1958 - Althea Gibson

By dbloom

  • Exhibition match - Minneapolis, MN

    Jeanne Arth, Kenny, Boyum, Wendell Ottum, AG
    Star Tribune 09 Jan 1958

  • Exhibition match - Trenton NJ

    AG, Karol Fageros, Dick Savitt, Eddie Moylan
    Courier News 21 Jan 1958

  • Associated Press Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year

    AG receives the AP Frederick C. Miller trophy for Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year. AG says the trophy is her "greatest honor".

  • Barranquilla City Tennis Tournament - Colombia

    Singles:
    S. Janet Hopps d. AG; 4-6, 6-4, 7-5
    Mixed doubles:
    F. AG/Gardnar Mulloy d. Maria Bueno/Mervyn Rose; 2-6, 6-4, 6-4

  • Caracus International Tennis Tournament - Altamira Tennis Club; Venezuela

    Singles:
    Q (1). AG d. Ingrid Volger; score unk
    S. AG d. Janet Hopps; 6-4, 6-3
    F. AG d. Maria Bueno; 6-1, 4-6, 9-7
    Ladies Doubles with Karol Fageros:
    F. AG/KF d. Maria Bueno/Janet Hopps; 6-3, 6-2

  • Puerto Rico International Tennis Tournament - San Juan

    Singles:
    ?. AG d. Maggie Passeral; 6-1, 6-1
    Q. AG d. Carmen Ibarra; 6-2, 6-3
    S. AG d. Janet Hopps; 6-3, 6-4
    F. Beverly Baker Fleitz d. AG; 6-4, 10-8
    Women's doubles:
    S (?). AG/Maria Bueno d. Florence Blanchard/Margeta Bonstrom; 6-0, 6-0
    F. AG/MB d. Janet Hopps/Martha Hernandez; 6-1, 6-4

  • Caribbean International Tennis Tournament - Kingston Jamaica (9th annual)

    1 (opening round). AG d. Susan Butt; 6-1, 6-0
    Q. AG d. Martha Hernandez; 6-3, 6-4
    S. AG d.Janet Hopps; 6-1, 6-4
    F. AG d. Maria Bueno; 6-1, 6-3
    Women's Doubles
    F. AG/Bueno defeat JH/Martha Hernandez, 6-3, 6-4

  • Good Neighbor Tennis Tournament - Miami, FL - Flamingo Park Courts

    Singles:
    1. Bye (probably)
    2. AG d. Eleanor Lackey; 6-0, 6-0
    3. AG d. Mildred Thornton; 6-3, 6-0
    Q. AG d. Lois Felix; 6-1, 6-4
    S. Janet Hopps d. AG; 8-6, 6-2 Doubles:
    F. AG/Maria Bueno d. Janet Hopps/Martha Hernandez; 6-1, 6-4

  • Bob Ryland turns pro

    Bob Ryland is the first African American to turn pro. His first pro tournament was in Cleveland. He lost in a preliminary round to Armando Vieira, from Brazil, in a one set match, 6-0.

  • Althea Gibson Sings

    Newspaper articles indicate the album was released as AG was making her way to Wimbledon.

  • Babe Didrikson Zaharias Trophy

    AG receives the Woman Athlete of the Year award. Based on the Associated press annual poll.

  • Ed Sullivan Show appearance

    AG makes her first singing appearance.

  • Surrey Lawn Tennis Championship - Surbiton, England

    Singles:
    1. AG d. Gertie Preston; 6-2, 6-1
    2. AG d. Valerie White; 6-2, 6-3
    Q. AG d. Rose Deloford; 6-2, 6-3
    S. AG d. Sheila Armstrong; 6-3, 6-1
    F. AG d. Mimi Arnold; 6-1, 6-0 (AG retains title)

  • Northern England Tennis Championship - Manchester, England

    1. AG d. Pat Ward; 6-3, 6-1 Q. AG d. Yolanda Ramirez; 6-2, 6-3 S. AG d. Ann Shilcock; 6-0, 7-5 F. AG d. Maria Bueno; 6-1, 7-5 (AG retains title) Doubles:
    2. AG/KF d. GA Nead/JV Stolt; 6-3, 6-1
    3. AG/FK d. S Reynolds/R Schuurman; 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 S. K Hawton/TD Long d. AG/KF; 6-3, 6-4

  • Wightman Cup - Wimbledon England

    First day: AG d. Shirley Bloomer; 6-3, 6-4
    Second day: Christine Truman d. AG: 6-3, 5-7, 6-3
    Doubles:
    AG/Janet Hopps d. Ann Shilcock/Pat Ward; 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
    US loss to England first in 28 years.
    Wightman US team includes: AG, Dorothy Knode (co-captain), Karol Fageros, Mimi Arnold, Janet Hopps

  • Queen's Club - London

    AG/MBueno d. CTruman/SBloomer (early round)
    S. AG/ MB d. Varner/Dupont; 6-1, 6-3
    F. AG/MB divided MHawton/TLong; AG/MB win first set 6-2 then the game was "abandoned" due to rain.

  • Bethel Baptist Church (Birmingham, AL) is bombed by Ku Klux Klan members.

  • Wimbledon - Women's Doubles

    Partnered with Maria Bueno (BRA)
    1. Bye
    2. d. Margot Dittmeyer (GER)/Erika Vollmer (GER); 6-2, 6-2
    3. d. Karol Fageros (USA) vs. Dorothy Knode (USA); 6-4, 6-3
    Q. d. Sue Chatier (FRA)/Angela Mortimer (GBR); 6-0, 6-0
    S. d. Mary Hawton (AUS)/Thelma Long (AUS); 6-3, 6-2
    F. d. Margaret Varner (USA)/Margaret du Pont (USA); 6-3, 7-5

  • Wimbledon - Mixed doubles

    Partnered with Kurt Nielsen (DEN)
    1. Bye
    2. d. Alan Mills (GBR)/Jill Rook (GBR); 6-4, 7-5
    3. d. Naresh Kumar (IND)/Edda Buling (GER); 9-7, 6-4
    4. d. Rod Laver (AUS)/Christine Truman (GBR); 6-4, 6-3
    Q. d. Bertie Gaertner (RSA)/Sandra Reynolds (RSA); 6-2, 6-3
    S. d. Billy Knight (GBR)/Shirley Boomer (GBR); 7-5, 6-3
    F- Bob Howe (AUS)/Lorraine Coghlan d. AG/KN; 3-6, 11-13

  • Wimbledon - Women's singles

    Seeded 1
    1. Bye
    2. AG d. Margaret Hellyer (AUS); 6-0, 6-2
    3. AG d. Yola Ramirez (MEX); 9-7, 6-2
    4. AG d. Loraine Coghlan (AUS); 6-0, 6-2
    Q. AD d. Shirley Bloomer (GBR); 6-3, 6-8, 6-2
    S. AG d. Ann Hayden (GBR); 6-2, 6-0
    F. AG d. Angela Mortimer (GBR); 8-6, 6-2

  • Eastern States Women's Tournament - Haverford, PA at Merion Cricket Club

    1. AG d. Millicent Miller; 6-0, 6-1
    2. AG d. Jacqueline Tegland; 6-2, 6-0
    3. AG d. Owen McManey; 6-1, 6-2 Q. AG d. duPont; 6-4, 6-2 S. AG d. Margaret Varner; 6-2, 6-2 F. AG d. Sally Moore; 7-5, 2-6, 6-4. Doubles F. AG/Fageros d. duPont/Margaret Varner; 6-3, 6-2

  • Eastern Grass Court Tournament - Orange Lawn Tennis Court; Orange, NJ

    1. AG d. Baba Lewis; 6-4, 6-1
    2. AG d. Lois Felix; 6-2, 6-1 Q. AG d. Jeanne Arth; 6-4, 6-3 S. AG d. Ann Haydon; 6-4, 6-4 F. AG d. Sally Moore; 9-7, 6-2 Doubles: F. AG/Sally Moore d. KF/Dorothy Knode; 6-2, 6-1

  • 78th National Doubles Tennis Tournament - Longwood Cricket Club, Chestnut Hill, MA

    AG partners with Maria Bueno:
    1. AG/MB d. Carmen Lampe/Betty Coumbe; 6-1, 6-3.
    2. AG/MB d. Dorothy Knode/Lorriane Coghlan; 4-6,6-1, 6-2.
    Q. AG/MB d. Shirley Liu/Theodora Bobrinsky; 6-1, 6-1.
    S. AG/MB d. Christine Truman/Ann Haydon; 6-3, 6-3
    F. Darlene Hard/Jeanne Arth. d. AG/MB; 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.
    Boston Globe August 17-23 1958

  • Ed Sullivan Show appearance

    AG sings on the show again.

  • State of Virginia begins school integration protest.

    Governor J. Lindsay Almond, Jr. of Virginia begins closing down public schools to stop federally mandated integration. On Sep 29 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states may not use evasive measures to avoid desegregation.

  • National Tennis Tournament (US Open) - Forest Hills, Aug 29-Sept 7

    Singles:
    1. AG d. Carole Wright; 6-1, 6-2
    2. AG d. Barbara Benigni; 6-2, 6-1
    3. AG d. Owen McHaney; 6-1, 6-1
    Q. AG d. Christine Truman; 11-9, 6-1
    S. AG d. Beverly Fleitz; 6-4, 6-2
    F. AG d. Darlene Hard; 3-6, 6-1, 6-2.
    Mixed doubles with Kurt Neilsen:
    Unk round. Margaret Varner/Luis Ayala d. AG/KN; 6-3, 3-6, 6-3

  • AG retires

    AG announces her retirement at press conference after FH.

  • The Hebrew Benevolent Congregation Temple bombing.

    The building was damaged extensively by the dynamite-fueled explosion, although no one was injured. The day after the bombing, Atlanta Constitution editor and outspoken voice of moderation on civil rights issues Ralph McGill tied the bombing to the ongoing civil rights movement in a Pulitzer prize-winning editorial. Jacob Rothschild, the temple's rabbi since 1946, was a highly visible and early advocate of civil rights and integration and friend of Martin Luther King Jr.

  • Bus segregation protest in Birmingham

    Thirteen blacks arrested for sitting in front of bus in Birmingham protesting Birmingham’s segregated bus system.

  • Bus segregation protest in Birmingham

    Thirteen blacks arrested for sitting in front of bus in Birmingham protesting Birmingham’s segregated bus system.

  • NAACP state conference - Altoona, PA

    AG attends as the guest of honor and speaker. Talks about her shame at segregation.
    Pittsburgh Press 24 Oct 1958; Public Opinion 25 oct 1958

  • Horse Soldiers

    AG gets a role of Lukey in the John Wayne movie, Horse Soldiers. Filming takes place in Nachidoches, LA and starts Oct 28. Louisianna segregation laws keep AG from filming until the crew gets to Hollywood.

  • Pigskin Club Award - Washington, DC

    For outstanding contributions to sports. AG was the first woman in the 21 year history of the organization to receive the award.

  • Outrage at the increase in nationwide bombings.

    Sen Javits and Keatings, on a tour of southern states, gather information to create legislation making it a federal offense to bomb any building used for religious, civic or educational affairs.

  • General election brings in more liberal democrats.

    Enoc Waters from the Chicago Defender identifies the gains of liberal democrats in congressional elections a major civil rights event in 1958. “In almost every instance liberal Democrats with the heavy backing of negro voters were elected displacing conservative Republicans whose position on civil rights legislation could not be depended on.”

  • I Always Wanted to be Somebody by Althea Gibson

    AG's book is released Nov 26, 1958.

  • USLTA Women's Rankings

    AG is ranked #1 women's tennis player. Beverly Fleitz is #2 and darlene Hard is #3.

  • Associated Press Female Athlete of 1958

    Associated Press year end poll awards AG female athlete of the year for the second straight year.