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
Super Bowl XII (Broncos vs. Cowboys): An Ultimate Recount of the Game
Today we have Super Bowl XII, which was held on January 15, 1978, in
A Discussion of Journeyman Quarterbacks of the 1970s
The term “journeyman quarterback” is an unmistakable term. It means simply a quarterback who
Paul Zimmerman’s All-Time NFL List
Paul Zimmerman was a renaissance man of sports, so to speak–eloquent, prolific, and with
Ollie Matson: The Hall of Famer Traded For 9 NFL Players
There have been very few Olympic medalists that are also in the Pro Football
The Ultimate Recount of Super Bowl XI (Raiders vs. Vikings)
Today we have Super Bowl XI, which was held on January 9, 1977, at
Super Bowl Repeat Winners: What Decade Had The Most?
How many Super Bowl repeat winners have there been over the years? Why is
New York Yankee History: A Brief Overview
Anyone who has followed MLB baseball knows the NY Yankees have a rich tradition
Bears Vs. Packers History: The Story of the First-Ever Meeting
In the long, long history of the National Football League, one rivalry usually grabs