She was born there on Jan. 6, 1957, and her dad, Domingo, fixed cars. He was an auto-body repairman by trade and a golf lover by nature.
He shared this love with his young daughter in 1965 when she was just 8 years old. And while a lot of young girls back then were going ga-ga over groups like the Beatles, she was quite content to spend her afternoons with her dad practicing golf shots. She never could quite master that perfect swing, but that's OK. She's been doing just fine on the LPGA Tour, thank you, for the past 20 years.
THE LESSONS SHE LEARNED in golf, as well as those her father taught her about life, still remain a big influence on her.
"My dad taught me I was going to lose a lot more than I'd win, and I try to teach them (her three daughters) if they do their best, that's all they can do," she has said. "They never walk off feeling Mom's gonna be mad."
Four years later, at the age of 12, she was living in New Mexico, where she won the state's woman amateur tournament, competing against players who were a lot older and seemingly better. After that tournament victory, winning became a habit that has lasted for years.
She won the USGA Girls Championship in 1972 at the age of 15, then repeated with another victory in the same tournament in 1974. She won the Western Junior tournament three times and in 1975, she finished third in the U.S. Women's Open and also won the Mexican Amateur.
IN 1976, IT WAS TIME for college -- and, of course, time for another tournament victory. She attended Tulsa, won the AIAW National Championship and was named to the U.S. Curtis Cup and World Amateur teams.
Golf was her only passion.
"When I played my best, all I had on my mind was golf. I wanted to win, and whatever it took to win I was going to do. I loved playing golf," she says. "I loved the attention I got. A lot of players don't feel comfortable with that, but I loved it."
She wasn't lying. If you think Tiger Woods is the all-time Tour sensation, think again. He had three years of collegiate golf before turning pro. Jack Nicklaus? Nope. He had four at Ohio State. She had only one, and after she started winning, she became one of the biggest stories in sports.
Like Woods, she was a role model to her peers -- women -- and brought more of them to play golf. And what a role model she was: She was one of the toughest competitors ever to pick up the sticks, especially that magnificent putter she wielded. But after the round, when the cameras were on, she could be as warm and as inviting as June Cleaver.
"I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT for all athletes to realize they're special, but not the way they might think," she has said. "I want my kids to look at their mom and think she stands for good things, instead of saying that she doesn't stand for anything; she just plays golf and makes a lot of money. Athletes have such an impact on kids because they're seen performing on a stage. We could do more for the youth of the world if we'd just behave ourselves."
In 1977, she was named the Rookie of the Year on the women's Tour, finishing second in the first three tournaments she ever played and setting a record for both men and women in rookie earnings. She also won five tournaments in a row, plus four more for a total of nine victories.
AND JUST ONE YEAR LATER, she added the hardware from the LPGA Championship to her trophy case, as well as the fact that she was now the leading money winner on the Tour.
She repeated that tourney victory in 1985 and in 1989. And by the time she had turned 30 in 1987, she was already Hall of Fame material with 35 total Tour wins under her belt. She was inducted in Nov. 1989.
In 1982, this 5-foot-5 package of golfing perfection married the man who would become father to her three children as well as the present manager of a major-league baseball team. He was starring for that very club when they met.
Who is she? If you don't know, then click here for the rest of this story.
Help me, Irishme! I am trying to find out who set the most world records in a track meet in the fastest time.
-- From a Lost Lady at some Florida .edu.
No sweat, LL. It was the great Jesse Owens himself. He established six world records in track in 45 minutes! It was at a meet in Ann Arbor, Mich., on May 25, 1935, when he was running for Ohio State.
Why do they call it the Americas Cup?
-- From Tom, a real yachtsman who has sprung his mindspring.com.
I think because we keep winning it, right? No, actually, the Cup originally had no name. It was just a piece of hardware won by a schooner called America in a yacht race back in the 1850s in England. The New York Yacht Club then offered it up as a challenge and history was born.
I finally got you, you dog. Who was the American who had the longest span in the Olympics.
-- From Your Pal Mark, living at a heavenly Ohio .net.
Arf. Arf, Mark. Nope, not this time. It was a fellow named Michael Plumb, who competed in seven Olympics over the course of 32 years.
Hey, don't you think those suspensions were unfair?
-- From a Worm at a Rodman.org, believe it or not.
Heck no, D.R. In my mind, they should have also lined up the offending Knickers and summarily shot them all.
1) What is the last tournament she won? Give up?
2) And what tournament did she win before that? Give up?
3) What is the lowest round she's ever had in her pro career? Give up?
4) In 1988, she became the second women's player to top $2 million in career earnings. Who was the first? Give up?
5) How many aces has she had in her career? Give up?
Mike Emmett has been kicking around sports departments in newspapers and online operations around the U.S. for years. Got something to say to the Irishman? Email him with a click here.
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