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14 Herbert Warren Wind Book AwardThe 2011 Herbert Warren Wind Book AwardIn recognition of its high standard of achievement in golf literature,“Wonder Girl: The Magnificent Sporting Life of BabeDidrikson Zaharias,” written by Don Van Natta Jr., was namedthe recipient of the United States GolfAssociation’s Herbert Warren WindBook Award for 2011.“Babe Zaharias is among the mostversatile and accomplished Americanathletes of all time; she rose from theTexas heartland to change the face ofgolf and the Olympics, breaking barrierson the playing fields and off,” saidRobert Williams, director of the USGAMuseum. “Don Van Natta’s book is adeeply compelling account of Babe’sathleticism, courage and invincibilityas she triumphed from the track to thetee and endured cancer to achieve aremarkable comeback victory at the1954 U.S. Women’s Open.”Comprehensively researched andbeautifully written, Don Van Natta’s“Wonder Girl” paints a vibrant portraitof early-20th-century America, while telling the extraordinarystory of a heroic athlete who captured a nation’s heart. Thebrash, athletic and fearless Babe overcame biases of the timeagainst female athletes to excel in golf, basketball, track andfield, baseball, softball, tennis and bowling. She achieved All-American status in basketball and won two gold medals in trackand field at the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.As a champion golfer, Babe won 10 major championships,including three U.S. Women’s Open titles, was a foundingmember of the LPGA, and in 1938 became the first woman toplay in a PGA Tour event. At the height of her fame, she wasdiagnosed with cancer, and was told by physicians that shewould never return to competition. Fifteen months after majorsurgery, Babe won the 1954 U.S. Women’s Open by 12 strokes.“There are so many wonderful lessons that can be learned fromBabe’s life and career,” said Van Natta. “She overcame manyobstacles through persistence, perseverance and tremendouscourage, becoming the greatest all-sport athlete in history.Capturing in words a quintessential American life and one of themost inspirational stories in all of sports was such a rewardingexperience.”Van Natta is a senior writer for ESPNthe Magazine and ESPN.com, andspent 16 years as an investigative correspondentat The New York Times.Prior to that, Van Natta worked foreight years at The Miami Herald. Hehas been a member of three PulitzerPrize-winning teams and is the authorof “First Off the Tee: PresidentialHackers, Duffers, and Cheaters fromTaft to Bush” and co-author of “HerWay: The Hopes and Ambitions ofHillary Rodham Clinton,” both ofwhich were New York Times bestsellers.Van Natta lives in Miami with hisfamily.“Winning this award is a huge honorfor me, considering who the award isnamed after and all the past recipients,”added Van Natta. “Golf is such a great sport to cover. Thegame’s drama and emotion really lend themselves to the writtenword. I am humbled by the USGA’s recognition.”Van Natta is donating a portion of his royalties from the saleof “Wonder Girl” to the Babe Didrikson Zaharias Foundationin Beaumont, Texas, which Babe and her husband, GeorgeZaharias, established in the last months of her life to supportcancer clinics and treatment centers.The Herbert Warren Wind Book Award was established in1987. The award recognizes and honors outstanding contributionsto golf literature while attempting to broaden the public’sinterest in, and knowledge of, the game of golf. Wind, whodied in 2005, was the famed writer for The New Yorker andSports Illustrated who coined the phrase “Amen Corner” atAugusta National. He is the only writer to win the USGA’s BobJones Award, the Association’s highest honor.