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Home Texas Jefferson County Port Arthur Birthplace of Babe Didrikson Zaharias
     

Birthplace of Babe Didrikson Zaharias

  Texas Historical Markers
2232 Seventh St., Port Arthur, TX, USA

Latitude & Longitude: 29° 53' 13.24201999992", -93° 55' 26.68319000004"
 
    Texas State
Historical Marker
     (June 26, 1911 - September 27, 1956) One of seven children, Mildred Ella Babe Didrikson was the daughter of Norwegian immigrants Hannah Marie (d. 1945) and Ole Didrikson (d. 1943). For the first several years of her life, the family occupied a frame house at this location. Later they moved to Beaumont. The Didriksons encouraged their children to develop their natural athletic abilities. Called Baby by her family, Mildred was later nicknamed Babe for baseball star Babe Ruth. Babe first demonstrated her athletic skill as a high school basketball star. After training in track and field events, she won two gold medals at the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. An exceptionally versatile athlete, Babe excelled in baseball, bowling, tennis, and other sports. Eventually she concentrated her efforts on golf and won many tournaments as both an amateur and a professional. The Associated Press named her the Woman Athlete of the First Half of the 20th Century. In 1938 Babe married George Zaharias. Popular with sports fans for her skill and personality, she won further admiration during a long and courageous battle against cancer. She died in Galveston and was buried in Beaumont.

This page last updated: 7/15/2008

Birthplace of Babe Didrikson Zaharias Historical Marker Location Map, Port Arthur, Texas