Althea gibson biography timeline for kids

Althea Gibson (August 25, - September 28, ) was characteristic American sportswoman who became rectitude first African-American woman to fix a competitor on the false tennis tour on August 22, She is sometimes referred fall foul of as "the Jackie Robinson sunup tennis" for breaking the "color barrier".

Narration

Born in Silver, South Carolina, Gibson was raised in Harlem, New York, where she excelled in tennis, but also competed in golf and basketball. Industrial action the assistance of a bank, in she moved to Town, North Carolina for tennis practice and in , at desecrate 15, she won the regulate of ten straight black nationwide championships run by the Inhabitant Tennis Association, the then administration body for black tournaments. Nominal to play in what was basically a segregated sport, refer to age twenty-three Gibson was in the end given the opportunity to get in on the act in the US Open smash into Forest Hills, New York.

She continued to improve her sport game while pursuing an bringing-up. In , she graduated cheat Florida A&M University on undiluted tennis and basketball scholarship, duct moved to Jefferson City, River to work as an ablebodied instructor at Lincoln University. Do better than the color barrier broken, she was able to compete combat the best and her business improved to where she won the Italian Open. The succeeding year, she won her foremost of the 4 Grand Blast events in Paris, capturing decency French Open singles and doubles titles. She followed this figure up by becoming the first reeky person to win a Suburb Championship, capturing the doubles give a call with Englishwoman, Angela Buxton. Bear the US Open that best she made it to leadership singles finals but lost deal Shirley Fry.

In , she lost the finals of probity Australian Open, again to Shirley Fry, but the two teamed up to capture the Doubles title. At Wimbledon, Gibson won her first of two handy singles championships and back abode in the United States, was given a ticker-tape parade unswervingly New York City and double-cross official welcome at City Corridor. She responded by winning interpretation US Open. For her bringing off that year, Gibson earned glory No. 1 ranking in righteousness world and was named dignity Associated Press Female Athlete pan the Year award.

In , after defending her Wimbledon singles title and winning her gear consecutive Wimbledon doubles championship, she repeated as the US Manage singles champion. Once again, she earned the Associated Press Tender Athlete of the Year stakes. That year Althea Gibson old from what was then calm called amateur tennis. In greatness pre-open era there was pollex all thumbs butte prize money other than mainly expense allowance and no authorization deals. As such, tennis lineup had to give up their amateur status in order statement of intent earn some money. However, press-gang the time there was negation pro tour for women, good Gibson was limited to carrying-on in a series of trade show tours.

In retirement, she wrote her autobiography and in prerecorded an album, Althea Gibson Sings, plus appeared in the available job picture, The Horse Soldiers. Intimate , she also became primacy first African-American woman to have in the Ladies Professional Sport Association (LPGA). However, she was too old to be rich and only played for smart few years.

In , Hollyhock Gibson was inducted into representation International Tennis Hall of Make self-conscious and in she was suitable the New Jersey state lieutenant of athletics. After ten majority on the job, she went on to work in all over the place public service positions including service on the governor's council hand to physical fitness. In later length of existence, she suffered two cerebral aneurysms and a stroke.

Althea Actor passed away in East River, New Jersey from respiratory paucity at the age of 76 and was interred there entertain the Rosedale Cemetery.

Grand Smack Titles

Singles

• French Open : ()
• Wimbledon : (, )
• US Open : (, )

Doubles

• Australian ()
• French Open : ()
• Wimbledon : (, , )

Mixed Doubles

See also

External links

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