Zerilda does Friday (mieography, that is)

I had something really cool planned, regarding a lovely little ditty on the original Mielikki. It was going to be fabulous. and then the inter-o-net wrecked it, by not having *anything* but THIS [link : http://en.allexperts.com/e/m/mi/mielikki.htm] for me apart from role-playing game information. blech. and i then couldn't get to the library as it was 10:30 pm. 

SO! I said, "okay brain, what next?!"

My brain said "well, mielikki always reports on inspirational women. pick one."

And then I said, "yeah, but there are loads. who should i pick?"

And my brain said "I really don't care, you choose. It's either going to be a golfer or a comedienne. That's what Mielikki would want."

I flipped five coins, and used a random number generator. Then I chose to do ...

BABE ZAHARIAS.

Okay so here's the thing about Babe... remember Bo [link : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bo_Jackson]? Remember what Bo knew? pfft! Bo didn't know HALF of what Babe knew! usually I read Mielikki's Mieographies (which are always wonderful!) and think both : "Wow! She rocked!" AND "I so suck in comparison!"  

Well, it's going to be that again with babe. She was an all-around EVERYthing. 

Babe started life as Mildred. Isn't that fantastic? Mildred Ella Didriksen, was born in 1911 in Texas, daughter of Norwegian immigrants Hannah and Ole. (OLE! OLE!) 

After hitting five home runs in a single baseball game, she was nicknamed "Babe" after Babe Ruth, the candy bar. 

After graduating from high school, she was a "secretary", which is how they spelled "ringer" in those days. She actually was hired for her stenography/basketball skills. She led the company team to the championships. This was back in the days where companies were just fronts for athletic events. (Not many people know this, but Pepsico actually started out as a soccer team.*) 

Unlike most female basketball secretaries, she also won the sewing championship at the 1931 texas state fair. It was not for this outfit :

The following year, she set five world records:
javelin, 
80-meter hurdles,
high jump
long jump
and baseball throw - whyever did this go out of style?

She won the *team* championship ... as an individual. holy crap. I thought i did a good job getting the grime off those dishes tonight. And i had help! (Zerilda : stop comparing yourself to the famous person)

Then it was off to the 1932 olympics! She won gold medals in the javelin, hurdles, and was awarded a silver for the high jump but the judges didn't like her going over headfirst, so she lost that tie to her teammate Jean Shiley, who afterwards split the medal (both gold and silver) with babe. This was back in the days when people were nice to each other. 

Now, you'd think that would be enough, right? No! The thing you do once you've accomplished three olympic medals and a basketball championship...is definitely... vaudeville! She played the harmonica!  

She also mastered tennis, played organized baseball and softball and was an expert diver, roller-skater and bowler. This is the same as me, in my dreams. Well, I don't really dream about diving. And okay, roller-skating is just fun, not really dream-material. Let's move on...

She played billiards, but got a famous beating. This makes us the same. I like playing billiards, and get beaten too. Yay! 

Anyway, it wasn't until 1935 that she picked up golf. she was so good so quickly that she was denied amateur status. Isn't that charming? I'm glad those  people aren't next to me right now, they would get such a smacking. 

Anyway, she competed in the PGA in 1938, where she was teamed with the man she would marry, George Zaharias.

She won back her amateur status in 1942, then turned pro in 1947 and was a founding member of the LPGA. She won 17 
---SEVENTEEN--- 
straight amateur victories. NO ONE, not even TIGER, who i love, has done that. 
By 1950, she had won every golf title going, and her career victory total was 82 tournaments. 

She had undergone surgery for colon cancer in 1953 but had made a comeback in 1954. That year she became the second oldest woman to win a major LPGA championship tournament.

In 1956, she lost the battle with colon cancer. 

But she had achieved every little girl's dream of stamp-worthy status, which truly makes this a remarkable life.



HAPPY BLOGBIRFDAY, MIELIKKI!!!! KEEP THOSE MIEOGRAPHIES COMING!!!

* warning : may not be true