Babe Didrikson Zaharias was one of the greatest female athletes of the 20th century, who battled colon cancer and still succeeded in winning the U.S. Women’s Open after 14 months.
Mildred “Babe” Didrikson Zaharias is remembered as one of the most remarkable athletes in American history.
Not just the gold, she was also involved in track and field, as well as basketball; however, golf was her specialty, which made her the best female athlete of the 20th century.
While Battling Colon Cancer, Babe Didrikson Zaharias Became the Best Female Athlete of the 20th Century!
In 1953, Zaharias received devastating news about her life; she had colon cancer, an illness that at the time was nearly treatable.
Following the news, she underwent surgery in Texas, which left many believing her athletic career was over.
The legendary Babe Didrikson Zaharias – pic.twitter.com/168GVKLR9O
— TheGolfDivoTee™ (@TheGolfDivoTee) September 21, 2025
Not only her admirers, but the doctors also doubted that she would return to competitive golf; however, everyone was surprised by her comeback fourteen months later in 1954.
The 1954 U.S. Women’s Open at Salem Country Club in Massachusetts became the defining stage of her comeback.
Unfortunately, her cancer journey was not over; once again, in 1955, her colon cancer recurred.
Despite her limited schedule of eight golfing events in the season, Zaharias won her last two tournaments in competitive golf.
On September 27, 1956, Zaharias died of her illness at the age of forty-five at the John Sealy Hospital in Galveston, Texas.
After leaving this mighty world, she left a record of extraordinary athletic achievements, which was praised by many.
On the same morning of Babe’s death, United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower came striding into his White House press conference and gave tribute, saying;
“I should like to take one minute to pay a tribute to Mrs. Zaharias, Babe Didrikson. She was a woman who, in her athletic career, certainly won the admiration of every person in the United States, all sports people over the world, and in her gallant fight against cancer she put up the kind of fight that inspired us all. I think that every one of us feels sad that finally she had to lose this last one of all her battles.”
This tribute highlighted not only Zaharias’s extraordinary athletic achievements but also her determination in the face of illness, leaving a lasting legacy that continues to inspire.
Her 1954 U.S. Women’s Open victory remains one of the most powerful reminders that determination and faith can overcome even the most daunting challenges.
In Case You Don’t Know
- She was called “Babe” after Babe Ruth, because of her remarkable skills in baseball and softball as a teenager.
- Babe co-founded the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) in 1950 and helped secure prize money and professional opportunities for women golfers.
