Althea Gibson South Carolina

Early life Born: 25. August 1927, Clarendon County, South Carolina, USA She was struggling in school Played ping pong Introduced to Harlem River Tennis Courts in 1941 Won a local tournament just after one year of training Gibson won 10 straight championships from 1947-1956 Went to college on a sports scholarship

Making History Was first invited to Wimbledon in 1951, because of article written by former no. 1 tennis player in the world Alice Mable. She was the first Afro-American invited to the tournament A year later, she was a Top 10 player in the U.S. She then climbed even higher, to No. 7 in 1953. In 1956, she won the French Open. Wimbledon and U.S. Open titles followed in 1957 and 1958. In all, Gibson powered her way to 56 singles and doubles championships before turning pro in 1959.

Pro As a professional, Gibson continued to win, she won the singles title in 1960 Tried a lot of other sports, before going back to tennis. But she never found the levels she had before Beginning in 1975, she served 10 years as Commissioner of Athletics for the state of New Jersey She was also a member of the governor’s council on physical fitness

Her later life Nearly went bankrupt She developed serious heart problems On September 28, 2003, Gibson died of respiratory failure in East Orange, New Jersey