July 21, 1957 – A milestone moment in sports history. A young lady by the name of Althea Gibson became the African-American to win a major US tennis tournament. Miss Gibson opened the door and inspired many black athletes to compete at sports that had in the past not been available for them to participate in.
In 1956, she became the first African American to win a Grand Slam title when she took home the French Championships. The following year she won both Wimbledon and this US Nationals (precursor of the US Open). It wasn’t a fluke either as she repeated and won them both again in 1958 and was voted Female Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press.
To find more great daily sports history make sure to check out the Sports Jersey Dispatch and Pigskin Dispatch.
More From Sports History Network
Sports History On This Day: September 29
September 29, 1914 – The Boston Braves, a team that was in last place in
Remembering Michael Andretti’s Magical CART Championship Season (1991)
1991 was a great year for the Newman-Haas Racing Team. Our driver, Michael Andretti,
Sports History On This Day: September 28
September 28, 1920 – A dark day in baseball, but also one that started to
Super Bowl XLIII (Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Arizona Cardinals): An Ultimate Recount of the Game
Today we have Super Bowl XLIII, which was held on February 1, 2009, at
Running Wild: Growing Up in the 1970s w/ Sports
This article is a little different than what I usually write because it’s not
Ray Bray: A Key Member of the “Monsters of the Midway”
Throughout the years, there have been legendary “enforcers” in the NFL. Guys like Dick
Sports History On This Day: September 26
September 26, 1954 – The Athletic’s played their final home game in Philadelphia. The franchise
Sports History On This Day: September 25
September 25, 1988 – USA, USA, USA those were the chants across the country as