1950 - Althea Gibson

By dbloom

  • Eastern Indoor Tournament- Kingsbridge Armory, Bronx, NY (USLTA)

    Women singles:
    1. AG d. Yvonne Catilius (Neconika Katilus); 6-0, 6-1
    2. AG d. Mary Bruneau; 6-2, 6-4
    Q. AG d. Isabelle Troccole; 6-1, 6-2
    F. AG d. Millicent Hirsh Lang; 6-3, 6-1.
    Tampa Bay Times

  • National Indoor Tennis Championship, 47th annual - 7th Regiment Armory, NYC

    Women singles:
    1. Louise Ganzenmuller defaults
    2. AG d. Carolyn Liguori; 6-0, 6-1
    Q. AG d. Virginia Lee Boyer; 6-2, 6-1
    S. AG d. Mrs. Richard A. Buck; 6-2, 4-6, 7-5
    F. Nancy Chafee d. AG; 6-0, 6-2.
    Daily News and Rochester Democrat & Chronicle

  • Chuck Cooper integrates basketball

    Cooper became the first African American drafted into the NBA when the Boston Celtics chose him with the 14th overall pick.

  • Gwendolyn Brooks wins Pulitzer

    Brook's book, Annie Allen,won her the Pulitzer. She is the first African American to win the prize. She was from Chicago.

  • American Bowling Congress segregation ends

    The integration of the American Bowling Commission in 1950 allowed black bowlers to compete in ABC sanctioned meets. The reversal of the whites-only clause effected northern bowling alleys. It would take the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to make segregation illegal nationwide.

  • Henderson vs. USA

    A landmark United States Supreme Court decision that abolished segregation in railroad dining cars.

  • Korean War begins

    The war began on 25 June 1950 when North Korea invaded South Korea. On June 27 President Truman ordered US air and sea forces to help South Korea. In August 1950, the President and Secretary of State Acheson obtained the consent of Congress to appropriate $12 billion for military action in Korea. War ends July 27, 1953.

  • Alice Marble article in published in American Lawn Tennis Magazine

    Marble opposed racist policies in the USLTA

  • Anne Gregory wins first UGA tournmanent -Sixth City Open

    Gregory wins the first of four UGA championships. Not sure of the exact date.
    (see page 71 Uneven Lies)

  • National Clay Court Championship (40th annual)-River Forest Club, Chicago IL

    Women singles: (several rain delays):
    1-AG d. Mela Ramirez; 6-3, 6-1
    2-AG d. Betty Grey; 9-7, 6-2
    Q-Doris Hart d. AG; 6-2, 6-3
    Doubles:
    Q- AG/Laura Lou Jahn d. Betty Gray/Toby Greenberg; 6-4, 6-2
    S- Fry/Hart d. AG/LLJ; 6-1, 6-1
    Chicago Tribune

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

    (AG first A/A to play on a grass court)
    Women singles:
    1-AG d. Virginia Rice Johnson; 6-1, 6-3
    2-Helen Perez d. AG; 6-1, 6-1
    Women's doubles:
    1-Shirley Fry/Doris Fry d. AG/Dorothy Watman; 6-0, 6-1
    Hartford Courant & Montreal Gazette

  • Negro Eastern Open - Shady Rest, Scotch Plains

    Women singles:
    1-AG d. Shirley Butler; 6-1, 6-0
    2-AG d. Hortense Stridiron; 6-0, 6-0
    Q-Matilda Davis defaults
    S-AG d. Doris Perkins; 6-1, 6-3
    F-AG d. Nana Davis; 6-2, 6-1
    Mixed doubles:
    1-AG/S.Llewellyn d. Dolores Davis/Kenneth Freeman; 6-1, 6-2
    Q-AG/SL d. Shirley Butler/Doug Henderson; 6-4, 6-1
    S-AG/SL d. Doris Perkins/Jefferson Craig; 3-6, 6-2, 7-5
    F-AG/SL tied with Nana Davis/Quentin Vaughn when match called for rain; 6-6
    Courier News (Bridgewater, NJ)

  • New York State Open-Cosmopolitan Tennis Courts

    1. AG d. Rhoda Smith; 6-0, 6-0 F. AG d. Isabell Trocele; 6-2, 6-2

  • Midwestern - Columbus, OH

    F. AG d. Jane Hudlin; 6-3, 6-0. Afro American Aug 26.
    Date is uncertain.

  • American Tennis Association Tournament, 33rd - Wilberforce

    Women's singles (4th consecutive win for AG):
    1. Ag d. Helen Watson; 6-0, 6-2
    3. AG d. Jewel Plummer; 6-0, 6-0
    Q. AG d. Margaret Peters; 6-0, 6-3
    S. AG d. Mary Etta Fine or Delores Davis
    F. AG d. Nana Davis; 6-1, 6-0
    Mixed doubles (third consecutive win for AG/Whirlwind):
    F. AG/Whirlwind d. Mary Etta Fine/Leo Fine; 7-5, 7-5
    Atlanta Daily World 30 Aug; Afro American 2 Sep

  • National Tennis Tournament (63rd)-Forest Hills (First A/A invited to play)

    Women singles:
    1. AG d. Barbara Knapp; 6-2, 6-2
    2. Louise Brough d. AG 6-1, 3-6, 9-7

  • Meeting in NY City at Crossroads Restaurant with AG, USLTA's Hollis Dann and, Bertram Baker

    SEE SOMEBODY p. 75 and BORN p. 67 for details
    The plan:
    1. AG to Detroit for 2-3 weeks of training with Jean Hoxie.
    2. Then to England for European schedule.
    3. Funds were being raised by Joe Louis, a group of Detroiters and people in Tallahassee. Louis gave her use of his suite at the Gotham Hotel bought her a roundtrip ticket to London. (Born, p. 69)
    4. AG to leave school for a year and skip American tournaments.
    5. Letter asked FAMC to help pay expenses.
    (see Eaton collection notes)

  • Ralph Bunche (1904-1971) is awarded the Nobel Peace prize.

    Bunche won the award based on his Middle East negotiation of an armistice between Egypt and Israel. Bunche was the first A/A to receive the Nobel.

  • Century Club Sports Achievement Award Dinner

    AG is the 1950 recipient (Jackie Robinson was the 1949 recipient).
    Robinson presents the award to AG and Edith Sampson is the speaker. (My date may not be correct)