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
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
Sports History On This Day: September 24
September 24, 1919 – It was a sign of good things to come when then,
Sports History On This Day: September 23
September 23, 1845 – The first organized baseball team, the NY Knickerbockers formed, after
Sports History On This Day: September 22
September 1927 – As our late friend Frank Reading would say, “This fight was one
Sports History On This Day: September 21
September 21, 1955 – The end of an era in the ring was occurring. It
Sports History On This Day: September 19
September 19, 1901 – The world of sports briefly stopped, at least here in the