THE "BABE" GIVES IT THE "WORKS."

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 140, 16 June 1939, Page 13

THE "BABE" GIVES IT THE "WORKS."

RUNS, JUMPS, THROWS WELL, GOLF WONDER, BUT THINKS SHE COOKS BETTER.

A LTHOUGH it is seven years since she held 19 world's athletic r\ records, 2 5-year-old "Babe" Didrikson believe she still has what it takes.

"Yes, sir, I could show these girls something," she said, after going through her paces laet week at the Sports Ground, where her services had been enlisted to advise women athlete.* in training. "I reckon I could clean 'em all up." . In her running togs, Miss Ditlrikson i<= an Amazonian iijrure. Her powerful leg*; slim down to a shapely foot that fits a size five shoe, states the "Daily Telegraph." "See those legs.' , she said. "They're the sort of leg* you want for tunning— see. nice and straight. *'Xow. I'll just give you the work*.' . She shot off across the oval and flew with easy grace over a hurdle. "I'm not going too fast for your camera?" she asked the "Daily Telegraph" photographer. '"Hey, but this grass smells good to me. I'm 241b overweight now. but it wouldn't take me long to get it off. "When I run I juet feel like I'm on

"You've got to feel like that or you're 110 good as an athlete. You've got to have nervous tension. '"I won three events at the Games when I was 10. and tied in a fourth. "They wouldn't let me start in anything else. "If they'd let me take part in the lot. they wouldn't have wanted no girls no more. "Sow. I'll just show you how to throw a javelin. Xo trouble at all." With consummate grace, she pitched the javelin 130 feet or so. "Mind, I'm not trying now. Don't want to spoil my golf swing. "First javelin ] ever threw, was man's and I broke the world's record with it. "I guess it's just in the blood," she said. "Mv mother was champion fancy ice skater of Norway." Back in her Macleay Street flat. Miss Didrikson demonstrated a further phase of her all-round ability. ''Can I cook a breakfast?" she asked as she whipped up an omelette. "Boy, I cook better than I hit a golf ball—and that's something." "