Mildred "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias is considered the greatest female athlete of all-time. Nicknamed after Babe Ruth for her ability to hit home runs as a young girl "Babe" mastered just about any activity she put her mind to—from baseball basketball track & field and golf to diving roller-skating and bowling. She even won state sewing competitions and recorded several popular songs as a signer and harmonica player. Babe won three Olympic medals (2 gold 1 silver) in track & field at the 1932 Los Angeles Games breaking the world record in javelin and hurdles.

Babe swung her first golf club around 1932 and loved that she could hit the ball farther than most men. But it wasn’t until she met and married George Zaharias in 1938 that her golf career really took off. A pro wrestler and one of few men who could out-drive Babe "Big" George got her to focus entirely on golf. The rest is history. Babe Zaharias won 82 total tournaments between 1933 and 1953 including 10 major championships and an unprecedented stretch of 17 straight amateur events in the late 1940’s. Her best season was 1950 when she completed the Grand Slam winning all three women's majors: the U.S. Open the Titleholders Championship and the Women's Western Open. Babe dominated the sport unlike any women before or after. She passed away in 1956 at the tender age of 45 after a long battle with cancer.

In 1999 the Associated Press voted Zaharias the top 'Woman Athlete of the 20th Century' and 9th greatest athlete overall male or female. Renowned sportswriters Grantland Rice and Paul Gallico marveled at Babe’s ability and grace. Said Rice "She is beyond all belief until you see her perform...Then you finally understand that you are looking at the most flawless section of muscle harmony of complete mental and physical coordination the world of sport has ever seen." Gallico called her "the most talented athlete male or female ever developed in our country."

This unbelievable set of vintage Babe Zaharias tournament-used artifacts includes her very own Wilson bag and full set of Wilson golf clubs that the golf legend played with during the late 1940’s (circa 1947-1950). Prior to signing with Wilson in 1947 Babe used MacGregor Tommy Armour clubs. The bag is an exquisite light brown leather design with ‘Wilson Sporting Goods Co.’ and a gorgeous cursive 'Babe D. Zaharias' painted on the face. (The photos attached are no direct match but show her using a bag with a similar facsimile stamp.) While showing plenty of use including some slight staining and cracking to the leather the bag remains in outstanding condition for something so dated and historically significant. All custom-made Wilson clubs are equipped with well-designed GRUV grips. They show heavy use yet all are still perfectly playable.

Irons 2-PW: Wilson Top-Notch Gooseneck (Reg. No. 4102 3/8) stainless steel.

Driver/Woods: 1 2W 3W & 4W Wilson Top-Notch 4300 with Strata-Bloc wooden heads and matching white leather headcovers.

Putter: Wilson Gooseneck 35" stainless steel.

 

This lot comes with a letter of authenticity from Hal Shaw Babe’s former Caddie during the period Babe used this bag and clubs. Shaw is also the current president of the Babe & George Zaharias Golf Foundation in Tampa FL which benefits disabled and underprivileged children. He spent much of his childhood doing odd jobs for Babe and George Zaharias at their Tampa Bay Golf and Country Club (now called Babe Zaharias Golf Course) anything to stay close to the game and learn as much as he could from his mentors. He grew very close to Babe and "Big" George so much so that they became like adopted parents. As a teenager Hal towed the bag for Babe throughout much of her amateur career in the late 1940's and early 1950's. The bag and clubs were believed to have been used during her famous win streak of 17 straight tournaments including her victory at the 1947 British Ladies Amateur Championship!