President Trump awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Annika Sorenstam, Gary Player and Babe Zaharias
An interesting story about Babe from Shirley Spork:
Sorenstam, who celebrated her 50th birthday on October 9, has 72 LPGA Tour wins (third all time) and 10 major championships. She is a naturalized American citizen having been born and raised in Sweden. Mr. Player, who turned 85 on November 1, is a native of South Africa who won 24 times on the PGA Tour with nine major championships.
The surprise was a native Texan. The late Babe Didrikson Zaharias, one of the original 13 Founders of the LPGA Tour, will also be presented with the Medal of Freedom on Thursday. Mrs. Zaharias, who passed away from colon cancer at the age of 45 in 1956, will become only the second sports star from the Lone Star State to be so honored. The other is former Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback Roger Staubach, who was actually raised in Cincinnati, Ohio but lived in Dallas most of his life.
Zaharias was the superstar who made the LPGA possible. Prior to the signing of the original LPGA charter in 1950, Babe was already recognized as the world’s top female athlete having won two gold medals and one silver medal in track and field at the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
The surprise was a native Texan. The late Babe Didrikson Zaharias, one of the original 13 Founders of the LPGA Tour, will also be presented with the Medal of Freedom on Thursday. Mrs. Zaharias, who passed away from colon cancer at the age of 45 in 1956, will become only the second sports star from the Lone Star State to be so honored. The other is former Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback Roger Staubach, who was actually raised in Cincinnati, Ohio but lived in Dallas most of his life.
Zaharias was the superstar who made the LPGA possible. Prior to the signing of the original LPGA charter in 1950, Babe was already recognized as the world’s top female athlete having won two gold medals and one silver medal in track and field at the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
An interesting story about Babe from Shirley Spork:
“When we played in the Women’s Western Open in Chicago, Marilynn (Smith) and I were at breakfast with Babe and her husband George. I was playing as a representative of the state of Michigan as an amateur. Marilynn was from Kansas. As we were eating, Babe said to me, ‘Listen kid, why don’t you turn pro?’ And I said, ‘Well, gosh, I think I’d like to do that. How do I do it?’ Babe walked around the table, hit me on the head and said, ‘I deem you a pro. Now, go down to the tee and tell them you’re a pro.’”
“So, when I got to the tee the starter, Mrs. Dennehy, was the president of the Women’s Western Golf Association. I said, ‘Excuse me, Mrs. Dennehy, I would like you to announce me as a pro today.’
“And her answer was, ‘Does your mother know about this?’ I said, ‘No, but she’ll know tonight when I call her.’
“And that’s how I turned pro.”
“So, when I got to the tee the starter, Mrs. Dennehy, was the president of the Women’s Western Golf Association. I said, ‘Excuse me, Mrs. Dennehy, I would like you to announce me as a pro today.’
“And her answer was, ‘Does your mother know about this?’ I said, ‘No, but she’ll know tonight when I call her.’
“And that’s how I turned pro.”
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