Babe Didrikson: The Greatest All-Sport Athlete of All Time

by Susan E. Cayleff

A biography of Babe Didrikson, who broke records in golf, track and field, and other sports, at a time when there were few opportunities for female athletes

Genres: Biography

168 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2000

Reviews

[Ice · Rating 4 out of 5]

"As you read her life, you may find her to be more admirable than likeable." She's not kidding. Cayleff's portrayal is as brash as its subject. The author, whose adult biography Babe: The Life and Legend of Babe Didrikson Zaharias (1995), earned a Pulitzer nomination, shows us a gifted, driven, and often lonely woman who polarized the press and wowed the fans as easily as she alienated teammates and competitors. Cayleff also shows the strain of being a celebrity; Zaharias constantly had to create new opportunities for herself, a burden she relieved by training and through the exhilaration of competing in front of an audience. This is a franker depiction of Babe's life than Russell Freedman gave readers in Babe Did rikson Zaharias (1999), with Cayleff acknowledging (without sensationalizing) that Zaharias' relationship with fellow golfer Betty Dodd was a sexual one. Babe's witty, coarse, resourceful, and single-minded personality comes through on every page.

A gold medal Olympian, Babe Didrikson, recently rated by ESPN as one of the top ten athletes of the twentieth century, excelled at every sport she tried: running, jumping, javelin throwing, swimming, basketball, tennis, golf, and baseball. Gifted and controversial, Babe's athletic prowess and personality took the country by storm from the 1930s to the 1950s. From Texas tomboy to sports superstar, Babe set the bar for every female athlete who would follow her and opened the world's eyes to what one dedicated woman can achieve. Author Susan E. Cayleff, whose adult biography of Babe Didrikson was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize, now brings the rousing true-life story of Babe to today's young women.

[Leslie Goddard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Given that this is marketed for younger readers (I'd say pre-teen to teen), I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked this book. Cayleff has put together a compact, easy-to-read overview of Didrikson's life and significance. I read it in one day, more or less. Cayleff fills her book with revealing stories, takes time to explore certain key issues for the reader, and writes in an engaging, readable style. I'd easily recommend this to an adult who wants to know more about Babe but doesn't necessarily want to commit to a full-length, extensive adult biography.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very readable biography of the greatest all-sport athlete of all time. Purportedly written for young women, but excellent reading for all sports history buffs. For serious researchers, however, the book is not well documented.