Celebration Week for Tennis Great Althea Gibson

TENNIS – Before there was Serena and Venus Williams, Arthur Ashe, Zina Garrison, Chandra Rubin, Donald Young and James Blake just to name a few, there was Althea Gibson. This tall and beautiful athlete reigned supreme in the sport of women’s tennis back in the pre-open era of 1950’s. What is most remarkable about Ms. Gibson is that she rose to the top of the sport as a black athlete enduring resentments, restrictions and racism, something none of the white competitors ever faced.

Freeport, Bahamas Retro Photo of Sports Pioneer and Legend Althea Gibson, who died, at age 76 on September 28l 2003 in South Orange, New Jersey, after a long illness with teenager Martina Navratilova at the Superstars Competition. Althea was the first black person to play at Wimbledon and the first black champion at Wimbledon...likewise the first black to play on the LPGA Tour....she was the pioneer, who broke the racial barriers and set things up for Arthur Ashe, Zina Garrison, Venus & Serena Williams. photo by Art Seitz — Freeport, Bahamas Retro Photo of Sports Pioneer and Legend Althea Gibson, who died, at age 76 on September 28 2003 in South Orange, New Jersey, after a long illness with teenager Martina Navratilova at the Superstars Competition. Althea was the first black person to play at Wimbledon and the first black champion at Wimbledon…likewise the first black to play on the LPGA Tour….she was the pioneer, who broke the racial barriers and set things up for Arthur Ashe, Zina Garrison, Venus & Serena Williams. photo by Art Seitz

Fort Lauderdale, Florida Around 1974. Wimbledon Singles, Doubles and Mixed Doubles Champion Bobby Riggs with 1957 and 1958 WImbledon Champion Althea Gibson at the Tennis Club of Fort Lauderdale. Althea was the first Afro-American woman to play at Wimbledon, win Wimbledon and to play on the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour. Exclusive photo by Art Seitz

Ms. Gibson was an 11-time major winner, claiming her first title at the 1956 French Open becoming the first person of colour to do so. Ms. Gibson went on the following year to make the Australian Open final and then claiming the Wimbledon and US Nationals (US Open) titles. She would defend both her Wimbledon and US Nationals title in 1958. She won 5 doubles titles (1957 Australian Open, French Open 1956, Wimbledon 1956-1958) and one mixed double (1957 US Nationals). Ms. Gibson retired from tennis soon after owning the financial hardships of being an amateur athlete in 1958 with 56 national international tennis titles. She went on play professional golf becoming the first black athlete on the professional tour.

**WIMBLEDON, UK, ALTHEA GIBSON AND ZINA GARRISON IN 1980S.**

PARIS, FRANCE IN THE 70'S TENNIS LEGEND ALTHEA GIBSON WITH KIM SANDS AND ...MAYBE CAMILLE BENJAMIN?? NOT SURE ART SEITZ copyright 1970-2000 ERA BEST OF ART SEITZ 35MM SLIDES CONVERTED FOR DIGITIAL USE ART CAN BE REACHED AT 954 563 0060 OR ASEITZ2690@AOL.COM OR ART SEITZ, 1905 N. ATLANTIC BLVD., FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA 33305 USA — PARIS, FRANCE IN THE 70’S TENNIS LEGEND ALTHEA GIBSON WITH KIM SANDS AND …MAYBE CAMILLE BENJAMIN?? NOT SURE
ART SEITZ copyright 1970-2000 ERA BEST OF ART SEITZ
35MM SLIDES CONVERTED FOR DIGITIAL USE
ART CAN BE REACHED AT 954 563 0060 OR ASEITZ2690@AOL.COM OR ART SEITZ, 1905 N. ATLANTIC BLVD., FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA 33305 USA

August 25, 2015 marked the 88th birthday of tennis great Althea Gibson. A week long celebration is being held in honour of Ms. Gibson along with a new documentary film, American Masters ALTHEA directed by Rex Miller, set to be aired early in September across the US. Ms. Gibson was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1971