Los Angeles 1932, Games of the X Olympiad. Women's athletics: competitors in action in the 80m hurdles heats, including - in the foreground - Mildred DIDRIKSON of the United States. Credit: IOC Olympic Museum Collections

Other names: DIDRIKSON, Mildred (Babe) Ella DIDRIKSON, Babe

Born: 26 June 1911

Deceased: 27 September 1956

Birthplace: Port Arthur (United States)

Nationality: United States

Sport: Athletics

ATTENDANCE AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES

Los Angeles 1932

AWARDS

Olympic medals:

Gold: 2

Silver: 1

The Babe

Mildred Ella "Babe" Didrikson is considered by many authorities to be the greatest all-round sportswoman in history. She first came to national prominence at the 1932 AAU Championships, when her team, Employer's Casualty, won the team title. Babe was the entire team. At the Olympics, she won the javelin throw, and the high hurdles, and finished second in the high jump, after a jump-off in which she lost to Jean Shiley (USA). In 1932, women were restricted to competing in only three individual events in track & field athletics. Had she been able to compete in more events, it is likely that Babe could have won medals in the discus throw, relay, and long jump. The women's pentathlon did not make the Olympic program until 1964, but Babe Didrikson would have won that event in 1932, with laughable ease. After the Olympics, Babe Didrikson took up golf and became the greatest women's player in that sport. She won the 1946 U.S. Women's Amateur and the 1947 British Ladies' Amateur and then turned professional. As a professional, she won the U.S. Women's Open in 1948, 1950, and 1954 (just after being diagnosed with cancer). From 1948 to 1951, she was the leading money winner on the LPGA circuit, during the first four years of its existence, and she won 31 LPGA sanctioned events.