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Babe Didrikson Zaharias Museum & Visitor Center facts for kids
Exterior of the Babe Didrikson Zaharias Museum & Visitor Center
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| Location | Beaumont, Texas |
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| Type | Sports museum |
The Babe Didrikson Zaharias Museum & Visitor Center is a special place in Beaumont, Texas. It celebrates the life of an amazing athlete named Mildred "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias. You can visit the museum for free from Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 5 pm. Inside, you'll see many trophies, awards, and cool items from Babe's incredible sports career. The museum also helps visitors learn about Beaumont. Plus, money raised here helps fund scholarships for female students at Lamar University.
About the Museum
This museum is like a giant trophy case! It shows off many of the awards Babe Zaharias won. For example, you can see a silver cup she earned in Chicago in 1932. Her three medals from the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles are also on display. You can even see a set of her own golf clubs! More of her trophies are at the Babe Zaharias Golf Course's clubhouse in Tampa, Florida.
Who Was Babe Zaharias?
Mildred "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias was born in Port Arthur, Texas in 1911. Many people think she was the best female athlete in the world. She was famous from the 1930s to the 1950s. Babe was amazing at many sports, including basketball, golf, and track and field.
Her Amazing Achievements
At the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, Babe won two gold medals and one silver medal. She was also a three-time All-American in basketball. But that's not all! Babe also competed in many other sports. These included billiards, bowling, diving, and roller skating. She truly was a multi-sport superstar!
Helping Others
In 1950, Babe Zaharias helped start the Ladies Professional Golf Association. She did this with her husband, George Zaharias, who was a wrestler. They also created the Babe Didrikson Zaharias Foundation. This foundation still helps fund important cancer research. It also supports women's athletics and the museum.
Babe Didrikson Zaharias passed away in 1956 at age 45. She was buried in Beaumont, Texas. The city honors her with an annual golf tournament. The Beaumont Convention & Visitors Bureau calls her the "world’s greatest female athlete." They also say she is the region's "hometown legend."