If I asked you this same question about 70 years ago, you would have had a lot fewer options to pick from. And one thing’s for sure. You would have almost surely named a male athlete. This is because, in the 1950s, the greatest sports legends, and basically the only sports legends were men. 

It was very rare for women to play professional sports. When they did, they were told that they weren’t as competitive or fun to watch as the men playing the same sport as them. This meant that young girls had nobody to look up to. They had no Naomi Osaka or Alex Morgan to dream of becoming. 

A young girl named Billie Jean King was growing up in those days. She loved sports. She was born in California in 1943 into a family of athletes. Seriously, at least one of her family members had excelled at just about every sport you can think of. Her mother was a swimmer, and her father did basketball, baseball, and track. Her younger brother played baseball, and he even became a pitcher in Major League Baseball. 

Today, we might think that  Billie Jean was born to be an athlete. But this was 70 years ago. So, it was something of a surprise when Billie Jean wanted to follow in her family’s footsteps and be an athlete. 

Her family’s skills meant that she had high expectations and big shoes to fill. But, it didn’t take long before Billie Jean was proving she was every bit the talented athlete as the rest of her family. 

She started in softball. And she was really good at it. So good that when she was only 10 years old, she was playing with teenagers. It didn’t matter that they were bigger and stronger. She was still a strong competitor. 

After seeing one of her friends playing tennis, though, Billie Jean traded her softball bat for a tennis racquet. With that first swing at 11 years old, Billie Jean swiftly showed that she was definitely made to be a tennis player. 

She even told her mom that she was going to become the best tennis player in the world. Not the best women’s tennis player, not even the best women’s athlete, but the best tennis player in the world. 

There was one slight problem. Nobody really paid much attention to women’s tennis players, or really any women playing professional sports. So Billie Jean didn’t have anybody to model her career after. She had no female superstar athletes paving the way for her. Nope, she was going to have to do it all herself. Young Billie Jean had lots of challenges ahead of her. She was definitely going to have to prove that she was a tough opponent on the court.

But what she didn’t know was that some of her toughest battles would be off the court.

Still, Billie Jean knew in her heart that tennis was her sport. She was ready to start training. She was ready to start the path to become the best tennis player in the world. Not so fast, said reality! Her first off-court opponent was quick to show up. And it  stopped Billie Jean in her tracks. 

At the time, tennis was a pretty expensive sport. Her family didn’t have a lot of money, and her parents didn’t think they would be able to afford all of the equipment that she needed to start playing tennis. Billie Jean was used to overcoming an opponent with skill or endurance. That couldn’t help her this time.

But what could help her was persistence and hard work. Billie Jean decided that she would earn the money herself. She asked her neighbors if she could do jobs for them. Slowly, she ended up saving the money to buy herself her first racquet.

One opponent down. She had a racquet. She was ready to start practicing. She took free tennis lessons offered in her hometown of Long Beach, California. 

After a couple years of practice, Billie Jean was getting better and better. At age 14, she even won a championship tournament in Southern California! She was proving to herself and everyone around her that she was an athlete. And a great one.

But more opponents popped up off the court.  People criticized the way she played. They said she played too aggressively for a young girl. Billie Jean couldn’t help that she was a girl. No matter how well she performed, the boys around her were getting much more attention and praise. Billie Jean was frustrated. 

The criticism that she faced because of her gender continued to build. Then, as a teenager, she played in a big tennis tournament. At the end, they gathered all of the players for a photo.   Except for Billie Jean.

Why was she excluded from the photo?  At that time in tennis, women played in a traditional skirt. Billie Jean wore shorts. She was more comfortable and could play better in them. But she wasn’t allowed to be in the photo. Not unless she wore a skirt. Like girls were supposed to wear.

She felt like many people were rooting against her. The people in charge of tournaments didn’t want her to be noticed for her success. Despite this little loss, she kept playing throughout all of high school, and by the time she was ready to go to college, Billie Jean was ranked as one of the best women’s tennis players in the whole country. 

Even though she was winning almost every match in every tournament she joined, she made less prize money than the men who won the exact same tournaments. The people around her told her that she was a very good tennis player…for a girl. 

The college she went to wouldn’t even give her a scholarship just because she was a girl! She won every match she could, but still she felt that her gender was the one rival she would never be able to vanquish. 

Billie Jean was starting to realize that her childhood dream of being the best tennis player in the world was going to be much more difficult than she thought. She accepted that it would be difficult, but she did not accept that it would be impossible. 

Billie Jean was already fighting hard on the court. Now she was ready to start fighting back just as hard off the court. When she thought about her childhood dream, she didn’t just want to be the best tennis player in the world for herself. She wanted to be the best player in the world so she could make sports equal for all the girls who followed in her tennis-playing footsteps. 

To do this, Billie Jean would have to start playing more and bigger tournaments. So that’s exactly what she did. In 1961, when she was 18 years old, she competed in her first Wimbledon tournament. Wimbledon is an annual tennis tournament held in London, and it’s basically the World Cup of tennis. It’s one of the biggest and most watched tournaments all over the world every year. 

Billie Jean and her tennis partner Karen Hantz Susman became the youngest pair to ever win the Wimbledon women’s doubles title. After that, she didn’t stop. She kept winning. For the next 20 years almost, it seemed like Billie Jean won every match she played. 

In 1966, she won her first major singles championship at the Wimbledon tournament. And then she won again in 1967. And again in 1968. She went on to win a record-winning total of 20 Wimbledon titles in her career, which she still holds the record for today. 

Her victories spanned the whole world. From 1961 when she won that first Wimbledon, until 1979, Billie Jean won 13 titles at the major tennis tournament in the United States, four at the one in France, and two at the one in Australia, and 20 – yes, 20 – from Wimbledon.  

Even without doing the  math, we can all agree that those added up to a lot of wins for Billie Jean. Most importantly, she achieved that special goal that she told her mother about when she was a young girl. For a total of 6 years, Billie Jean King was ranked as the best women’s tennis player in the world. 

She’d made a name for herself. Now Billie Jean wanted to use the fame and reputation she’d earned on the court to start tackling some of the challenges and problems she’d dealt with off the court.

She first created an association specifically for women playing in tennis. She wanted to make the sport equal between mens and womens players, not only for herself, but for the women she was competing against, and for the thousands of young girls who might one day break the records she was setting. 

With this new Women’s Tennis Association, Billie Jean started a campaign to make prize money equal for both men and women at all these tournaments. At one point, Billie Jean even said she would stop playing in tournaments that would not offer the same amount of prize money. Unless they offered up some equality off the court, Billie Jean would not play. And without Billie Jean, less people came to see these tournaments.  

So the United States Open in 1973 became the first major tournament to offer equal prize money to both men and women thanks to Billie Jean. This was a big deal! It’s rare, even today, for male athletes and female athletes to earn the same amount of money. Billie Jean’s hard work and international success was changing some people’s minds. 

Of course, not everybody was happy with these changes. One of them was an older men’s tennis player. His name was Bobby Riggs. Bobby was especially upset with Billie Jean. He insisted that men’s tennis was better than women’s tennis. He boasted that he could beat any of the best female players, Billie Jean included. Even though he had been retired from the sport for almost 20 years, he challenged Billie Jean to a tennis match. The winner would get $100,000! And almost as importantly, they would get bragging rights. 

Billie Jean had never been one to back away from a challenge. She had changed the game of tennis and made it better for women. She had paid for her own equipment, been excluded from tournament photos, and spent decades training. Was she going to back down now? Of course, she accepted. 

People were very excited. They nicknamed the match the “Battle of the Sexes.” They put it on TV for the whole country to watch! It was the most watched tennis match ever. This meant that the stakes were even higher for Billie Jean. Could she beat a male tennis player? Could she show everybody watching that women were just as good at sports as men? 

On September 20 in 1973 Billie Jean King beat Bobby Riggs very easily. But it wasn’t her only victory. Her tougher victory was the respect she won for women by the thousands of viewers across the world. People were starting to agree with 11-year-old Billie Jean. Finally, it seemed that Billie Jean could claim the title of the best tennis player. 

Since then, Billie Jean has retired. She set up the Women’s Sports Foundation and a co-ed tennis team to make sure women would always have a place in professional sports. She continues to advocate for women in professional sports.

Billie Jean’s victories are one reason that we have many successful women’s athletes that we can look up to today. People like Simone Biles, Alex Morgan, and Serena Williams aren’t great athletes in spite of being women. They are the greatest athletes because they are women. And that’s something that Billie Jean worked hard to prove.  

So the next time you hear someone say, “They’re pretty good . . . for a girl,” remind them of Billie Jean King. Who was a pretty good athlete. Period. 

Sources: 

https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/Billie-Jean-King/630675

https://kids.kiddle.co/Billie_Jean_King#Early_life

https://kidskonnect.com/people/billie-jean-king/

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Battle-of-the-Sexes-tennis

The post The Story of Billie Jean King for Kids appeared first on Bedtime History: Podcast and Videos For Kids.

Not for the first time, Charles wondered why he agreed to race today. He could have been asleep in his warm and cozy flat. Instead, he was shivering out here on the edge of the school grounds on a typical drizzly morning in England in autumn.

He should have told his older brother Albert he wasn’t ready to be a Hare. It was such an important job that it was usually reserved for more experienced runners. Like Albert. Albert was the school’s top runner and had won this event – the Royal Shrewsbury School Hunt – for the last three years.

“I want to run a race with my brother,” Albert insisted. What he should have said was “I want to win a race against my brother.”

Either way, Albert dragged Charles to the headmaster’s office who listened to Albert’s argument without interrupting, then finally leaned back in his chair and said, “Well, since I am anxious to learn if Charles has inherited your quickness, I shall agree to let him be a Hare.”

The following day, Charles was paired up with a nice enough lad named Edward. For hours, he and Edward wadded paper into little balls that were now stuffed in knapsacks slung over their shoulders. As they ran, they would drop those balls in order to leave a paper trail for the other runners to follow. 

Most importantly, they would desperately try to stay ahead of the two groups chasing them: the Hounds and the Huntsmen. The Hounds currently stood a few meters from Charles, clustered in identical white knickers and jerseys. Behind them were the Huntsmen. Charles’s pulse quickened when he looked at them. The Huntsmen were led by his brother Albert.

He wore a brown cap and a red jersey and carried a bugle as was customary for the Lead Huntsman. Charles watched, his heart racing, as Albert stepped forward.

“All hounds who wish to run, run hard, run well,” he yelled. “And Huntsmen?”  He paused and the runners grew silent. Then, he fixed his eyes on Charles. “We shall feast on rabbit stew for supper!” The runners cheered loudly.

Charles gritted his teeth. He fixed his eyes on the course ahead. He would show Albert. He would beat all of them.

So when Albert sounded the bugle seconds later, Charles bolted into the forest like he was actually being chased by hounds. He dashed left and right, dropping paper as he went. He jumped over fences and splashed through mud. Even when Edward fell behind, Charles ran.

For nearly three hours, he kept his eyes forward and ran. His legs ached. His lungs throbbed. Only when he saw the marked finish line did he glance back. 

Albert was there, meters away. He was close enough for Charles to see the desperation in his eyes. Albert realized there would be no rabbit stew. He was about to lose his first race.

Charles’s heart pinched. Next year, Albert would head to university. Charles would have two more years to prove he was fast. This was Albert’s last race.

Charles slowed his pace. It took only a heartbeat for Albert to fly past him. But the small nod Albert offered his younger brother was enough. Albert claimed victory that day. But only by a hair.

Sources:

• https://worldathletics.org/news/press-release/royal-shrewsbury-school-hunt-iaaf-heritage
• https://www.shrewsbury.org.uk/co-curricular/sport/cross-country-rssh-#:~:text=Written%20records%20date%20from%201831,a%20mounted%20fox%2Dhunting%20club. 
• https://www.runnersworld.com/advanced/a20800271/the-origins-of-cross-country/ 
• https://www.runnerspace.com/news.php?news_id=268639

The organized sport of running – called cross country – only goes back about two hundred years. It started in England at a boys’ school called Shrewsbury after the headmaster rejected the idea of a fox-hunting club. Charles and Albert, from the story we just read, are fictional but real students like them proposed a running race through the countryside. They modeled the sport after fox hunting, which was popular in England at the time. As you learned in the story, they even had names like Hares and Hounds.

Humans have been running for more than two million years. Today, we run for exercise or for sport. But back then? We ran to survive. 

Imagine life for those first humans. Chances are, you would have spent most of the day thinking about how to get your next meal. Inevitably, you would have realized that dinner was not going to be served to you. No! You had to catch it. Bad news: your two legs weren’t as speedy as the four legs that cheetahs and gazelles had.

Plus, it would be a few thousand years before humans figured out how to make a spear or a slingshot to make hunting a bit easier. In order to eat and avoid being eaten in the early years, you would have had to figure out how to move fast. 

However, anthropologists who study early humans believe that those first people came up with something better than speed. They discovered endurance. Endurance let humans run longer and farther than the animals they wanted to eat. So even though the first humans might not have been as fast, they could outrun their dinner. 

Over time, the human body adapted to help people run. For example, humans’ legs grew longer and their feet became lighter. The joints in their legs helped them absorb more impact. These changes helped humans catch bigger prey. Bigger meals meant more calories. More calories led to bigger brains. Bigger brains helped people discover how to survive longer. Good news for all of us.

Running hasn’t always just been about survival, though; it’s also one of the oldest competitive sports. You see, once we figured out how to outrun animals, we wanted to see if we could outrun each other. In fact, carvings on the walls of Egyptian tombs show people competitively running as early as 3100 BC.  In ancient Greece, people raced against each other at the earliest Olympic games. These races were only about two hundred yards in length because they took place in an arena called a stadion. But the winners of those races were seen as the greatest athletes of the games. They got to wear a crown of olive leaves to prove it! 

Eventually, people started racing longer distances. Probably the most well-known of these is the marathon. Today, marathon runners today run exactly 26.2 miles. Seems like an odd distance for a race, right? Well, marathon runners can thank a Greek messenger and the British queen for that.

In ancient Greece, messengers would run miles to deliver important news or information. Pheidippides was one of these messengers, He lived in the Greek city-state of Athens. At the time, Athens was engaged in a fierce war against the Persian army – an army that was bigger and better trained and favored to win the war by a lot. 

In a surprise turn of events, Athens managed to win a key battle in a city called Marathon. The general of the Athenian army told poor Pheidippides to run as fast as possible to Athens and tell everyone there the good news: Athens had won! Pheidippides did as he was told, racing 25 miles from Marathon to Athens. Legend says that as soon as he announced the victory, he collapsed from exhaustion and well . . . .died. But somehow, the idea of running that far stuck around and became known as a marathon.

But what about the additional 1.2 miles? Fast way forward to 1908. The Olympic games were being held in London. The Queen of England, Queen Alexandra, demanded that the marathon start at Windsor Castle and finish directly in front of her royal box at the Olympic stadium. The only problem was that this was a distance of 26.2 miles – 1.2 miles longer than normal. The queen, not surprisingly, got her way and the fate of marathoners was forever sealed. 

In recent years, the number of people competing in running races has grown. So, too have the types of races available. Long-distance runners can train to run a marathon or its descendent, the half marathon which is 13.1 miles. For those who prefer shorter distances, there are any number of 5K or 10K races to enter around the world on any given weekend.

Most people sign up to run for exercise or to show off the medal you get when you finish. Professional runners, however, compete for prize money. Every year, the well-known Boston Marathon welcomes top runners from around the world. The winner of this race often finishes in under two hours and can win about $75,000. 

Maybe you’ve even heard of a few of the more famous runners, like Usain Bolt. This Jamaican sprinter was named the Fastest Man in the World when he ran 100 meters in 8.58 seconds at the Olympic Games. 

Like our ancestors, we’re still testing the limits of endurance and speed. Fortunately, though, dinner no longer needs to be chased down. We can all be grateful for that.

Sources:

https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/marathons-ancient-origins

https://worldathletics.org/news/press-release/royal-shrewsbury-school-hunt-iaaf-heritage

https://www.shrewsbury.org.uk/co-curricular/sport/cross-country-rssh-#:~:text=Written%20records%20date%20from%201831,a%20mounted%20fox%2Dhunting%20club.

https://www.runnersworld.com/advanced/a20800271/the-origins-of-cross-country/

https://www.runnerspace.com/news.php?news_id=268639

https://www.npr.org/2010/07/19/128626037/for-humans-slow-and-steady-running-won-the-race

https://www.livescience.com/98-runner-high-jogging-separated-humans-apes.html

https://www.history.com/news/why-is-a-marathon-26-2-miles

The post History of Competitive Running and Cross Country for Kids appeared first on Bedtime History: Podcast and Videos For Kids.

With each stride, the ground beneath your feet feels soft and supportive. Your body tingles with energy. The game begins, and you gracefully move with purpose and skill. 

Your feet dance across the field. A black and white ball joins you as you pass and manipulate it with precision. A symphony of understanding passes between you and your teammates. No words are needed, for your actions speak louder than any words. You share a connection knowing where to be and when.

Onlookers watch in awe, their eyes wide with admiration. And then, in a thrilling moment, it happens. The ball comes to you, and you see an opportunity. You run forward, your heart pounding. With all your strength, you kick the ball toward the goal.

Time seems to slow down as you watch the ball soar through the air. The crowd holds its breath, their eyes locked on the spinning sphere. And then, with a thud, the ball finds the back of the net.

Cheers explode around you as your teammates rush to celebrate. You’re surrounded by hugs, high-fives, and smiles. You’ve scored a goal, a moment of triumph that fills your heart with joy.

This is soccer, also known as football in most countries outside of the United States. It’s easily the most popular sport in the world. It passes through borders and connects cultures. It is a sport that unites teammates and brings joy to millions of hearts around the globe. It’s a game that captures the essence of teamwork, perseverance, and the spirit of competition. 

Join us as we learn about the history of soccer…

A long time ago in the 12 century a simpler version of soccer called ‘Folk ball’ was played in English meadows. It was quite different from the soccer we know today. People used their fists to punch the ball and tackle each other. They played pretty rough and it was known to be a very violent game. It wasn’t until later that the British government made soccer a much safer sport by changing the rules. 

The game was played between English public schools, but each school had its own rules, some allowed you to carry the ball,  while others didn’t allow players to pick it up at all.

The different rules made it hard for schools to play each other. That is until 1848 when the Cambridge Rules were adopted. That’s when soccer and rugby became two separate sports and touching the ball with your hands became illegal. 

Have you ever heard of rugby? Unlike soccer, players in rugby can use their hands to pass the ball backward or kick it forward. The game is known to be pretty physical because players can tackle the other team to stop them from scoring.

For many years soccer was mostly played between local schools, but that was soon to change by the Industrial Revolution. 

The Industrial Revolution was a time in history when big changes happened in how things were made. Before, most things were made by hand, but during the Industrial Revolution, machines were invented to do the work faster and more efficiently.

These machines were powered by steam engines and later by electricity. Factories were built where these machines were used to make all sorts of things like clothes, tools, and even food. This meant that more things could be made in less time, and it changed the way people lived and worked.

When factories started popping up, their workers began playing soccer.  They formed teams based on their jobs and played the game after work as a social activity. Then something really important happened: railroads were introduced, which meant that teams could travel to other places and play against different teams. 

This is how the first soccer leagues were created. During this time, teams started paying the best players to join them and people started buying tickets to watch the star players in action. This changed soccer from just a fun game to a professional sport.

At the same time in England, the first amateur soccer club was born. 

The members of the cricket team wanted to stay active during the winter months, so they started playing friendly soccer matches during this time. Eventually, they formed an official soccer team called Sheffield FC, which was established in 1857. 

They made their own rules for the game, but after some time, they decided to follow the rules set by the Football Association (FA).

Soccer was becoming very popular all over England, and the leading clubs started playing against each other. In 1888, the English Football League was created, which made the game even more organized. Around the same time, soccer started gaining popularity in Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. By 1890, all four countries in the United Kingdom had their own leagues and competed against each other.

After soccer became popular in England, it quickly spread to other countries around the world. In the late 19th century, only a few national football teams existed. England and Scotland played their first match against each other in the 1870s.

In 1903, a French journalist named Robert Guérin wanted to create an organization that would oversee international soccer. He gathered representatives from seven nations together in Paris. Their goal was to unite national soccer associations worldwide. 

These seven countries including Belgium, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland, are now recognized as the founding members of the Federation Internationale de Football Association also known as FIFA.

Since it began in Paris, FIFA has grown into the world’s most popular sports organization. Every four years, FIFA hosts an incredible event called the World Cup, which brings together teams from all around the world, both men and women to prove who is the best soccer team in the world. The World Cup is incredibly popular and attracts millions of fans. It is the second most-watched international sporting event, right after the Olympic Games. 

When it comes to wins at the World Cup, one country stands out. This is the country of Brazil in South America. Brazil has an impressive record, having won the tournament FIVE times. Not only that, but Brazil has also participated in every single World Cup, showing their consistency and talent on the field.

As the years go by, the popularity of the World Cup continues to soar. In 2018, when the tournament was hosted by Russia, 3.5 billion people from all corners of the globe watched the matches. This number was even higher than the previous World Cup held in Brazil, showing the growing excitement and love for the game.

Although soccer can be a fun game that we play with our friends, for many people it is much more than just a casual activity. Soccer holds a special place in the hearts of millions around the world. It is a passion, a way of life, and a source of joy and excitement. 

From young children dreaming of becoming professional players to dedicated fans who cheer for their favorite teams, soccer has the power to ignite emotions, create lifelong bonds, and even create super athletes that we watch today. 

Two of the most famous soccer players are Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Lionel Messi, born in Argentina, began his soccer journey at a young age. He joined Barcelona’s youth academy at 13 and quickly rose through the ranks. Messi’s incredible skills and scoring ability helped him win many titles with Barcelona, including La Liga and the UEFA Champions League. 

He left Barcelona in 2021 and joined Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). Messi’s humble nature and millions of dollars of donations have also made him an admired figure off the field as well. Cristiano Ronaldo also showed exceptional talent from a young age. His journey started at Sporting CP before moving to Manchester United in 2003. 

Ronaldo’s remarkable skills, speed, and goal-scoring ability led him to great success. Off the field, Ronaldo has been involved in various charities, which means giving of his money, and is known for his dedication to fitness and professionalism. 

Messi and Ronaldo are just two soccer athletes who have influenced the game of soccer in their own unique ways. Their success stories reflect how soccer has the power to change lives. Both Messi and Ronaldo come from humble backgrounds and faced numerous challenges on their paths to stardom. Through hard work, perseverance, and their incredible talents, they have become role models and global icons.

Soccer is a sport that brings communities together, instills values of teamwork and perseverance. Whether played on dusty fields or crowded stadiums, soccer is able to capture the imagination and unite people from different backgrounds in a shared love for the beautiful game.

The post History of Soccer | Football for Kids appeared first on Bedtime History: Podcast and Videos For Kids.

Annie Smith Peck had a pretty normal childhood. I know that’s not an exciting way to start a podcast, but it’s true. Born right in the middle of the 19th century to an old, her Rhode Island family traced its roots to the founder of the state. She went to school, then studied to become a teacher. Her family was a little more open-minded than most–Annie’s father took her to see a women’s rights activist speak once.  But they still expected Annie to marry, start a family, and live the respectable life of a well-off 19th-century woman from an old family. 

Annie had other ideas–not quite plans, but not marriage and children. The fire-brand feminist speaker she’d seen as a child had convinced her she could do bigger things than her family expected. Her old high school teacher, who refused to give Annie a permanent job, also hinted that teaching wasn’t a big enough goal for her. But Annie wasn’t sure what those bigger goals should be. The sheltered life she led with her family in Rhode Island didn’t help her expand her vision. So she drifted around, trying things out. A friend had moved west to Illinois after high school and gotten a job teaching, and Annie decided to try her luck in the Midwest. She moved to Michigan to teach. 

Once in Michigan, it became clear to those around her that Annie was capable of more than just teaching. She became friends with a few professors at the nearby University of Michigan, who recognized her curious and adventurous spirit. Annie had tried to gain admission to Brown University in Rhode Island, the school where her father and brothers had gone, but they refused her. They didn’t take female students. The University of Michigan did though. It was one of the first in the nation to do so, and Annie’s new friends made sure she got the chance to enroll. 

Annie was in her twenties by the time she started college, much older than most of her classmates, but she immediately felt that she belonged. She studied hard, made many new friends, and expanded her mind and her possibilities. When she graduated at 27, Annie was just getting started on her adventures!

After teaching in colleges for a few years, Annie earned enough money to begin her travels, and she never really stopped. Over the next several years, Annie would go back and forth between Europe and the US. She went to a famous archeological school in Greece, took photos, hiked, and made lifelong friends. Between trips, she kept teaching, and also started giving lectures about Greek archeology and history, using photos and experiences from her travels. 

It was on one of these trips to Europe that Annie discovered the passion that would dominate the rest of her life: mountain climbing. She scaled mountains all over Europe and the United States, from one of California’s highest mountains–Mount Shasta–to the Alps in Europe. She climbed the Matterhorn, a famously steep and treacherous peak in the Swiss Alps in 1895, becoming the second woman to do so. Even though she wasn’t the first woman to climb it, her accomplishment did attract some attention, though not so much for the climbing part: people were aghast that she had climbed in PANTS! Annie just thought this was the sensible thing to wear when climbing mountains, but some people thought she should be arrested for not wearing a skirt! 

By the time she climbed the Matterhorn, Annie was 45 years old, but she was just getting started on her climbing career. Between mountains, she spent all her time planning and raising money for the next expedition. She lectured, wrote articles, and flat-out asked her friends and acquaintances for donations. She didn’t feel at home unless she was traveling and climbing. She turned her sites southward and traveled to Mexico, where she became the first woman to climb the two highest peaks in that country: Pico de Orizaba and Popocatepetl, both over 18 thousand feet. For a brief time, she held the world record for the highest peak climbed by a woman, though another climber, Fanny Bullock Workman soon bested her on a climb in the Himalayan mountains. 

Annie decided she wanted to climb bigger mountains, summits that no one– male or female– had ever climbed before. She researched peaks in South America, looking for one that might be the highest on the continent. After much research–and a few more climbs–she decided Huascaran, a mountain in the Peruvian Andes, would be her target. It would take all her grit and perseverance to get there.

Planning a climbing expedition is no simple matter. Climbing was, and is, dangerous: many mountains, especially the higher ones, have snow all year. Glaciers cut around them, with snow camouflaging deep crevasses. There was constant danger of avalanches and falling rocks. Freezing temperatures bite at you day and night, with only your clothes, tent, and sleeping bag–along with occasional fires–to warm you up. Frostbite could set in quickly if you weren’t careful. Sun glaring off the snow could burn your skin.

You need the right gear and clothing. You needed a rope to tie yourself to the other climbers, so if one person slipped, they wouldn’t go sliding down the side of the mountain. Of course, this could work the other way around too: one person slipping in the wrong place could pull everyone with them! Ice axes helped climbers cling to steep ascents, or even cut stairs in the ice. Many climbers, including Annie, also wanted to contribute to science, so they’d bring tools for measuring the height, or altitude that they reached.  

Shocking at the time, Annie considered pants a necessity. Many women did climb in long skirts at the time, but she considered them cumbersome and did away with them. You needed four pairs of thick wool socks under boots four sizes too big, along with several pairs of wool long underwear, which you might wear all at once! Hats, gloves, sunglasses, camp stove, blankets…the list goes on!

But the most important item to pack, according to Annie? Chocolate!

Even experienced climbers like Annie need guides or companions to help them on the mountain–it’s definitely not a solo sport. Good guides–professional mountain climbers who had the equipment and expertise to make sure you were as safe as possible–were expensive and hard to find. You would also need to pay porters to help carry your equipment and find donkeys or mules to carry larger bundles. 

Annie struggled to raise the money she would need to buy equipment and hire guides to climb Huascaran. She tried three times, crossing the ocean on steamers and trekking for days each time to reach the mountain. The guides and porters she found were often inexperienced and unreliable, and many of them insisted on turning back when the going got rough. 

But after years of failed attempts, Annie and two Swiss guides finally made it to the peak in 1908, She was 58 years old. It still wasn’t an easy expedition. The group started on their first attempt in early August of 1908, but had to return when one of the guides got sick and snowstorms lashed their campsite. The three tried again in late August, and finally made it to the summit! They took photos and measurements of the altitude. Annie’s measurements showed that she had reached a greater height than any other woman before her.

But the victory was not without its consequences: one guide developed serious frostbite and had to have several fingers and part of his foot amputated when they returned to the nearest city. 

When she got back to the US, Annie used her connections to help raise money for him, since he couldn’t work as a mountain climbing guide anymore. 

But more challenges were in store. Annie’s old rival, Fanny Bullock Workman, claimed that one of her climbs in the Himalayas was higher! She even hired engineers with better instruments to measure Huascaran. Unfortunately for Annie, this showed the summit wasn’t quite as high as she’d measured, so Workman did hold the world record for the highest altitude climb for a woman. Never willing to admit defeat so easily, Annie would remind a reporter later that she had still climbed higher than any man in America!

Even if her pride was a little wounded, Annie wasn’t deterred. She wanted to keep climbing. She’d made a specialty of climbing peaks in South America and wanted to keep exploring to see if she could find the highest mountain on the continent. Her next target: Coropuna, another peak in Peru that had never been climbed before. This time, her competition wasn’t just the brutal conditions of the mountain itself. Hiram Bingham, a young scholar from Yale, also wanted to be the first to climb Coropuna. He didn’t think too highly of Annie or any woman who didn’t want to be a wife and mother. The race was on, and Annie meant to win it. 

The two climbers planned their expeditions for the summer of 1911. Annie left a week earlier, but Bingham caught up with her, and for a while they were even on the same steamer ship. Talk about awkward! Bingham wouldn’t even talk to Annie, but described her as a “terrible bore.” A few weeks into Annie’s journey through Peru, she received surprising news: Bingham had decided not to climb until October! He had other work he had to do in Peru for his university, though he did hope Annie would fail in her attempt so he could still beat her. 

Annie didn’t fail. This time, she had a reliable, committed team. She encouraged them when they were afraid to go on, saying no one had to climb all the way to the top except her, and she would give them a bonus if they stuck with her. They reached the peak. She measured the height and realized it was almost certainly lower than Huascaran, but she was still satisfied. Annie planted the flag of a “votes for women” flag on the peak, and her companions planted a Peruvian flag. 

Annie loved Peru and South America. The people there were always willing to help with food or a place to sleep when she passed through on one of her expeditions. After Coropuna, she wrote a book describing her climbs and the people there and became known as an expert on the region. The presidents of Chile and Peru honored her with awards and medals, and the Lima Geographical Society in Peru renamed the Huascaran peak she had summited “Cumbre Aña Peck.”

Annie never wanted people to think of her as a “woman climber.” She wanted to be recognized as one of the best climbers, male or female, period. But she knew her climbs stood for something more because she was a woman. Maybe that’s why, once she found her place on the mountain, she never stopped climbing. She climbed Coropuna when she was sixty years old, and climbed her last mountain at 82 years old. She took an airplane tour of South America at 79, then wrote another book about the continent. And she fought tirelessly to get women the right to vote. Even though no one in her life expected her to do great things– and some outright discouraged her– Annie kept aiming her sights higher. She found what she was meant to do, and even when people thought she was too old or too female, she kept going. She climbed higher and higher, until she stood above the clouds, gazing out over deserts, mountain peaks, and distant oceans, and saw farther than any of them.

Sources

Kimberly, Hannah. (2017) A Woman’s Place Is at the Top. St. Martin’s Press, New York.

https://www.adventure-journal.com/2021/06/historical-badass-annie-smith-peck/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annie_Smith_Peck

The post History of Annie Smith Peck for Kids appeared first on Bedtime History: Podcast and Videos For Kids.

Imagine yourself soaring through the air, the wind rushing past as you perform incredible tricks on your skateboard. You’re surrounded by cheering fans, who are in awe of your skills. 

As you glide down the half-pipe, the feeling of freedom and excitement is overwhelming. You can see the crowd cheering you on, and you know you’re living your dream. The adrenaline is pumping through your veins as you perform a series of flips and spins, each one more impressive than the last.

You can feel the energy and passion in your heart as you land your final trick, a 900-degree spin, and the crowd erupts in applause. 

As you step off the skateboard, you’re filled with a sense of accomplishment, knowing that you’ve put on a great show and made people happy. You take a bow, and the crowd continues to cheer. It’s an amazing feeling, one that will stay with you forever. This seems like just an amazing dream, but it’s just a typical day for famous skateboarder Tony Hawk. 

Tony Hawk is a professional skateboarder who was born on May 12, 1968, in Carlsbad, California. He has an older brother Steve, and two older sisters, Lenore and Pat. His parents are Nancy and Frank Hawk. His father was a professional surfer, which might have been an inspiration for Tony to start skateboarding. 

Tony Hawk grew up in San Diego and San Clemente, California. These areas are known for their great weather, beautiful beaches, and strong surf culture. It’s a place that has played a big role in shaping Tony’s love for action sports. He’s said he feels grateful for the opportunity to grow up in such a great environment that allowed him to pursue his passion for skateboarding. In San Diego, he spent most of his childhood riding on his skateboard. He was always interested in skateboarding and would spend hours each day practicing and perfecting his skills.

Tony started skating when he was 9 years old and the first time he rode his brand new skateboard, he ran into a fence because he didn’t know how to turn it! Next time you try something new and mess up, remember that it’s ok and normal to not be very good at first. You have to try again and again and not give up! That’s what Tony Hawk did and by the time he was 11, he was competing against other skateboarders. He was very good at competing and people loved to watch him do cool tricks. 

Tony began competing professionally at the age of 14 and since then he has become one of the most influential and respected skateboarders in the world. He is known for his unique style, incredible skills, and for being the first person to land a 900-degree spin in competition. A 900-degree spin is when a skateboarder spins around in the air two and a half times while on their board. It’s a very difficult trick and Tony was the first person to ever land it. This amazing feat caught the attention of people all over the world and made him a household name. 

Tony’s unique style and incredible skills set him apart from other Skateboarders. He would often try new and daring tricks, which would make him stand out from the rest. He was also known for his smooth and stylish riding, which made him a fan favorite.

He even started making cool videos of himself skating that his fans loved to watch and also helped others learn to skate and do the same tricks he did! Do you ever make videos? If there’s something you like to do or talk about, you can find others who have made videos and learned to do what they do. Or with the help of your parents, you can make your own video to share.

Tony’s parents were very supportive of his passion for skateboarding and would often take him to competitions and events. They helped him to pursue his dreams and encouraged him to work hard and never give up. They even helped him make a league for kids to compete in. 

Eventually Tony became a sponsored skateboarder. This means that he was paid to wear certain clothing and use certain equipment. This made people want to buy the products he used! I imagine it would be pretty cool to get free stuff and be paid to do what you love! 

Growing up, Tony’s education wasn’t traditional, as he didn’t go to college. Instead, he focused on skateboarding and pursued it as his main job. He started attending competitions while still in high school and during his teenage years he stopped going to school to focus on his skateboarding career.

In the early 1990’s he decided to make his own Skateboard company called Birdhouse. He also started another company called Blitz that helped other Skateboarders get the gear they needed. These companies were so successful, Tony decided to start even more product lines! In 1998, Tony and his family made a clothing line just for kids who love Skateboarding, called Hawk Clothing. That same year, Tony even made a deal with a special computer game company to make a game all about Skateboarding. It was called Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater and it was so much fun! The game became one of the most popular games ever and it made over a billion dollars.

Tony also made a company called Tony Hawk, Inc. to keep track of all of his ambitious Skateboarding projects. Tony Hawk was not only an amazing skateboarder but also talented at making skating very popular!  many people over the years discovered and started skating all because of Tony Hawk. 

In 1999, Tony Hawk decided to jump between two seven-story buildings in downtown Los Angeles for a TV show! It was called the “Gap Jump” and it was a huge challenge even for Tony, who was one of the best skateboarders in the world.

Tony had to practice for many hours to make sure he could land the jump safely.  He even had to make sure his skateboard was able to jump that far, and that he would be able to land on the other side without getting hurt. It was a very dangerous trick, but Tony was determined to make it happen.

Finally, the day of the jump arrived. The TV station set up cameras to film it, and many people were watching from the streets below. Tony put on his helmet and started to ride towards the ramp. He built up a lot of speed and then launched himself into the air, soaring over the gap between the two buildings, and then landed safely on the other side. The crowd burst into cheers along with people all over the world watching.

It was an incredible feat, and it set Tony’s place in skateboarding history. The Gap Jump was one of the most amazing moments in Tony’s career.

Tony Hawk also helped make skateboarding an Olympic sport! This way, people all over the world could watch Skateboarding and be inspired by it.

Tony knew it would be a big challenge, but he was determined to make it happen. He talked to important people and even went to a big meeting in a country called  Switzerland. There, he met with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and explained why skateboarding should be in the Olympics.

Tony told them that Skateboarding is not just a hobby, but a sport that requires skill, dedication, and hard work. He showed them videos of amazing skateboarders doing incredible tricks. He even brought his own skateboard to show off some moves. The Olympic members were impressed, and it helped them start to understand how special Skateboarding is.

Tony’s hard work paid off, and thanks to him skateboarding is now an Olympic sport! Now anyone can watch Skateboarders from over the world competing and showing off their skills! Tony hopes this will inspire many kids around the world to try it and maybe even become Olympians themselves.

Tony Hawk did some incredible things with his skateboard and his life story shows us that if we focus on our own talents, we can do amazing things too! So, always believe in yourself, even when you are a beginner like Tony was,, because you never know what you can do until you try!

The post Tony Hawk Story for Kids appeared first on Bedtime History: Podcast and Videos For Kids.

Imagine standing on the center court of the biggest tennis match in the World, The US Open, facing your toughest opponent yet. The sun beats down on your skin, and the crowd’s roar fills your ears as you prepare to serve the ball.

As you toss the ball into the air, your mind flashes back to all the hours you’ve spent practicing, training, and pushing yourself to become the best tennis player in the world. You remember the countless sacrifices you’ve made, the injuries you’ve overcome, and the doubts you’ve silenced.

With a powerful swing of your racket, you send the ball flying over the net and into your opponent’s court. The crowd erupts into cheers as you begin the intense rally that will decide the fate of the match.

As the ball flies back and forth between you and your opponent, you stay focused and determined, using every ounce of your strength, speed, and skill to keep the rally going. You hear your opponent’s breaths getting heavier, see her movements slowing down, and you know you’ve got her where you want her.

In a sudden burst of energy, you make a bold move, charging forward to the net and delivering a stunning volley that catches your opponent off guard. The ball flies past her, landing squarely in the corner of the court, and you raise your arms in triumph as the crowd explodes with excitement.

You’ve done it again. You’ve proven yourself to be the best tennis player in the world, and nothing can stop you. As you bask in the glory of your victory, you can’t help but feel grateful for all the hard work, dedication, and passion that have brought you to this moment. 

You are Serena Williams in a tennis match and it’s nothing short of exhilarating.

Serena Williams is one of the most famous tennis players in the world. She has won countless championships and is known for her incredible athleticism, strength, and skill on the court. But before she became a tennis superstar, she was just a little girl with a big dream.

Serena was born in Saginaw, Michigan with 6 siblings, in 1981 to parents Orancene and Richard Williams who worked hard to keep their big family happy. 

One day while watching a tennis tournament on TV Richard Williams, had an amazing idea. The winner of the tennis tournament received a large amount of money, and Richard believed that his daughters could also become tennis champions. He decided to learn everything he could about the sport and coach his daughters to become superstars. He even wrote a book outlining what they needed to learn about tennis and how he would teach them. He was determined to make his daughters into tennis champions. 

When Serena was just three years old, her father started teaching her and her older sister, Venus, how to play tennis. He would take them to the public courts in their neighborhood and give them lessons on the basics of the game.

Serena learned to play on old and cracked tennis courts in Compton. These courts were not like the ones found in fancy tennis clubs. The nets were held up by chains and ropes, and the fence surrounding the courts was broken in some places. The area around the courts was also not very safe. There were often gang members causing trouble, and sometimes the girls even heard gunshots nearby! It was definitely not an easy place to practice and play tennis.

As the young girls kept practicing their tennis skills, something amazing started to happen. The court began to feel like a safer place to be. Some people who lived nearby even remember seeing gang members standing outside the courts, keeping an eye on the girls and their dad while they played.

Serena and Venus quickly fell in love with tennis. They would practice for hours every day, hitting balls back and forth and working on their technique. They also played other sports, like basketball and track and field, but tennis was always their favorite.

The girls continued taking tennis lessons from their dad and kept improving their skills. 

Serena’s older sister Venus was around nine years old when she started playing in tennis tournaments against other kids her age and Serena was only 8! She was so eager to compete that she surprised her dad by secretly filling out forms to enter a tournament without telling him. He only found out when he saw Serena win her first match!

During that same tournament, her dad got to see both of his daughters play against each other for the first time in the tournament final. Venus was nine and Serena was eight. It was a big moment for the family!

As the sisters began to win more and more games everyone in the tennis community began to notice them. What made Venus and Serena stand out was that they didn’t come from a fancy tennis club. They wore regular clothes without designer labels and they played differently from most young players. Instead of just trying to hit the ball where their opponents couldn’t reach it, they used power and slammed the ball so their opponents couldn’t even see it! The Williams sisters’ success didn’t just stay in California. It caught the attention of people all over the country. The sisters were interviewed and during the interview, Venus said that if she didn’t become a tennis player, she wanted to be an astronaut or an archaeologist and Serena said she wanted to be a gymnast or a veterinarian. 

Their dad had been teaching them all he knew about tennis, but soon he realized that his daughters needed more help to improve their skills. That’s when he decided to hire a professional coach named Rick Macci, a coach in Florida who had trained other young champions like Jennifer Capriati, the youngest player ever to reach the top ten in the world rankings at age fourteen in.

Macci flew to Compton, where the Williams family lived, to see the girls play. Macci was surprised by the run-down courts that the sisters were practicing on, but he was even more impressed by how well the girls played. He saw that they were not only strong, but also fast and graceful. After he watched them play he explained to Serena and Venus that they needed better coaching to take their game to the next level.

Macci saw that Venus and Serena had a burning desire to win, and he believed that they had the potential to become champions. But to do so, the family would have to leave California and move to Florida, where Macci’s tennis academy was located. 

In 1991, the Williams family packed up an RV and drove across the country to start a new life in Florida.

The move was not easy for some of the older sisters to pack up and leave their home, but their parents knew that it was the best decision for Venus and Serena’s tennis future. 

In Florida, the girls practiced six hours a day, six days a week for four years, hitting hundreds of serves every day. They also attended a private school that was part of the tennis academy, where they focused on both tennis and school every day.

Soon after turning fifteen, Serena played in her first professional tournament. And once she started playing professionally the German shoe company Puma offered her a lot of money to wear their name and logo while she played in tournaments, this is called being a sponsor. When you are really good at something like playing tennis, racing cars, or skating, businesses will give you money to wear their logo!

Making money while playing tennis was a big deal for Serena’s family because it helped them to have a better life. It allowed them to pay for travel expenses to tennis tournaments around the world. 

Serena and Venus worked very hard to become professional tennis players, and their success allowed them to support their family and live a more comfortable life.

The sisters were able to  move their family to a big house in Palm Beach, Florida. The house had two tennis courts that were in perfect condition, which was much different than the tennis courts they grew up playing on. 

Serena’s dad started coaching her and her sister again, and they hired tutors to help them with their schoolwork. On the way to the courts, Richard put up signs with encouraging messages for his daughters. One sign said that Venus needed to take control of her future, while another told Serena to use more top spin on the ball.

When Venus and Serena started playing in professional tournaments, they sometimes ended up playing against each other. Venus won against Serena in their first match at the Australian Open in 1998, but Venus said it wasn’t fun to eliminate her little sister. They both celebrated when they won tournaments, and in 1999, they made history by becoming the first sisters to each win a tournament on the same day! Venus won in Oklahoma, while Serena won in Paris.

Serena was only 14 years old when she turned pro in 1995. Over the years she has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, which is more than any other player in recent history! That means she’s won the biggest and most important tennis tournaments in the world many times over! She’s also won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles with her sister Venus, and four Olympic gold medals too!

Serena’s powerful serve and aggressive style of play are famous around the world. She’s been ranked No. 1 in the world eight times by the Women’s Tennis Association.

Her success hasn’t come without challenges though. She’s had to overcome injuries, setbacks, and tough opponents. But through it all, she’s shown us that with hard work, dedication, and a positive attitude, anything is possible!

Serena is an inspiration to millions of people around the world. She’s not only an amazing athlete, but she’s also a businesswoman, a fashion designer, and a philanthropist who gives back to her community. Serena is proof that you can achieve anything you set your mind to, and she’s a true champion both on and off the court!

The post Serena Williams Story for Kids appeared first on Bedtime History: Podcast and Videos For Kids.

Jim was born on May 28, 1887, in Prague, Oklahoma. He was born on a Native American reservation of the Sak and Faux Nation and was first given the name Wa-Tho-Huk, which means “Bright Path.” His mother was Native American but his father was Irish, so he was also given an English name Jacobus Franciscus Thorpe. Later he became known as James or Jim.

Jim had a tough childhood. His parents were farmers, so he spent time helping them grow crops to survive, but he also learned to hunt and trap animals for food from an early age. He spent much of his time running across the wilderness of Oklahoma, which gave him strong legs and lungs. This is called endurance and he was able to run many miles without stopping to catch his breath. 

Growing up, Jim’s parents tried to get him to attend school, but he usually ran away from school at the first chance he got to instead spend time outdoors. There was a lot going on in Jim’s life at this time. His brother and mother passed away, and he and his father argued and fought. Eventually, his father sent him to a new school in Kansas.

In 1904, life would change for Jim when he started attending Carlisle Industrial School in Pennsylvania. One day he noticed the track-and-field team practicing the high jump. Still wearing his work clothes, he thought he’d give it a try. Jim ran across the field and leapt over the 5 foot 9 high bar and broke the school’s record! No one could believe what they had just seen! One of the coaches named Pop Warner saw what Jim did and encouraged him to join the track-and-field team. Of course, with his strong body and strong heart and lungs, Jim excelled at track-and-field and many other sports at Carlisle. He went on to football, lacrosse, baseball, and even ballroom dancing! Jim ended up winning a very big competition for ballroom dancing in 1912.

But, Jim became best known for his skills on the football field. Coach Pop Warner wasn’t sure how he’d do, but when he gave Jim the chance, he grabbed the ball and dodged around the defending team faster than anyone he’d ever seen. Jim played running back, defensive back, and punter for Carlisle’s football team and scored big wins against teams such as Harvard and West Point. His team went on to win the college national championships thanks to Jim’s skill, strength, and speed. He scored 25 touchdowns that year and 198 points. 

Jim played many sports but football became his favorite and around this time he also started training for the Olympics in the Sprint of 1912. At the practices, he amazed the other athletes with his abilities at jumps, hurdles, and shot-puts. He prepared to compete in several other Olympic events as well. Also, while many of these athletes had been training for years, Jim started just a few months before the Summer Olympic Games. 

In the Summer of 1912, Jim traveled to Stockholm, Sweden with the other members of the U.S. Olympic Team. Jim competed in many events, but his biggest win was in the decathlon, which includes 10 different events – four runs, three jumps, and three throws. He beat the expected winner and placed in the top 4 in all 10 events earning a score of 8,413, which held the record for 20 years. 

During one of the races, Jim went to put on his shoes but couldn’t find them! He looked all over but finally decided to just use whatever he could – a shoe that was way too small, and another shoe that was too big! He used a sock to make the big shoe fit and rushed out to start the race. For the first three laps of the race, Jim was behind, but giving it his on on the final lap, he burst ahead and ended up winning the race, even with his mismatched and odd-fitting shoes!

People from all over the world watching the games were astounded at Jim’s athletic abilities. He brought great attention to the United States and his Sac and Fox Native American heritage. At the 1912 Summer Olympic Games, Jim won two gold medals and legend has it that when he did King Gustav of Sweden said to him “You, sir, are the greatest athlete in the world.” 

After returning to America, Jim Thorpe became a star. This was his first time being famous, so he was surprised to see his name in so many places and have so many people recognize him.

Next, Jim played professional baseball for the New York Giants and with them became the 1913 National League champions. They then went on to tour around the United States with the Chicago White Sox where Jim was a celebrity and attracted even more spectators to the games. On the tour, Jim met the pope and one of the kings of Egypt. He also went on to play baseball for the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Braves. 

Jim Thorpe was talented in many sports, so after baseball, he decided to take up football again, his favorite sport, and in 1920 joined the Canton Bulldogs. They won three championships together. Two years later the National Football League (NFL) was formed and Jim got to become their first president while he continued playing for the Bulldogs until 1928. 

It’s not as well known, but Jim also played basketball for two years, traveling with a team. Jim loved a variety of sports and more than anything just wanted to stay active, doing what he enjoyed most. 

After he retired from professional sports, Jim continued working but found that he didn’t enjoy most of the other jobs as much as he loved being active and competing as an athlete. It was also a tough time to find jobs because it was the Great Depression when work was hard to come by. One of the jobs was acting in movies such as Westerns or sports movies. In 1951 a movie was made about him called “Jim Thorpe – All American.” 

In many surveys, Jim Thorpe has been voted the greatest athlete of the 20th Century along with athletes such as Michael Jordan, Muhammed Ali, Babe Ruth, Jesse Owens, and Wayne Gretzky. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963 and in 2018 was printed on the Native American dollar coin.

Take a minute to think about what you might learn from the life of Jim Thorpe. Staying active when he was young helped build his body to be strong and healthy. Jim loved to be out and move around. How might you find more ways to stay active? Jim tried many different sports. There are lots of ways to be active. For you, it may be a sport or something as simple as getting out and riding a bike or playing at a playground. What are your favorite ways to stay active? Think about Jim’s willingness to try lots of different things. The first time we try something new, everyone is a beginner! Don’t be afraid to try new things even if you aren’t good at them at first. This is important as you seek new ways to learn and grow.

The post History of Jim Thorpe for Kids appeared first on Bedtime History: Podcast and Videos For Kids.

Have you ever ridden a bicycle? If so, you’ve probably experienced the thrill of going so fast that the wind whips your hair and clothes around. You feel free and fast and exhilarated like nothing can catch you or stop you. Like you could ride the wind straight up into the sky. 

Nowadays, cycling isn’t as popular as sports like basketball, baseball, football, or soccer. But in the late 19th century, right after the bicycle was invented, people went crazy for it. Tens of thousands would gather to watch races all over the United States, Europe, and Australia. And the unlikely hero of the cycling world for a time was an African American man named Marshall Taylor, nicknamed “Major.”

Major’s mother and father moved from Kentucky to Indianapolis, Indiana, where he was born. We don’t know a lot about them. His father, Gilbert, fought in the Civil War for the North. Gilbert worked as an attendant for a wealthy businessman named Willian Southard. 

This connection to the Southard family would prove lucky for Major. Gilbert brought Marshall along to his job sometimes, and he became best friends with the Southard’s son, Dan. At this time, blacks still faced a lot of unfair treatment in the United States. But even though the Southards were white, they encouraged the friendship. In fact, when they saw how happy Dan was with Marshall, they arranged for him to stay at their house for long periods. Dan and Marshall would play with all kinds of toys in his playroom, build things in William’s workshop, and went to school together. But the best thing about the Southard’s house, once he got hold of it, was Dan’s bicycle.

Major loved riding that bicycle, and soon learned how to do tricks. Soon, the Southards bought him his own bicycle as a gift. One day, when the bike needed repairs, he took it to a bike shop. He showed the owner, Mr. Hays, some of his tricks, and a crowd gathered to watch! Major stood on the seat of the bike while riding, and hopped over the handlebars to get off. He could ride on narrow planks, like a balance beam, and down sets of stairs. Mr Hays got an idea! If Major could attract so many visitors to his shop, maybe he could help sell bikes. He offered him a job then and there. 

Marshall helped out, sweeping and dusting the shop, and performing tricks to attract passersby.  He often wore a jacket that looked like an old military uniform, and that’s how he got the nickname “Major,” which would stick with him. When he had a spare moment, he would marvel at a gold medal that sat in the shop window, a prize for a bicycle race. He imagined winning a race, the crowd cheering and the band playing just for him as they pinned a gold medal to his shirt. 

Mr Hays noticed him admiring the medal, and encouraged Major to enter an upcoming race. Thirteen-year-old Major was nervous, but Mr. Hays told him to just ride as far as he could. Major agreed. He had been riding miles every day, and maybe didn’t realize just how strong and fast he was compared to others. He rode so hard in the race, trying to keep ahead of the other riders, that he began to feel faint. After crossing the finish line, he collapsed from exhaustion.

But, when he woke up, guess what he saw pinned to his chest? It was a gold medal! He had won!

As Major grew older, he entered more races, and trained more seriously. He caught the eye of a champion cyclist named Birdie Munger. Birdie was amazed by Major’s dedication, speed, and skill. Birdie’s racing days were over, but he was opening a bicycle factory and wanted Major to work for him and race on his bicycles! The two quickly became friends, training together on their bikes. Many famous cyclists would visit Birdie, and Major was impressed by how kind and helpful they were towards him. But Birdie Munger knew how to choose good friends. Not everyone in the cycling world was so nice.

Major discovered this when he began to race on the professional circuit. Birdie entered him into his first race himself, without letting the organizers see Major. He worried that if the race officials knew Major was black, they might not let him race. Major hid near the starting line, and hopped on his bike just as the starting pistol was fired. He pedaled madly, and he won!

Eventually, Birdie moved his factory to Worsecter, Massachuesetts, and Major came with him. His goal was to become the fastest man in the world, and win a world championship. Worcester was a more tolerant place than many other parts of the country.  Major trained there and made it his home. He joined an African American church and bought a house. He rode miles every day, lifted weights, and ate a healthy diet. He never smoked or drank alcohol, and, because he was deeply religious, never raced on Sunday.  But Major had to travel for races in areas that were less accepting. There were some places where he couldn’t safely travel at all. Still, he won most of the races he entered, and was becoming famous. 

As Major won more races and became more well known, many white cyclists were angry. They thought he shouldn’t be allowed to compete because of skin color, but they were also embarrassed that he kept beating them. Some white cyclists began to gang up on Major, trying to push him off the track or cause him to crash. As a result, he had several major falls. Major even began to feel that racing was too dangerous.

But a sports promoter named William Brady had different ideas. He wanted to manage Major’s career and help him become the national–and then world–champion. He actually thought people would be curious to see Major ride against the best white riders, many of whom had treated him so badly. And that would make him a lot of money. Major agreed, even though it was dangerous. He realized that if he was going to prove that blacks were capable of doing anything whites could do, he couldn’t just quit. He had to stay on his bike. 

After training and racing for a year with Brady, Major was ready to take to the track at the world cycling championship in Montreal, Canada. He was still the target of racist treatment from other riders and officials in the US, but it didn’t matter. Major won most of the races he entered, so he qualified. And, as you might have guessed, he won, even setting a world record for a one-mile sprint!

But the proudest moment for Major came after the race, when the crowd cheered and the band began to play a victory song. In the United States, when Major won a race, the band would usually play a popular tune about black people from the time. These songs had ugly, insulting lyrics, and even though they were played by instruments and not sung, people knew the words. But in Montreal, the band chose a different song to celebrate Major’s victory: “The Star Spangled Banner.” Major later wrote that “My national anthem took on a new meaning for me from that moment. I never felt so proud to be an American before, and indeed I even felt more American at that moment than I ever felt in America.”

Now Major was an international star. Offers came in from all over the world for him to race in different countries, and challenge the top cyclists of the day. He went to Europe and raced another world champion, Edmond Jacquelin. He traveled to Australia to compete against their national champion, Don Walker. Despite being rivals on the track, Major became good friends with Walker. Major was always a good sport: he never let competition on the racetrack get in the way of good behavior off it.

But whenever he came home to the US, Major was reminded of the unfair treatment and racism that infected the sport in his own country. Officials fined him when he got sick and couldn’t race. Other cyclists continued to try to ban him, push him off the track, or make him crash. And just like other African Americans of the era, hotels, and restaurants often refused to serve him.   

But his life did have bright spots. Major fell in love with a young woman from his church named Daisy. The two were married and traveled around the world while Major raced again in Australia and Europe. When he returned home this time, Major was tired. He especially didn’t want to race in the US anymore if it meant risking his life. He and Daisy had welcomed a baby girl into their lives. Over the next several years, he took several breaks from cycling, but couldn’t quite bring himself to quit completely. Over time, he stopped winning so many races, and finally decided to retire for good. He started several businesses, but none were successful, and he lost much of the money he’d made cycling. 

In 1917, years after his retirement, Major entered one last race. It was an “old-timers” race for cyclists who were retired. His old friend, Birdie Munger, came to start him in the race. A starter would hold the racer’s bike upright , so when the starting pistol went off, they’d be ready to start pedaling immediately. Birdie had started Major in his very first professional competition, but this time, Major knew it would be his last race.

Major Taylor would have won bicycle races even if he’d been born a hundred years after he was. He was an excellent cyclist–fast, strong, dedicated, and strategic. But because he was born at a time when many white Americans had ugly, wrong ideas about African Americans, Major showed that he was not just an excellent athlete, but an extraordinary human being. He kept going, fighting with every stroke of his pedal against people who cheated, taunted, and attacked him. He acted with a bravery, grace, and sportsmanship that most of his rivals could not measure up to. 

As Birdie held his bike in that last race, Major was comforted to have his best friend and most dedicated supporter beside him. When the starting gun cracked, Major Taylor pedaled like the wind, strong and free on the track. And he won.

Additional Resources

Major Taylor sites:

Indiana State Museum exhibit through Oct. 23, 2022

Major Taylor Velodrome, Indianapolis, IN

Worcester Public Library statue

Major Taylor Bike Trail, Chicago, IL

Websites:

Major Taylor Association

Sources

Balf, Todd (2009) Major: A Black Athlete, a White Era, and the Fight to Be the World’s Fastest Human Being. Crown. 

Kranish, Michael (2019) The World’s Fastest Man: The Extraordinary Life of Major Taylor, America’s First Black Sports Hero. Scribner, New York.

Taylor, Marshall W. (1972) The Fastest Bicycle Rider in the World; The Autobiography of Major Taylor. EP Dutton.

The post History of Major Taylor for Kids appeared first on Bedtime History: Podcast and Videos For Kids.

Close your eyes and imagine you’re in a baseball stadium and stepping up to bat. Dodger Stadium is packed full of cheering fans. Some are cheering you on, others are calling you horrible names from the stands. You take a deep breath and try to ignore them. You hold up your bat and look at the pitcher, who is preparing to throw the ball. He pulls back, then throws the ball and it comes flying toward him at full speed. You swing your bat and hit the ball. With a crack, it flies high over the field as you sprint from first base, then on to second, third, and home. It’s a home run! Your teammates congratulate you, but some in the stands are still calling you mean names. This is what happened to Jackie Robinson, the famous baseball player. But who was Jackie Robinson? How did he end up playing for the Dodgers? And why was the crowd calling him horrible names? 

Birth

Jackie Roosevelt Robinson was born January 31, 1919, in Cairo, Georgia. His father left the family when he was little, leaving his mother, Mallie, to raise him and his four other siblings. Soon after this they moved to Pasadena, California. In California, Jackie and his family lived in a neighborhood where they were treated differently. They had come from Georgia where most of the other families were African-American, but in California families in their new neighborhood were not and were white. This was a time when racial discrimination was common. Racial discrimination is when a group of people are treated differently because of their race and color of skin in this case. For example, they aren’t able to have the same jobs — or they are segregated, which means they have to go to different schools or use different bathrooms or restaurants. Jackie loved sports, but because he was black wasn’t able to play in the same leagues as the other kids.

But this didn’t keep Jackie from playing his favorite sports anyway. Two of his favorites were basketball and baseball. He spent a lot of time practicing and became better and better.

High School & College Athlete

In high school, Jackie’s older brothers Frank and Mack, saw how good Jackie’s was and urged him try out for the school teams. At his high school fortunately there was no segregation and Jackie was able to play alongside his white classmates. There Jackie ended up playing football, baseball, basketball, and track and did very well in all of them. On the baseball team he was the catcher and in football he was the quarterback. For the basketball team he was a guard. In track and field, his best skill was the broad jump. Oh, and he also played tennis. As you can tell, Jackie loved sports! 

After high school, Jackie moved on to junior college where he continued to play all of his favorite sports and do very well. He broke several records there, but later switched schools and moved to Los Angeles to attend UCLA. At UCLA the teams were also racially integrated, which means Jackie was able to play on the same teams as the white athletes. In football their team went undefeated. In track and field, he won the national championship for the long jump, jumping over 24 feet! He also played baseball at UCLA and there met his future wife, Rachel. 

Officer Candidate School

After college, Jackie played semi-professional football for a short while, but his career was cut short when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941. Soon after this Jackie joined the army and applied for Officer Candidate School. At the time Jackie and others who were black were not typically allowed to be officers, or leaders in the military, but eventually they were accepted. He and his wife moved to Fort Hood, Texas to start Officer Training School. One day at Fort Hood, Jackie was waiting for the bus to arrive. When it did arrive, he climbed on the bus and sat at the front, but the driver told him he had to sit at the back because of the color of his skin. Jackie refused and would not move. He did these knowing he knew he might be hurt or put in jail for his actions. The driver called the police and they took Jackie away. Tragically, Jackie wasn’t able to continue Officer Training School, because of his choice to stand up against discrimination.

Jackie was transferred from Fort Hood to a base in Kentucky where he became a coach for the army until the war ended. 

A few years later, Jackie was at the airport and stood in a part of the airport that was segregated. He was asked to leave but did not. This was another example where Jackie refused to be treated differently, defied the law, and put himself in harm’s way by doing so.

One of Jackie Robinson’s famous quotes was: “I’m not concerned with your liking or disliking me… all I ask is that you respect me as a human being.” He also said: “There’s not an American in this country free until every one of us is free.” More than anything, Jackie wanted to be treated fairly and for segregation between people of different skin color to end. 

For a brief time, Jackie played for a segregated league, with other players who were black like himself, but more than anything he wanted to play for the Major Leagues, but most teams wouldn’t allow him because of segregation.

Montreal Royals

Fortunately, the Brooklyn Dodgers were interested in including black players. The manager of the Dodgers, Branch Rickey, called Jackie and met with him asking if he was interested and also whether he’d be able to be strong even when others treated him poorly. Jackie agreed and began playing for the Dodger’s international team, the Montreal Royals. The Royals were a minor league, but a big step forward in his goal to play in the Major Leagues. Jackie traveled with the team and struggled at first, but began to improve and eventually became the MVP (or Most Valuable Player) in his league. 

April 18, 1946, was a momentous day when the Royals played against the Jersey City Giants making it the first time players of different skin color in a minor league competed against each other. 

Brooklyn Dodgers

In 1947 Jackie Robinson was finally invited to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers in the Major Leagues. He played first baseman to a crowd of more than 26,000 spectators which included spectators who were black and white. At first, Jackie’s own team was unsure whether they were ready to play with him. They had come from families who believed in segregation, so it was new for them to welcome and become teammates and friends with someone who was black. But over time they became close and eventually supported him. During one game when the other team was harassing Jackie, a teammate Pee Wee Reese saw what was happening and put his arm around Jackie to comfort him.

Jackie finished the season with the Dodgers with 151 games. He had a batting average of 297, an on-base percentage of 373, and a 427 slugging percentage. He had 175 hits (scoring 125 runs) including 31 doubles, 5 triples, and 12 home runs, driving in 48 runs for the year. Jackie also led the league in sacrifice hits, with 28, and in stolen bases, with 29.

He ended up winning the Major League Rookie of the Year award. A rookie is someone who is new to the major leagues. 

Over the years, Jackie continued to improve at his game and in 1949 joined the all-star team. In 1955 the Dodgers went to the world series and beat the Yankees for the championship. 

Retirement

Later after retiring from baseball, Jackie Robinson was active in politics and later continued to speak out about equality in Major League baseball. He later had a baseball stadium named after him and the Rookie of the Year award was later called “The Jackie Robinson” award. In 1997 his jersey number “42” was retired, which means no one was able to use the same number because it would also be reserved for Jackie. 

Jackie once said: “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” Think about what that means for a moment. What does it mean to have an impact or make a difference in the lives of others for good? How can you make a difference in the lives of others for good? 

He also said: “Life is not a spectator sport. If you’re going to spend your whole life in the grandstand just watching what goes on, in my opinion, you’re wasting your life.” A spectator means just watching others. It’s fun to watch others, but Jackie’s saying it’s even better to get out and play yourself. Think of something you like to watch. Have you ever considered doing it yourself? 

Conclusion

Spend some time thinking about what Jackie Robinson experienced in his life as he dealt with racial discrimination. Racial discrimination is when someone treats someone else differently due to their race, which means where they come from, the color of their skin, and what they look like. It was very hard for Jackie to be called names and treated poorly due to his race — to be forced to sit at the back of the bus, for example. But Jackie knew that all people are the same on the inside. We are all human, and all want to be treated equally and loved and cared for. We all have the same hopes and dreams and desires to lead a happy life. Jackie wasn’t afraid to stand up for himself and tell others that they were wrong.

Often it takes time for people to change, but many people around Jackie did change. His teammates eventually accepted him and those watching baseball realized Jackie was the same as any other player and should be treated that way. Take the time to think about someone you know who might be a different race or appear to be different than you in other ways. As you get to know them you’ll realize you have more in common than is different. It’s also important to let others know they should be respectful of all people. If you hear someone say something mean about a different race or tell a joke, let them know those words can be hurtful and are not ok. 

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Close your eyes and imagine you are sitting in a stadium with crowds of people all around you. You smell buttery popcorn and freshly cooked hot dogs. “Peanuts! Popcorn!” A vendor yells from across the aisle. “Get your peanuts, popcorn!” As everyone gets seated there is a feeling of excitement in the air. The loudspeakers start playing, “Take me out to the ballgame!” The crowd sings along. You hear the crack of a baseball against a bat. The game has begun! 

If you’re familiar with baseball do these nicknames sound familiar? The Sultan of Swat? The Great Bambino? The Colossus of Clout? These are all nicknames for one of the most famous baseball players to have ever lived, Babe Ruth!

Babe Ruth’s real name was George Herman Ruth Jr. and he was born in Baltimore, Maryland on February 6, 1895. His grandparents were immigrants from Europe, so the first language he spoke was German. Growing up, his dad owned and ran a saloon. There, Ruth really did whatever he wanted. He didn’t have many rules and just ran wild with his friends through the streets of town. And with his dad being busy with the business, Ruth got into a lot of trouble. In fact, he got into so much trouble and his parents couldn’t control him that they put him in St. Mary’s Industrial School. This was a special school for boys who needed more structure than their parents were able to give them at home. At the school, one of his teachers, Brother Matthais, loved baseball. He taught the boys how to play and Ruth got into the game, too. Ruth ended up living at the school for 12 years and there got a basic education and learned some life skills. He used these skills and became a shirtmaker and could make things out of wood, known as carpentry. 

Ruth kept playing baseball and when he was 19 tried and made the minor league team for the Baltimore Orioles. The other players teased Ruth because he was the favorite or “darling” of the owner, Jack Dunn. Because of this they started calling him “Babe”!  This is how Babe Ruth’s famous nickname was born! Even though Babe Ruth was a big success with the Orioles, the owner ran into money trouble and he was forced to sell his best players to the Major Leagues.

From there Ruth was sent to play for the Boston Red Sox. When Ruth first started playing, he was a left-handed pitcher but really wanted to bat more, so he started playing outfield and first base. Ruth tried to hit almost everything, and because of that, he struck out a lot! But he was very determined and never gave up. He even said that “Every strike brings me closer to the next homerun”. And the Red Sox fans loved him, because he did hit a lot of homeruns! One year he hit home runs in 4 games in a row. The next year, he helped the Red Sox win the World Series in 1918. 

In 1919 Ruth was sold to the New York Yankees. The Red Sox sold him because the owner wanted more money and Babe Ruth was worth a lot. And the New York Yankees wanted him because they hoped he could help them win a World Series. There were lots of mixed reactions to him being traded. Some Boston fans were devastated to lose Ruth, while others thought he was too much trouble. While he wasn’t playing baseball, he spent a lot of time partying and sometimes getting into trouble. But the Boston fans who liked Ruth, believed that trading him started an 84 year “curse”, during which the Red Sox did not win a World Series. It was called “The Curse of the Bambino”. Before he was traded, the Red Sox had won 5 of the 15 World Series that had been played. But after they sold Ruth they didn’t win another World Series until 2004. 

With Ruth, the New York Yankees did very well! In fact, they won the World Series 4 times, and they won the American league title 7 times! When Ruth was traded to the Yankees he became a full time outfielder, and was now able to bat all the time. He hit home run after home run and the New York fans loved him! During his first year, the Yankees had a record number of people at the stadium, 1.2 million people. It was the first time that any Major League Baseball game attendance had reached 1 million. During his 13 years with the Yankees, he became the highest paid player up to that point, making 2 ½  times more than any other player in the league. At the time, Ruth even made more than the president of the United States! On the team he was part of a group of players called Murderers Row. They got that name from the power of the hitters. The players were Earle Combs, Mark Koenig, Lou Gehrig, Bob Meusel, Tony Lazzeri, and Babe Ruth. 

Sadly, Ruth spent many years of his life drinking too much alcohol and not taking care of his health. He also spent most of the money he made on things he didn’t need and that didn’t help better his life. Because of his poor health choices, he began to have trouble running the bases and catching the ball. He played his last full season with the Yankees in 1934. 

Ruth wanted to become a manager of a team himself but didn’t have any luck finding a position. But like hitting home runs, Ruth was never one to give up. He once said “you just can’t beat the person who never gives up.”  

Eventually he was traded to the Boston Braves as a “gate attraction.” This means he was hired not necessarily because he was good anymore, but because he’d been famous and would cause people to pay to come to the game to see him. 

He retired early that year in 1935. The next year he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. 

Babe Ruth became popular at a time when baseball became very popular in the United States and known as “America’s Pastime.” One reason was because the world had just gone through the first World War and then the 1918 flu pandemic, which were very tragic times and many lives were lost. America needed something good and positive to focus on. Baseball and sports figures like Babe Ruth became a symbol of that optimism and fun pastime. He also symbolized an American Dream that someone who came from very little money and didn’t have a well-known family could become famous. His life also showed us that it’s important to take care of yourself and set rules for yourself. If we want our bodies to work well we need to take care of them by eating good foods and exercising.

Babe Ruth worked very hard and took risks to become one of the greatest home run hitters of all time. He once said, “Never let the fear of striking out get in your way.” This means there are many things you can worry about in life or fears that may keep you from acting. But like Babe Ruth said, if you worry too much about “striking out,” you’ll never get those things done and “swing the bat” and make the moves you need to take the next step in life. For you this might mean trying out for a sport or learning how to draw or some other skill. Don’t worry about what others might say or do, don’t worry about “striking out” and just act like Babe Ruth! 

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