Sport: Wonder Girl

At the women's track & field championships in Evanston last summer, a lean, rangy, dark-haired girl from Dallas, Tex. won six first places. She amassed for her team—of which she was the only member—a total of 30 points, to 20 points for a team of 22 which finished second. Overnight Mildred ("Babe") Didrikson, a typist for Dallas Employers' Casualty Co., had become a national sports figure. At the Olympic Games two weeks later she won two first prizes (javelin throw, 80-meter hurdles), a second in the high-jump when her best jump was disqualified...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!