I just heard Althea Gibson died

[CatWoman]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/tennis/2003-09-28-gibson-obit_x.htm

RIP, girl friend.

For those who don't know who she is: http://www.altheagibson.com/

She made tennis hot for minorities before Arthur Ashe was heard of.

[JitterbugPerfume]

1. A ground breaker

a heroine

[Lydia Leftcoast]

2. Althea Gibson too?

Aw, this has been a depressing couple of weeks.

I remember when she was active in tennis. She always seemed like a classy lady.

[MuseRider]

3. That is a big loss.

I am sorry to hear this.

[blm]

4. This passing should be noted more.

This woman was AMAZING and broke down barriers for black women that later were faced by Arthur Ashe and black men..

[blondeatlast]

7. Please kick. LOTS!

[blondeatlast]

5. Truly sad. Truly an overlooked groundbreaker.

The tennis stars of today could have taken lots of lessons from her in terms of carrying yourself with big-time class. Very intelligent, too. A real Renaissance woman.

This is a dark day for the sports world, a really dark day.

An enormous loss.

God bless you and keep you, Althea; from a long, long, long time tennis fan.

[blondeatlast]

6. Read the article. I am really, truly in tears over this one.

Such dignity and strength and class the world may never see again.

Edit: please kick this. She is a VERY important footnote in history, on the same scale of Jackie Robinson, and in a (then) very lily-white, country club sport. Actually, two country club sports.

[burrowowl]

8. A great woman

n/m

[blondeatlast]

9. Gaby's Poppy has a wonderful idea; link to her post:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php

Edit: Please don't let this thread die--Althea Gibson was one of the quiet revolutionaries who REALLy shook the world. She's no less important than Rosa Parks or Jackie Robinson.

[mitchum]

10. Althea Gibson, RIP

a great player and an important figure

[blondeatlast]

11. Kicking, gang. Truly one of the greats.

[blondeatlast]

12. Needs another kick.

[Loyal]

13. Great lady

She'll be missed.

[PopSixSquish]

14. Very Sad News Indeed

these past few weeks have not been kind to those of us who still need heroes