Babe Conquers the World: The Legendary Life of Babe Didrikson Zaharias by Rich Wallace (review)

In this biography of Olympic track and field champion and multi-sport paragon Babe Didrikson, the husband and wife Wallace team pay the necessary tribute to their subject’s acclaimed string of “women’s firsts” but concentrate even more effectively on the portrayal of a brash, driven gal who’s admirable but not all that likable. The warts-and-all depiction draws not only from Babe’s autobiography and contemporary media coverage, but also from interviews with sports colleagues and competitors who regarded her tendency to hog the ball, push aside teammates, and grab all the glory with bemusement or resentment. The book covers much the same ground as Russell Freedman’s Babe Didrikson Zaharias (BCCB 10/99), but the viewpoint of these sportswriter authors sets quite a different tone. Although the Wallaces do not pause to make direct comparisons with present-day sports, readers will nonetheless notice that many themes in Babe’s career mirror current issues, from censorious public comments by bested rivals, to acerbic sportswriters, to gaming the line between professional and amateur athletics. A dense gallery of black and white photographs is included, as well as insets that offer context and background. With source notes, index, an extensive bibliography, and even a FAQ section (that also briefly addresses speculation about Didrikson’s sexual orientation), this will be a winning suggestion for the obligatory biography report—a substantive book kids will actually have fun reading.