Althea Gibson Essay, Research Paper
As we look at our past, we are better able to see the
positive advances that we have made. One of the greatest
obsticles that we have overcome is the barrier of race.
Over the last several decades African Americans have had a
huge impact on many areas of society such as politics,
educatoin and most definately athletics.
On August 27, 1927, Althea Gibson was born. She did
not enter the world to a life of glamor. From the
beginning, her life was a tough one. Her family resided in
Harlem during the 1930?s and 40;s. Times were very
difficult for the young girl. Her family was on welfare and
she, herself was a client of the society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Children. Because of home life traumas,
Althea frequently skipped school. The times that she did
go, she struggled though the day. While she was growing up,
she also ran away from home numerous times. As any young
child would do, Althea searched for an outlet from the
everyday hardships of school and home life. This is where
she discovered tennis.
It all began at local recreation programs where she
took up table tennis, or ping pong. Althea had talent right
from the beginning. She realized that she, a girl who?s
life had been nothing but rough roads and abrupt turns,
could be good at something. As she continued to gain
interest as well as perfect her table tennis skills, Althea
began to compete, and win several local tournaments.
Because of these victories,Althea began to get noticed. One
man, a musician by the name of Buddy Walker, saw Althea play
one day and had a revolation. He figured that if Althea was
so good at table tennis, then she would excel in regular
tennis as well. At the time, no one realized just how
beneficial this idea would be for the young Harlem girl,
Althea Gibson.
Through donations raised to pay for her membership and
lessons, Althea became a member of an African American club
called the Harlem Cosmopolitian Tennis Club. It was here
that she aquired the skills needed to compete in tennis
matches at a higher, more competative level. At the time
that Althea was emerging as a recognized tennis player,
African American?s opportunities were somewhat limitied.
One organization called the American Tennis Association
provided tounament opportunities for African American tennis
players. In 1942, Althea Gibson had her first landmark
victory when she won first place in womens singlesevent at
the American Tennis Assosiation?s New York State tournament.
Her succes continued to move in a positive direction over
the next few years. Althea went on to win these state
tounaments in 1944 and 1945.
After her victories in New York, she was offered the
opportunity of her lifetime. A well-off man from South
Carolina had been following Althea and was extremely
impressed by what he had seen. He extended her an
invitation to live in his home, attend high school, and of
course, study tennis. Althea attended Florida A&M
University in 1950.
During this time, Althea competed frequently in tennis
tournaments. For ten years consecutively, she won the ATA
(American Tennis Association) womens singles title
(1947-1956). Also while at Florida A&M, she entered
tounaments other than the ATA. Among these was the National
Grass Court Championship where she was the first African
American player, male or fermale, to be allowed to enter
this competition. In 1951, she became the first Africam
American to be invited to participate in the Wimbleton, an
all-England tournament. This was a giant step not only for
Althea herself, but for All African American athletes. In
1956, Althea won the French Open, another highly prestigious
tennis tounament. This year was extremely big for Althea
because she was allowed to participate in a world wide tour
where she was a member of the national tennis team. As time
went on, Althea began to emerge as one of the greatest
tennis players in the wolrd. She won the womens singles as
well as the doubles matches at the Wimbelton. New York
showed its pride in her by throwing a parade in her honor.
Althea wasn?t done yet. Althea continued to climb the
ladder of tennis succes when she won two Wimbelton titles as
well as the national grass title in 1958. That year, Althea
wrote an autobiography entitled ? I Always Wanted to be
Somebody? in which she told of her life, its hardships, and
her ability to beat the odds.
After years of work and numerous victories as well as
world wide recognition, Althea went pro. In 1960, she won
the womens professional title, her first big victory as a
proffesional tennis player. She expanded her horizons after
going pro, as she began to take up golf. She excelled in
golf as well, soon going pro.
Althea Gibson has truely influenced athletics as well
as our society in general. She is the epitome of a woman
who came from behind and succeded. Through her tennis
career, Althea has opened many doors that were previously
closed to her race as well as her gender. She emerged as a
leader who paved the way for the numerous athletes who would
follow in her footsteps for generations to come
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