On This Date in Sports July 5, 1958: Althea in Wimbledon
American Althea Gibson won her second consecutive Wimbledon singles title, beating Angela Mortimer of England in straight sets (8-6, 6-2). When Gibson won her first title a year earlier, she was the first person of color to win a championship at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Gibson was the top amateur player in the world, winning five grand slam titles in three years.
Althea Gibson was born in rural South Carolina on August 25, 1927. When she was young, her family relocated to Harlem in New York City. Her apartment was located near a secure play area, where she picked up tennis and became a champion at the age of 12. Growing up, she won several junior tournaments in New York and drew the attention of Dr. Walter Johnson of Virginia was active in the African American Tennis community. Dr. Johnson helped Althea Gibson grow more formal training opening the door to getting into the top tournaments in the world.
In 1950, Gibson played in the U.S. Nationals for the first time thanks to the lobbying of the American Tennis Association, which got the tournament to overturn its white-only policy. In 1951 Althea Gibson won her first international competition and began to climb the tennis rankings, playing in the four major tournaments where she had modest success. In 1956, Gibson made history, becoming the first person of color to win a major when she defeated Angela Mortimer of England in the French Nationals. She also teamed with Angela Buxton to win the doubles title in Paris. Gibson was also a strong doubles player, winning five titles in a three-year stretch.
Althea Gibson reached her peak in 1957; that year, she played in the final of the Australia Nationals, losing to fellow American Shirley Frey. After skipping the French Nationals, Gibson, with the number one seed, won Wimbledon for the first time beating American Darlene Hard 6-3, 6-2, and was honored with a ticker tape parade in New York. She finished the year by winning the U.S. Nationals by beating American Louise Brough 6-3, 6-2.
After successfully defending her Wimbledon Championship, Althea Gibson repeated as champion at the U.S. Nationals, where she beat Darlene Hard again 3-6, 6-1, 6-2. It would be the final time she would win a major title as she decided to turn professional after winning 56 singles and doubles titles. In the days before the Open Era, which began in 1969, no prize money was awarded, and Gibson was no longer able to live without making money off her game. She would play several exhibitions but never found the prize money she was looking for as there was little interest or opportunities in professional tennis. Gibson later dabbled in acting and had modest success on the LPGA tour.
