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Who is Althea Gibson?
Althea Neale Gibson was a well-known American tennis player as well as a professional golfer. She was born on August 25, 1927, but passed away on September 28, 2003. Althea Gibson is also one of the first Black athletes to transcend the international tennis color line.
Then, in 1956, she became the first African American to win a Grand Slam event, the French Championships.
Until 1958, she won both Wimbledon and the US Nationals at random.
The Associated Press named her Female Athlete of the Year in both years.
She also won 11 Grand Slam tournaments in total. Because the competition was so tough, she became the first Black player to compete in the Women’s Professional Golf Tour in the early 1960s.
She was renowned as a sports leader. Find your favorite quotations by Althea Gibson in this selection of the top 9 quotes.
“Being champion is great, but you can’t eat a crown.”
“I’ve always wished to be someone.
If I made it, it was half because I was brave enough to accept a lot of punishment along the way, and a half because a lot of people cared enough to help me.” Althea Gibson’s
“Shaking hands with the Queen of England was a long cry from being compelled to sit in the colored section of the Wilmington, North Carolina, bus.”
“In sports, you are more or less accepted for what you accomplish than for who you are.”
“In sports, you aren’t regarded as a true champion until you successfully defend your championship.”
Winning once can be a fluke; winning twice demonstrates that you are the best.” Althea Gibson’s
The sixth of nine Althea Gibson quotes
“Most of us who aim to be at the top of our fields don’t truly consider how much work it takes to stay at the top.”
“I don’t want to be elevated to a pedestal.”
I just want to be relatively successful and live a normal life with all the amenities that come with it.” Althea Gibson’s
Also, read Brook Lopez, Paige Mackenzie, Quincy Pondexter
“I believe I’ve done enough for sports and established enough of a name for myself to get some form of support – most of the other girls have it.”
