A Casual Tournament
In 1900, Margaret Abbott, an American golfer studying in Paris, entered what she thought was a local golf tournament held in Compiègne. Wearing a long skirt and blouse, she competed alongside her mother and other women, unaware that the event was part of the second modern Olympic Games.
An Unrecognized Victory
Margaret scored 47 in the nine-hole tournament, winning first place. However, she never knew she was competing in the Olympics, as the event wasn’t well-publicized as such. Instead of a gold medal, she received a porcelain bowl as her prize.
Discovery Decades Later
It wasn’t until the 1970s, when historian Paula Welch researched American women Olympians, that Margaret’s achievement was recognized. Her family learned that she was the first American woman to win an Olympic title, decades after her death in 1955.
The Olympic Champion Who Never Knew She Won ⛳️
A Casual Tournament
In 1900, Margaret Abbott, an American golfer studying in Paris, entered what she thought was a local golf tournament held in Compiègne. Wearing a long skirt and blouse, she competed alongside her mother and other… pic.twitter.com/GSt28UfJvJ— Detective Tiger’s Stories (@TigerDetective) September 24, 2024