ALICE MARBLE COMES FROM ATHLETIC FAMILY

Southland Times, Issue 23634, 8 October 1938, Page 14

ALICE MARBLE COMES FROM ATHLETIC FAMILY

Alice Marble, winner of the American women’s singles championship a few days ago from the Australian Nancy Wynne, is a well-built, attractive girl with a typical sun-tanned, smiling Californian face. She is an all-court player, with strokes more fitting to a man player, and can send over a cannon-ball serve at will. Miss Marble holds the Wimbledon mixed doubles championship with Donald Budge. Now 25 years old, she comes from an athletic family in San Francisco. Her brothers are expert at baseball, and she played men’s games of various sorts as a child. Thus she acquired the break service, which is a feature of her play. Her career has not altogether been without mishap. In 1935 she collapsed on the centre court of the Stade

Roland Garros, when competing in the French championships. For months she lay in a sanatorium, while doctors puzzled over the illness that threatened her life. Rest brought back health, and Alice Marble competed again in the United States championships of 1936 and, beating Helen Jacobs in the final, won. She is a blonde who wears the shortest of shorts and a jockey cap that conceals a merry eye.