Born on June 26, 1911 in Port Arthur, Texas, Mildred Ella Didrikson was nicknamed Babe during her adolescence (Babe Ruth was in his heyday at this time) after hitting five home runs in one baseball game. She knew little golf growing up in Beaumont, Texas, but had gained world fame in track and field and an All-American status in basketball. She also mastered tennis, played organized baseball and softball and was an expert diver, roller-skater and bowler. She won two gold medals and one silver medal for track and field in the 1932 Olympics.

Babe began concentrating on golf in 1935 at the suggestion of sportswriter Grantland Rice. Later that year she won the 1935 Texas Women's Invitational - only her second tournament. In 1938 she married pro wrestler George Zaharias and continued to focus on her golf career. In 1946 and 1947, she won 17 amateur tournaments in a row including the 1946 U.S. Womens Amateur and the 1947 British Amateur. Babe was the first American to capture the British title since it was first played in 1893.

Perhaps the greatest all-around athlete of all-time, Babe was voted the Woman Athlete of the first half of the 20th Century in a poll conducted by the Associated Press and was named the Woman Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press in 1931, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1950 and 1954.

Babe was also a founding member of the LPGA and one of the first four inductees into the LPGA Hall of Fame in 1951. She led the LPGA in money earnings for four consecutive years from 1948 through 1951. Zaharias was awarded the Vare Trophy in 1954 and the USGA Bobby Jones Award in 1957.

Unfortunately, her athleticism didn't prevent her from having health issues. Sadly, she died of cancer at the age of 42 on September 27, 1956.

Major Victories:

1948: U.S. Women's Open
1950: U.S. Women's Open, Titleholders Championship
1952: Titleholders Championship
1954: U.S. Women's Open

Other Professional Victories:

1948: All American Open, World Championship
1949: World Championship, Eastern Open
1950: All American Open, World Championship, Miami Weathervane, Western Open
1951: All American Open, World Championships, Ponte Verde Open, Tampa Open, Fresno Open, Texas Open, Miami Weathervane
1953: Sarasota Open, Babe Zaharias Open
1954: All American Open, Sarasota Open, Serbin Open, National Capital Open
1955: Tampa Open, Peach Blossom Classic