CHAPTER 1 FROM BABE TO MOʻNE The picture on the cover of Sports Illustrated is much like any other A pitcher mid windup is about to unleash a blazing fastball The headline simply reads Mo'ne with the subtitle Remember her name Mo ne Davis at 13 years old was the first Little League baseball player to ever be featured on the cover of the popular sports magazine And Mo ne is a girl Boys and girls of all ages saw her picture staring back at them at local newsstands or grocery store checkouts In 2014 Mo ne became a household name Successful female athletes are seen everywhere today Serena Williams on the tennis court Ronda Rousey in mixed martial arts MMA and the 2015 Women's World Cup champion US soccer team are role models for many young athletes today Mo'ne Davis autographs a copy of her Sports Illustrated cover
Lottie Dod left competes in archery at the 1908 Olympics in London The pioneers in women's sports created the opportunity for today's athletes to be successful Two female athletes in particular led the way for women in sports Charlotte Lottie Dod and Mildred Babe Didrikson were excelling in athletic feats even
ANNIKA SÖRENSTAM Annika Sörenstam became the first woman to follow in Didrikson Zaharias's footsteps when she competed in the Professional Golfers Association PGA Tour's 2003 Colonial Invitational Didrikson Zaharias had competed in the 1945 Los Angeles Open Sörenstam followed Didrikson Zaharias in other ways The Swedish golf star was named the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year in 2003 2004 and 2005 Didrikson Zaharias is the only other golfer to win the honor three years in a row before women had many rights Dod and Didrikson were athletic and versatile Dod first made her mark in tennis In 1887 at age 15 she won the Wimbledon's Ladies Singles championship She later became the British National Golf champion and won a silver medal in archery in the 1908 Olympic Games Didrikson followed Dod's footsteps She played baseball and basketball growing up but gained worldwide fame as a US Olympic track star In 1932 she won gold medals in the javelin throw and 80 meter hurdles She added a silver medal in the high jump
