Babe Didriksen Zaharias

Mildred Ella Didriksen was born June 26, 1914, in Port Arthur, Texas. Her mother, Hannah Olson, was born in Norway and immigrated to the United States in 1908. Her father, Ole Didriksen, also from Norway, came to Port Arthur in 1905 and worked as a sailor and carpenter. Through her adult life she was known as Babe Didrikson, taking the name "Babe" from the sports hero Babe Ruth and the spelling of her last name, Didrikson, to emphasize that …

…to become what was expected of female athletes. She did it successfully because she was such an outstanding athlete. It took courage, because she was subjected to the harshest rumors, attacks which she suffered without complaint. During her final illness, Zaharias displayed the kind of strength and courage, which was a trademark of her career. She was a great athlete, but beyond that she was a courageous pioneer in women's sports which others have followed.