http://www.history.com/photos/women-in-sports Great women in sports history. en Copyright 2013, History.com Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:00:00 GMT History.com 2013-06-19T04:00:00Z en Copyright 2013, History.com http://www.history.com/photos/women-in-sports/photo1 King was a leading tennis player in the 1970s, and gained both additional fame and the admiration of fans for her defeat of Bobby Riggs in the 1973 "Battle of the Sexes" match. http://www.history.com/photos/women-in-sports/photo1 http://www.history.com/photos/women-in-sports/photo2 Gibson broke tennis' color barrier when she became the first black player to compete at the U.S. Open in 1950. She became the first black player at Wimbledon the following year. She was voted Female Athlete of the Year by the AP in 1957. http://www.history.com/photos/women-in-sports/photo2 http://www.history.com/photos/women-in-sports/photo3 Jackie Joyner Kersee was the first woman ever to win two consecutive Olympic gold medals in one of sport's most grueling events--the heptathlon. In total she won six Olympic medals, and was voted Sports Illustrated for Women's Greatest Female Athlete of all time. http://www.history.com/photos/women-in-sports/photo3 http://www.history.com/photos/women-in-sports/photo4 Retton vaulted herself into sports history with her performance at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. She was the first American woman ever to win gold in the all-around event, and won the most medals of any athlete at that year's games. http://www.history.com/photos/women-in-sports/photo4 http://www.history.com/photos/women-in-sports/photo5 Speed skater Bonnie Blair became the first woman ever to earn five gold medals at the Olympic Games, and until 2010, she was the most decorated American Winter Olympian. http://www.history.com/photos/women-in-sports/photo5 http://www.history.com/photos/women-in-sports/photo6 Hamm is the most famous and accomplished women's soccer player in history. After leading the U.S. national team to two world championships and two Olympic medals, she retired in 2004. She remains the world's all-time leading scorer in soccer, with 158 goals in international competition. http://www.history.com/photos/women-in-sports/photo6 http://www.history.com/photos/women-in-sports/photo7 In 2005, Danica Patrick became only the fourth woman ever to compete in the celebrated Indy 500, as well as the only woman ever to lead a lap in the race. In 2002, she won the Indy Japan 300, becoming the first woman ever to win an IndyCar series race http://www.history.com/photos/women-in-sports/photo7 http://www.history.com/photos/women-in-sports/photo8 Sorenstam is the most successful women's golf player in history and one of the greatest female athletes of her generation. She racked up the most wins in LPGA history, and in 2003 became the first woman in 58 years to play a PGA (men's golf) tour event. http://www.history.com/photos/women-in-sports/photo8 http://www.history.com/photos/women-in-sports/photo9 Sisters Venus and Serena Williams are the most successful black women tennis players in history. Both have held the #1 ranking multiple times, and, combined, they have won more than 40 Grand Slam titles. http://www.history.com/photos/women-in-sports/photo9 http://www.history.com/photos/women-in-sports/photo10 Not only did De Varona win two swimming gold medals at the 1964 Olympic Games, she later became the first female sportscaster in TV history. http://www.history.com/photos/women-in-sports/photo10 http://www.history.com/photos/women-in-sports/photo11 Dorothy Harrell, star shortstop for the Chicago Colleens, was just one of scores of women to play for the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which helped entertain Americans during the dark days of World War II. The league was the inspiration for the hit film A League of Their Own. http://www.history.com/photos/women-in-sports/photo11 http://www.history.com/photos/women-in-sports/photo12 A female sports pioneer, Didrikson excelled at multiple sports, including track and field events like hurdles and javelin; golf; and basketball. She won several Olympic medals and 82 golf tournaments, including 21 straight in 1947-48, and was named AP Female Athlete of the Year six times. http://www.history.com/photos/women-in-sports/photo12 http://www.history.com/photos/women-in-sports/photo13 In 1926, American swimmer Ederle became the first woman to swim the 21 miles across the treacherous waters of the English Channel. http://www.history.com/photos/women-in-sports/photo13 http://www.history.com/photos/women-in-sports/photo14 An American runner, Stephens won two gold medals at the 1936 Olympic Games in Nazi Germany. http://www.history.com/photos/women-in-sports/photo14