Babe Zaharias - JuniorLinks

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.
Character of a Champion: Babe Didrikson Zaharias
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.