Aug. 4, 1950: Babe Didrikson Zaharias balances on one foot urging the golf ball into the 18th green cup at the end of the second round of the All American Women’s Open.

In the Aug. 5, 1950, Los Angeles Times, an Associated Press story reported:

CHICAGO, Aug. 4 (AP)–Babe Zaharias settled for a mere women’s par-matching 76, but still held a halfway lead of eight strokes in the 72-hole All American at Tam O’Shanter Club today.

The Babe’s 36-hole total of 146, including a record-breaking 70 yesterday, left professional Betty Jameson of San Antonio, Tex., and Beverly Hanson, Pasadena, Cal., tied for second at 154….

Mrs. Zaharias, who today insisted that “I don’t play women’s par,” was even with men’s par with an opening nine 36, but she wobbled for a 40 on the back nine. That was two over feminine par and four over standard masculine figures.

Zaharias won the tournament by nine strokes and a record-breaking 8-under-par score of 296.

While Mildred Ella “Babe” Didrikson Zaharias is remembered for her domination of women’s golf in the 1940s and ’50s, she first gained national attention at the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. She won gold medals in the 80-meter hurdles and the javelin throw, plus a silver in the high jump.

The above Associated Press photo was published in the Aug. 5, 1950, Los Angeles Times.

For more. check out this 2011 Times book review by Mike Downey on “Wonder Girl: The Magnificent Sporting Life of Babe Didrikson Zaharias.”