Top 17 Quotes & Sayings by Althea Gibson

Explore popular quotes and sayings by an American athlete Althea Gibson.

Last updated on December 20, 2024.

Althea Neale Gibson was an American tennis player and professional golfer, and one of the first Black athletes to cross the color line of international tennis. In 1956, she became the first African American to win a Grand Slam title. The following year she won both Wimbledon and the US Nationals, then won both again in 1958 and was voted Female Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press in both years. In all, she won 11 Grand Slam tournaments: five singles titles, five doubles titles, and one mixed doubles title. Gibson was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame and the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame. "She is one of the greatest players who ever lived", said Bob Ryland, a tennis contemporary and former coach of Venus and Serena Williams. "Martina [Navratilova] couldn't touch her. I think she'd beat the Williams sisters." In the early 1960s she also became the first Black player to compete on the Women's Professional Golf Tour.

American - Athlete | August 25, 1927 - September 28, 2003

Source: Wikipedia

In sports, you simply aren't considered a real champion until you have defended your title successfully. Winning it once can be a fluke; winning it twice proves you are the best.

Althea Gibson

Being champion is all well and good, but you can't eat a crown.

Althea Gibson

Shaking hands with the Queen of England was a long way from being forced to sit in the colored section of the bus going into downtown Wilmington, North Carolina.

Althea Gibson

I don't want to be put on a pedestal. I just want to be reasonably successful and live a normal life with all the conveniences to make it so.

Althea Gibson

I think I have done enough for sports and made enough of a name for myself to deserve some sort of backing - most of the other girls have it.

Althea Gibson

In the field of sports you are more or less accepted for what you do rather than what you are.

Althea Gibson

I always wanted to be somebody. If I made it, it's half because I was game enough to take a lot of punishment along the way and half because there were a lot of people who cared enough to help me.

Althea Gibson

No matter what accomplishments you make, somebody helped you.

Althea Gibson

Most of us who aspire to be tops in our fields don't really consider the amount of work required to stay tops.

Althea Gibson

From 143rd Street in Harlem to the center court at Wimbledon is about as far as one can travel.

Althea Gibson

Winning once can be a fluke; winning twice proves you are the best.

Althea Gibson

I think I've already got the main thing I've always wanted, which is to be somebody, to have an identify. I'm Althea Gibson, the tennis champion. I hope it makes me happy.

Althea Gibson

The loser is always a part of the problem; the winner is always a part of the answer. The loser always has an excuse; the winner always has a program. The loser says it may be possible, but it's difficult; the winner says it may be difficult, but it's possible.

Althea Gibson

I don't consciously beat the drums for any cause, not even the negro in the United States.

Althea Gibson

I always wanted to be somebody...If I've made it, it's half because I was game to take a wicked amount of punishment along the way, and half because there were an awful lot of people who cared enough to help me.

Althea Gibson

I was nervous and confident at the same, nervous about going out there in front of all those people, with so much at stake, and confident that I was going to go out there and win.

Althea Gibson

I hope that I have accomplished just one thing: that I have been a credit to tennis and my country.

Althea Gibson

Top 17 Quotes & Sayings by Althea Gibson

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