Althea Gibson, American tennis player, in action
Althea Gibson First Black Contestant for Wimbledon Reaches Semi finals at Surbiton. 28 years old tennis star Althea Gibson is a player to watch at this year's Wimbledon. She has already won the Rome and Paris tennis championships and should she win again at Wimbledon, she will be the first black player to do so. Althea was first discovered 14 years ago, by a play street director while playing paddle Tennis in a Harlem Street. He introduced her to the Cosmopolitan Tennis Club, she won some championships and was offered an athletics scholarship in Florida and became a bachelor of Science and Agriculture and Mechanics. Yesterday Althea Gibson smashed her way into the semi finals of the Surrey Tennis Championships at Surbiton after a harassing day during which worried by several close line decisions she asked the umpire if he could have the assistance of linesmen. Play was held up before the umpire announced that linesmen were not available. Her white American opponent, Mrs. Rosenquest Pratt told her afterwards That stoppage was gamesmanship, unconscious perhaps, but still gamesmanship
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Afterwards Althea Announced Asked Assistance Available Bachelor Contestant Cosmopolitan Decisions Discovered Finals Harassing Harlem Introduced Linesmen Mechanics Offered Opponent Paddle Perhaps Pratt Reaches Scholarship Smashed Stoppage Surbiton Told Umpire Unconscious
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