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: April 1
April 1, 1919 – This is not an April Fools Day prank! I think after the past
Sports History On This Day: March 31
March 31, 1909 – The National Baseball Commission adopted a new rule regarding ineligible players.
Sports History On This Day: March 30
March 30, 1947 – Babe Didrikson Zaharias wins her first of three Titleholders titles as
Tie Domi vs. Joe Fan: A Wild Night People Talk About Over 20 Years Later
Spring is a time when a man’s fancy turns to something. Maybe sometimes, a
Sports History On This Day: March 29
March 29, 1989 – It was a historic moment in sports when the first athletes
1976 Pittsburgh Steelers: Best 10-Game Winning Streak In NFL History?
The 1976 season got off to an excellent start for the defending Super Bowl
Sports History On This Day: March 28
March 28, 1939 – The New York Renaissance Big Five basketball team won the very
He’s Not The Mascot! The Legend of Billy Cross
No one…absolutely no one thought he was a professional football player. In fact, the