANNOUNCER 3: Her broad jump record of 18 

feet 8 inches is only one of her many world’s marks. 

ANNOUNCER 2: What is the answer Unusual 

physical quality, timing, coordination and competence. 

And a complete lack of tension tell the story of 

everything Miss Didrickson attempts in sports. 

ANNOUNCER 3: Miss Didrikson was the first 

girl to run 100 yards in 11 seconds. On your 

marks, get set, they’re off. 

ANNOUNCER 2: You get here the perfect 

picture of beautiful muscular development that 

gives her both speed and power needed for so 

many sports. She has the long stride needed for 

fast time. 

ANNOUNCER 1: “The Babe” has no fear of 

failure, and no discouragement in any sport. The 

80 meter hurdle race brought her another 

Olympic crown when she established the world's 

record time of 11 and seven-tenths seconds. Few 

women are graceful hurdlers. Here is the hardest 

test in this respect. And there is no flaw to be 

found in her technique when she races neck and 

neck with a collegiate champion. 

ANNOUNCER 3: Track and field are only part 

of her play. Golf is one of her favorites of 20 

sports. Her drives range from 240 to 260 yards. 

Olin Dutra, the famous golf pro, watched her free 

lashing motion and straight left arm. 

ANNOUNCER 2: And after she hit two drives 

he said, “I still don’t believe it.” That was a nice 

approach shot, Babe. 

ANNOUNCER 3: And sink the putt, because 

that’s all the golf we have time for today. 

ANNOUNCER 1: You might not believe she had 

any time left for tennis, but here’s the proof. All 

she needs again to reach championship class is 

more time for practice. Even Mrs. Helen Wills 

Moody has little more stroking power. The service 

looks more like a Vine or Tilden in action. And 

no leading tennis player has her foot speed 

around the court. Speed that is perfectly placed. 

Her forehand drive carries a world of smoke. 

ANNOUNCER 2: Now for some team play. Yes, 

“The Babe” is one of the greatest women basketball 

players of all time. You see her here as a member 

of the Golden Cyclone team of Dallas, Texas. 

ANNOUNCER 3: This team is composed almost 

entirely of All America girl stars.With its speed, 

skill, power, and dazzling passing ability it is one 

of the basketball sensations of the sporting world. 

But again it is “The Babe” who leads the parade. 

Her quickness, strength and her uncanny knack of 

timing tell the story. 

ANNOUNCER 2: And she happens to be a 

basket hawk, a sniper who can hit the mark. 

ANNOUNCER 1: On your mark, get set, go! 

ANNOUNCER 2: When it comes to swimming, 

the Texas marvel is only a fraction of a second 

back from the world mark for 100 meters. So far 

as swimming goes, there is hardly a flaw in her 

style of swimming the American crawl. 

ANNOUNCER 3: Water or land, it makes very 

little difference to her. 

ANNOUNCER 2: Here is another sport that 

Babe would like to try against champion 

competition, the swan dive. She has mastered 

almost every dive. Here is the half gainer. 

ANNOUNCER 1: The back jack proves that 

she’s close to championship form. And now the 

difficult two and a half. 

ANNOUNCER 3: “The Babe’s” skill at baseball 

is the most amazing feat of all. Few women ever 

learn how to properly throw a ball. But our 

wonder girl has all the form of a big leaguer. Miss 

Didrikson lines up for another and lets go one that 

would fool the toughest batters. 

ANNOUNCER 2: Watch her perfect delivery as 

she speeds a fast one right over the home plate. 

And as Babe Ruth remarked, “That girl bats like a 

Big Leaguer.” She rounds first, and it looks like a 

two-bagger. Look at that hook slide and she’s safe. 

ANNOUNCER 3: Can she field 

ANNOUNCER 1: Say, her accepted record 

throw is 296 feet and they land right at the plate. 

ANNOUNCER 2: Football Certainly, the Texas 

marvel takes it in her stride and is here working 

out with a strong Southern Methodist team. All 

she can do is kick, run, tackle and pass. A great 

Colgate coach Andy Furr remarks, she throws a 

pass perfectly, and her footwork is remarkable. 

ANNOUNCER 1: How is that for a pass, as 

straight as a bullet You can figure out yourself 

how much help a well powdered nose would be 

in a situation like this. She snares a pass and 

alludes all tacklers and is away for a score. Here’s 

the actual proof, this girl kicks like a veteran. 

Babe could probably outkick any front row girl in 

a Broadway chorus. 

ANNOUNCER 3: But no Broadway girl and few 

college players could match the Texas wonder girl 

for perfect timing in getting away a long soaring 

punt and then crashing through the defense to get 

her man with a flying tackle. 

ANNOUNCER 1: And watch out, boys of Notre 

Dame, California or Pitt, when Babe tackles you, 

you stay tackled. 

ANNOUNCER 2: Babe hasn’t any time yet for 

contract bridge or Ping-Pong, but lookout when 

she does.Well, let Babe Didrikson kick a 

placement for the winning point and call it a day. 

8 Character of a Champion:

Comic Book Hero 

As Babe’s amazing athletic feats captured the national imagination, she was featured in newspaper articles, newsreels, and even 

a special edition comic book. Below are some images from that 1945 comic book. Do the math to match each block of text with 

the panel in which it belongs. 

18 + 6 + 9 

23 + 4 - 7 

14 + 5 - 9 

7 + 9 - 5 

Babe Didrikson Zaharias 

9

Barnstorming Bab 

Babe and Babe – Babe Ruth and Babe 

Didrikson Zaharias enjoy a friendly visit. 

Babe liked to say she was named for 

baseball great, Babe Ruth. But, it was 

actually a nickname her mother gave her 

when she was a baby. 

“S 

ometimes in those 

early barnstorming 

days I wasn’t sure if 

people were laughing with 

me or at me.” 1 

Babe remained true to her dream to play 

sports no matter what. This takes 

perseverance–constantly moving toward 

a goal in spite of setbacks. Look through 

the newspaper for articles about research 

in science or medicine. Identify the 

challenges scientists are persevering to 

overcome. Use the Internet or current 

encyclopedias to locate background 

information on the challenge you have 

identified tracing its history and progress 

to date. Present an oral or written report 

of findings for the class. 

P E R S E V E R A N C E 

Babe returned from the Olympics 

to a heroine’s welcome in her 

home state. Thousands of fans 

lined the streets in Dallas and 

Beaumont to catch a glimpse of 

their most famous citizen. Adding 

to her glory, the Associated Press 

selected Babe Didrikson as the 

outstanding Woman Athlete of the 

Year for 1932. 

What to do next Babe wanted to 

continue competing as an amateur 

to make and break records, but she 

still needed to earn a living to help 

her family. She returned to her job 

at Employer’s Casualty, received a 

raise in pay, bought a shiny new 

Dodge and continued playing for 

the company basketball team. When 

the Dodge dealer used Babe’s 

picture in an advertisement without 

her permission, the Amateur 

Athlete Union disqualified 

her from competition. By 

the time the AAU agreed 

to let her play again, 

Babe had made up her 

mind to turn 

professional. 

Babe Hits 

the Road 

Babe crisscrossed the 

country entertaining 

delighted fans. Her 

appearances included 

playing billiards, pitching in springtraining 

games for the major 

leagues, hitting plastic golf balls 

into an audience and running a 

treadmill on the Vaudeville stage. 

“I was wearing a red-white-and 

Taken in 1933, Babe poses for publicity shots as a boxer and 

a hockey player. The hockey team pictured with her is the 

New York Rangers. 

blue jacket and shorts of silk satin. 

I’d put on rubber-soled track shoes 

and give a demonstration of 

hurdling and high jumping 

and running. I wound 

up by playing the 

harmonica.” 2 

Babe was earning 

high fees for her 

displays of talent 

but was unhappy 

being inside theaters 

and hotel rooms. “I 

don’t want the money 

if I have to make it this 

way. I want to live 

my life outdoors,” 

she decided. 1 

True to form, Babe 

cancelled the rest of her 

performances and 

returned to her goal of 

playing sports for a living. 

Babe on harmonica! 

Babe 

Didrikson’s 

All-Americans 

Unfortunately, there 

weren’t many 

opportunities for 

female athletes to earn a living from 

sports in the 1930s. To complicate 

What is 

Barnstorming 

In the days before television, 

“barnstorming” was a form of 

entertainment for folks 

living in small country 

towns. To “barnstorm” 

means to travel through 

rural areas of the 

country giving 

performances, exhibition 

contests, or the like. The 

entertainment we find nowadays 

in movies, television, and video 

games is similar to the 

entertainment of barnstorming in 

the early 20th century. 

10 

Character of a Champion: Babe Didrikson Zaharias

“Speed—unyielding strength—enduring stamina—that’s the 

stuff that makes real champions, whether they’re in the athletic 

arena or in the world of automobiles.” – Dodge Advertisement 

matters, Babe’s father became ill 

and her family needed her earnings 

more than ever. In the fall of 1933, 

Babe decided to join an exhibition 

team organized by sports promoter 

Ray Doan and tour the country with 

a barnstorming basketball team. 

“Babe Didrikson’s All Americans” 

was a squad that included both male 

and female athletes who toured back 

roads and small towns playing local 

basketball teams. In five months 

they played ninety-one games and 

won three-fourths of them. Because 

One Summer– 

200 Cities 

In the summer of 1934, 

Babe played 200 baseball 

games as she barnstormed 

with an all-male team 

called the House of David. 

Babe was their star pitcher. 

Use the clues to find the 

names of 5 places Babe 

played baseball with the 

House of David team. 

of her widespread fame, Babe 

attracted enormous crowds. 

Although she was the star, Babe 

remained a team player. One former 

teammate recalled, “She was very 

considerate and insisted whenever 

she was invited out that the team 

received an invitation too.” 1 Babe 

earned about $1,000 a month, 

sending most of her earnings to her 

family back home. This was quite 

an impressive amount of money 

during the dark days of the 

Depression when factory workers 

were taking home less than $50.00 

a month! 

Babe’s earnings from her 

barnstorming days supported her 

family, and she was generous with 

the money left over. She bought a 

new car for her father, had a new 

stove and refrigerator installed for 

her mother’s birthday in their 

family’s kitchen, and paid for her 

sister Lillie’s wedding. Babe also 

paid to remodel entirely the 

Didrikson home. You could truly 

say her perseverance paid off! 



point in her life. 

• Associated Press names 

Babe Outstanding Woman 

Athlete of the Year. 

•Babe makes her first 

professional basketball 

appearance scoring 9 points 

for the Brooklyn Yankees 

in a 19-16 win over the 

Long Island Ducklings 

CLUE 1: 

Find Fort Lauderdale, FL on 

the map. Move one square to 

the west. Next move 9 

squares north. Then move 2 

squares to the east. Write 

the name of the city in that 

box on the line below: 

_______________________ 

CLUE 2: 

Start in the square where the city 

you found in Clue 1 is located. 

Move 3 squares west. Next move 

one square south. Which city is 

located in that square 

CLUE 3: 



Move 2 squares south. Next move 

2 squares west. Then move 2 

squares north. Which city is located 

in that square 

CLUE 4: 



Move 2 squares west. Next move 1 

square north. Which city is located 

in that square 

CLUE 5: 



Move 7 squares west. Next move 

2 squares north. Then move one 

square west. 

___________________________ 

____________________________ 

____________________________ 

___________________________ 

ANS: Clue 1: Sarasota Springs, NY; Clue 2: Detroit, MI; Clue 3: Chicago, IL; Clue 4: Minneapolis, MN; Clue 5: Coeur d’Alene, ID 

Character of a Champion: Babe Didrikson Zaharias 11

Girl Wonder 

Babe could outdrive most women 

golfers. 

“I 

expect to play golf 

until I am 90 – 

even longer if anybody 

figures out a way to 

swing a club from a 

rocking chair!” 3 

Babe’s athletic talent and her quick 

sense of humor often made headlines 

in the newspapers. Select headlines 

from today's newspaper and rewrite 

them so they convey the opposite 

meaning. Do the opposite rewrites 

convey a sense of humor 

12 

H U M O R 

Babe dabbled a bit with golf in 

high school, but renewed her 

interest in 1932 while at the Los 

Angeles Olympics. There, Babe 

joined sportswriter, Grantland Rice, 

and two other journalists for a 

friendly golf match. 

Even though she was focused 

on the Olympics, she and Rice 

won the match by a single 

stroke. 

During her barnstorming days, 

Babe kept up her golf game by 

practicing between exhibitions. 

When the tour with the House of 

David baseball team ended in the fall 

of 1934, Babe returned to her job at 

Employer’s Casualty. The company 

president offered to pay for her 

membership and golf lessons at the 

Dallas Country Club. 

Babe’s thoughts that winter focused 

on the Texas State Women’s Amateur 

Championship the following spring, 

and she began to practice regularly. 

“In the morning from 

5:30 to 8:30, I would 

practice. Then I’d go 

to work and during 

my lunch hour, I’d 

practice putting in the 

boss’s office … and 

I’d chip balls into his 

leather chair.” 2 

After work Babe would 

hit up to 1,500 balls until 

her hands bled. She would 

wrap them with tape and 

continue drills until dark 

when she returned home, 

ate dinner and went to 

bed with her book of 

golf rules. “Study the 

Babe was serious about having fun! 


In 1947, Babe signed a lifetime 

endorsement contract with Wilson 

Sporting Goods Co. 

rules,” she said later, “so that you 

won’t beat yourself by not 

knowing something.” 3 

Babe’s entry into the 

Texas state 

championship, which 

was to be held at a 

fancy country club in 

Houston, was rejected 

at first. According to 

the rules all players 

had to belong to a 

country club and her 

memberships with 

the clubs in Dallas 

and Beaumont were 

questioned. 

The real 

reason, 

however, was 

complaints by some ladies in the 

Texas Women’s Golf Association 

about Babe’s lack of social standing. 

Babe was simply not a society girl. 

Golf in those days was a game for 

wealthy women with plenty of 

leisure time and social status. Texas 

socialite and golfer Peggy Chandler 

called Babe a “truck driver’s 

daughter” who had no place in the 

tournament. 

When Babe’s entry was finally 

accepted, some women pulled out of 

the tournament in protest. Babe kept 

her sense of humor and put on quite 

a show at a pre-tournament balldriving 

contest, entertaining the 

crowd with a silly swing, then 

clubbing the ball over 250 yards to 

really show her stuff. As luck would 

have it, Babe’s rival in the 

championship round was none other 

than Peggy Chandler. Babe bested 

the defending champion by two 

strokes to win the tournament. 

But the society girls weren’t done 

yet. Some members of the Texas 

Women’s Golf Association

“She must be Superman’s sister.” 

—Description of Babe by an admiring fan 

complained that Babe was really a 

professional athlete and should be 

banned from amateur golf 

competitions all 

together. Babe 

responded that she 

was a professional, 

but only in 

basketball, 

baseball, and 

track and field. 

The United 

States Golf 

Association 

(USGA) ruled 

against her, and 

Babe was 

disqualified from 

all tournaments 

except the Western 

Open. 

Bertha Bowen, 

friend and 

president of the 

ladies golf 

association of 

three clubs in 

Texas, felt Babe had been mistreated. 

“The fact that she was poor and had 

no (decent) clothes did not mean she 

had to be ruled a professional.” 1 

But Babe was determined to be a 

golfer. She teamed up with 

Golf Ball Word Search 

Find all 15 words hidden in 

the puzzle and then look 

for the same words 

throughout this 

booklet. 

DIDRIKSON 

ROYAL 

TRACK 

WORLD 

GAMES 

SATIN 

WIN 

BABE 

CHAIR 

USGA 

PLAY 

OPEN 

KID 

SHOW 

TEE 

In 1938 Babe entered the Los 

Angeles Open and was paired 

with a minister and a twenty-nine 

year old wrestler named George 

Zaharias. Eleven months later, the 

minister officiated at the wedding 

of his two golfing partners and 

Babe became Mrs. George 

Zaharias. 

professional golfer Gene Sarazen 

and traveled the country playing 

exhibition matches. Because 

of her Olympic fame and 

love of performing 

before an audience, 

Babe drew big 

crowds. “She was 

very congenial and 

always laughing,” 

Sarazen recalled. 1 

Babe would joke 

with the fans and 

tell them that 

determination was 

the key to her success, 

but her quick-witted 

comments helped as 

well. “My jaw helps 

plenty, too. It’s more 

like a Texas Ranger’s 

jaw than anything 

else. And those 

Rangers were hot 

when the going got 

tough!” 1 

After waiting 

several years, Babe was finally 

reinstated as an amateur in 1943 and 

her golf career really took off! 

During the 1946-47 seasons she won 

13 amateur tournaments in a row. 

Babe would go on to win 113 golf 

tournaments including 83 

amateur titles and 30 on the 

Ladies Professional Golf 

Association tour. 

In spite of her many 

victories, it was difficult for 

females to earn a living in 

professional golf. The 

Professional Golf Association 

(PGA), established in 1916, 

was for men only. Babe felt 

women should have the 

same opportunities and in 

1949 Babe, along with 12 

others, founded the Ladies 


(LPGA). 

About the USGA 

When Babe gave up playing golf 

for money from 1940-43 in order 

to be reinstated as an amateur, she 

was following the rules of the 

United States Golf Association 

(USGA), which governs golf. 

Founded in 1894, the USGA, 

along with Britain’s Royal and 

Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews 

creates, interprets and oversees the 

Rules of Golf in order to preserve 

the traditions and standards of the 

sport. A non-profit organization 

run by golfers, the USGA sponsors 

programs to enhance the 

experience of everyone who plays 

the game – amateur or professional. 

They also are caretakers of golf 

history at the oldest sports 

museum in the country. More 

than 42,000 historical artifacts, 

20,000 books and numerous 

photographs, films, video and 

mementos are preserved at the 

USGA Museum in Far Hills, 

New Jersey. For more 

information go to www.usga.org 

or call 908-234-2300. 

Tampa Morning Tribune, 

January 24, 1954 




•First woman to compete in a 


(PGA) event at Los Angeles 

Open 

•First woman to win Western 

Women’s Open three times 

• Named Associated Press 

Woman Athlete of the Year 

•Wins 13 consecutive 

tournaments; First American 

woman to win the British 

Ladies Open Amateur; 

Establishes Ladies Professional 

Golf Association (LPGA) 

•Wins Tampa Women’s Open, 

Peach Blossum-Betsy Rawls 

Tournament 


What things did Babe say and do that 

show her sense of humor 

How did this help her during 

challenging times 

Why is developing a good sense of 

humor an important character trait 

How can you strengthen this trait in 

yourself 


13

Let Me Play Again 

“I 

was laying there in 

Room 201 in the Hotel 

Dieu Hospital, and these 

reports were going out 

about that I’d never play 

golf again. And I laid in 

the bed and I says, 

‘Please, God, let me play 

again.’ And He answered 

my prayer.” 4 

—From Babe’s victory speech at the 

1954 U.S. Women’s Open. 

Babe never gave up and displayed 

remarkable courage that inspired an 

entire nation. Newspapers are full of 

examples of courage from athletes who 

take responsibility publicly for their 

errors, to everyday citizens helping one 

another. Find two articles about people 

demonstrating courage in different ways. 

Identify the main idea and details that 

show courage. Write an essay comparing 

and contrasting the courage displayed in 

both stories. How are the articles 

different How are they the same 

14 

C O U R A G E 

In 1954 the Associated Press voted Babe 

Didrikson Zaharias the outstanding Woman 

Athlete of the Year for the sixth time. But it 

was her triumphant return to professional 

golf after cancer that meant the most to her. 

She was also invited to the White House 

that year to help launch the American 

Cancer Society’s fundraising drive. Babe 

was given the Cancer Society’s Sword of 

Hope. In true Babe style, she used it to give 

President Eisenhower a few golf tips. 


In early 1953 Babe felt tired and 

unable to play a round of golf 

without pain. Her scores began 

to reflect her fatigue. 

Babe felt something was terribly 

wrong, but continued tournament 

play in spite of the discomfort. She 

had lost her father to cancer years 

earlier and sensed this disease might 

be the reason for her own failing 

health. 

In early April Babe arrived in her 

hometown of Beaumont, Texas, to 

tee off at the Babe Zaharias Open. 

After winning by a single stroke and 

enduring great agony on the course, 

she went to her family physician. 

The doctor sent her to a specialist 

that very afternoon. A malignant 

tumor was discovered in her lower 

intestine. Within days doctors 

scheduled surgery and told her she 

would probably never be able to 

play championship golf again. 

Although devastated by the news 

at first, Babe faced this setback like 

a true champion. “I’ve always 

wanted to win,” she told herself, 

“and I’ll win this one, too.” 5 Filled 

with confidence, courage and hope, 

she checked herself into the 

Beaumont Hospital with a cheerful 

and relaxed attitude. 

During the four-hour surgery, 

doctors discovered the cancer had 

spread into other parts of Babe’s 

body where it could not be removed. 

They knew Babe would be facing 

the biggest battle of her life. 

During her 43 days in the hospital 

the nation rallied to her side.

“It is not only the annals of sport that her life enriched. 

It is the whole story of human beings who somehow have 

to keep on trying.” 

—Excerpt from a front page story of the New York Times 

on the occasion of her death on September 27, 1956. 

Thousands of cards, telegrams, and 

letters began arriving. 

With the help of family, friends, 

fans and a dedicated medical team, 

Babe began to recover. As she 

regained her strength, her thoughts 

turned to two things: getting back 

to golf and helping others suffering 

from cancer. She established the 

Babe Zaharias Cancer fund and the 

contributions began pouring in. 

Babe Plays Again 

Babe also entered the Tam 

O’Shanter Tournament and won the 

Ben Hogan Award presented to a 

player who has overcome serious 

illness. The next year she won a 

remarkable five tournaments! At the 

prestigious U.S. Women’s Open at 

Salem (Mass.) Country Club, fiftythree 

contestants teed off, but only 

Babe was left at the end winning by 

12 strokes – an amazing victory for 

anybody. As a result, she was 

named the Woman Athlete of the 

Year for a record sixth time. 

Babe’s comeback 

was fueled by her 

courage and inspired 

an entire nation. She 

had returned to the 

winners’ circle after 

a surgery that often 

handicapped patients. Her 

bravery caught the attention of 

President Eisenhower. She was 

invited to the White House to kickoff 

the American Cancer Society’s 

annual fundraising campaign where 

Babe was awarded the symbolic 

Sword of Hope. 

Babe back in the game after cancer treatments. 

Early in 1955 doctors discovered 

that the cancer had spread. Despite 

this news, Babe continued to play 

golf and she would visit cancer 

patients wherever she played a 

tournament, raising their spirits 

with her compassionate 

conversation and harmonica 

playing. As the year wore 

on, her health 

worsened and the 

pain increased. 

Early in 1956 

Babe returned to the 

hospital one last 

time. Although she 

knew she was dying, Babe brought 

hope to others, visiting children in 

the cancer ward to share card tricks 

and jokes as long as she could. 

Babe died early one September 

morning at age forty-five. True to 

Get Involved! American Cancer Society 

To learn more about ways to get involved with cancer support in your 

own community, contact the American Cancer Society by calling a 

24-hour specialist at 1-800-ACS-2345, or by going to the American 

Cancer Society’s website at www.cancer.org. 

her word, she did not give up. She 

kept her golf clubs in the corner of 

her hospital room until the end – 

just in case. 

Golf clubs and loved ones were never far 

from Babe’s side during her treatments for 

cancer. 

Signing autographs. 




•Voted Female Athlete of the 

Half-Century by Associated 

Press; co-founds the LPGA 

•Wins U.S. Women’s Open for 

third time 

•Wins the Vare trophy for 

lowest scoring average 

•Voted Associated Press 

Female Athlete of the Year 

for a record 6th time 


How did Babe display her courage 

Which actions during her illness 

inspired people 

What can we learn from her example 

Is it possible to develop courage 

without challenges 


15

The Mystery Sp t 

Fill in the missing words. Then match the letters to the numbers and spell the answer to the Mystery Spot question. 

1 2 3 1 2 4 5 2 6 7 3 8 9 10 4 

5 2 

Q: What was Babe’s favorite food 

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

1. Babe grew up in ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___, Texas. 

2. As a child Babe practiced jumping hurdles by jumping ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___. 

3 

9 6 4 

3. In her first job Babe earned 30 cents an hour in a ___ ___ ___ – packing plant. 

4. In high school Babe led her school basket ball team called Miss ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ to a 

1 10 

state championship. 

5. In 1930 Babe competed in her first track meet and won all ___ ___ ___ ___ events. 

6. In 1932 Babe was Employer’s Casualty Company’s ___ ___ ___ – ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ track team. 

1 

2 7 2 

7. Traveling around the country giving performances is called ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___. 

8 

4 3 

8. Texas socialite and golfer, Peggy Chandler called Babe a “___ ___ ___ ___ ___ – ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ’___” daughter. 

Picture This 

Below are portions of photos found inside this special booklet. Find the page 

where each photo appears and write the page number in the correct circle. 

ANS: Top left to right: 10, 13, 15, 12, 14, 10. 

Text Credits: 

Quotes 

1.Russell Freedman. Babe Didrikson, The Making 

of a Champion, New York, NY: Clarion Books, 1999. 

2.This Life I’ve Led, Mildred “Babe” Didrikson 

Zaharias as told to Harry Paxton, The Saturday 

Evening Post, June 25, 1955. 

3.www.10ktruth.com/the_quotes/babe/htm 

4.From Babe’s victory speech at the 1954 U.S. 

Women’s Open 

5.“The Babe’s Toughest Battle,” Sport 

Magazine, Bill Rives, September 1953. 

Page 5: Source for 1930’s prices: Scott Derks, 

editor: The Value of a Dollar: Prices and 

Incomes in the United Stated, 1860 –1989. 

Detroit, MI: Gale Research, Inc., 1994. 

Page 8: Newsreel text: “The Wonder Girl,” 

Blackhawk Films, 1933. 

Picture Credits: 

The pictures in this supplement are from the 

following sources and are used with permission: 

Page 2: Babe’s First Photo: Babe Didrikson 

Zaharias Foundation 

Family Photo: Mary and John Gray Library, 

Lamar University 

Page 3: Yearbook Photo: USGA 

Page 4: Basketball Shot: Mary and John Gray 

Library, Lamar University 

Team Photo: Mary and John Gray Library, 

Lamar University 

Page 5: ECC Photo: Bettmann/Corbis 

Page 6: Throwing Photo: Bettmann/Corbis 

Hurdling Photo: Bettmann/Corbis 

Page 7: Standing with Javelin: Bettmann/Corbis 

Throwing Javelin: Amateur Athletic Foundation 

of Los Angeles 

Podium: Bettmann/Corbis 

Page 8&9: Comic book: True Sport Picture 

Stories 

Page 10: Babe & Babe: Bettmann/Corbis 

Hockey: AP/Wide World Photos 

Boxing: AP/Wide World Photos 

Harmonica: Historic Golf Photos/The Ron 

Watts Collection 

Page 11: Marquee: Mary & John Gray 

Collection, Lamar University 

Page 12: Golf Swing: Bettmann/Corbis 

Car Trunk: Texas Sports Hall of Fame - Waco, 

Texas 

Putting Backwards: AP/Wide World Photos 

Page 13: George & Babe: AP/Wide World Photos 

Page 14: With Club: AP/Wide World Photos 

Eisenhower: AP/Wide World Photos 

Page 15: Swinging Club: AP/Wide World Photos 

Signing Autographs: Mary and John Gray 

Collection, Lamar University 

Chaise Lounge with Clubs: Bettmann/Corbis 

16 Character of a Champion: Babe Didrikson Zaharias

Babe Zaharias - JuniorLinks

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