Ladies first : women athletes who made a difference

A dozen of the twentieth-century's greatest female athletes show how they had a lasting impact not only in their sport but also on society.

Veteran author and journalist Ken Rappoport showcases pioneering women, from tennis pro Althea Gibson, the first Black American woman to win at Wimbledon, to Susan Butcher, four-time winner of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

Each dramatic, action-packed profile shows how these athletes overcame discrimination against their gender-and sometimes their race-and challenged popular misconceptions about women and sports.

Young readers will find in each of these women the courage, perseverance, and dedication that made them great athletes during their own times and strong role models for today. A bonus chapter at the end highlights The All-American Red Heads basketball team.

• Introduction p. 1
• 1 "Against All Odds": 1920s: Swimming p. 3 Gertrude Ederle
• 2 "The Other Babe": 1930s-50s: Track and Field, Golf p. 13 Babe Didrikson Zaharias
• 3 "The Magnificent Musher": 1990s: Dog Sled Racing p. 27 Susan Butcher
• 4 "The Horse Whisperer": 1990s: Horse Racing p. 39 Julie Krone
• 5 "Driving into History": 1970s-80s: Drag Racing p. 49 Shirley Muldowney
• 6 "Serving One Up for Women's Rights": 1970s: Tennis p. 59 Billie Jean King
• 7 "The Clarksville Comet": 1950s: Track and Field p. 71 Wilma Rudolph
• 8 "Marathon Woman": 1980s: Marathon Running p. 81 Joan Benoit Samuelson
• 9 "The Ice Queen": 1920s-30s: Ice Skating p. 91 Sonya Henie
• 10 "The Jackie Robinson of Tennis": 1940s-50s: Tennis p. 101 Althea Gibson
• 11 "The Perfect Gymnast": 1970s: Gymnastics p. 111 Nadia Comaneci
• 12 "Manon the Warrior": 1990s: Hockey p. 121 Manon Rheaume
• 13 All-American Red Heads "A Team of Their Own": 1930s-1980s: Basketball p. 131
• Conclusion p. 141
• Bibliographical Note p. 145
• About the Author p. 147