I always wanted to be somebody. If I made it, it’s half because I was game enough to take a lot of punishment along the way and half because there were a lot of people who cared enough to help me. – Althea Gibson
Shaking hands with the Queen of England was a long way from being forced to sit in the colored section of the bus going into downtown Wilmington, North Carolina. – Althea Gibson
In the field of sports you are more or less accepted for what you do rather than what you are. – Althea Gibson
I don’t want to be put on a pedestal. I just want to be reasonably successful and live a normal life with all the conveniences to make it so. – Althea Gibson
In sports, you simply aren’t considered a real champion until you have defended your title successfully. Winning it once can be a fluke; winning it twice proves you are the best. – Althea Gibson
Most of us who aspire to be tops in our fields don’t really consider the amount of work required to stay tops. – Althea Gibson
