This Amazing Female Athlete Went Against So Many Societal Norms In Her Day To Become A Successful Tennis Player, As Well As The First Woman To Ride A Horse In A Major Polo Match
There are so many amazing female athletes to look up to nowadays. From Serena Williams to Simone Biles, so many women in sports have defied expectations and become role models to little girls worldwide.
One multi-talented female athlete went against so many of the societal norms in her day that you may not know about – her name was Eleonora Sears.
Eleonora was born into a wealthy and social family in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1881. Her father was Frederick Richard Sears, a real estate tycoon, and tennis player.
Eleonora and her family members were the ultimate New England socialites, always attending marvelous society balls. But Eleonora had unique interests beyond fancy parties. She was an outstanding athlete.
Eleonora was especially good at and passionate about tennis, which she was introduced to by her father.
Frederick was one of the first men in the United States to play tennis, and her uncle, Richard Sears, was a U.S. Nationals Champion.
But she wasn’t only great at tennis; Eleonora played various high-class sports, including horseback riding, ice skating, polo, squash, long-distance walking, etc.
The fact that she was a woman during such a conservative time period did not stop Eleonora from pursuing her passions in the ways she wanted to.
She was often criticized for wearing trousers while riding horses and showing up to male-dominated tennis courts with rolled-up sleeves. Can you imagine living in that time period as a female athlete?
Library Of Congress – pictured above is Eleonora on a polo pony
Eleonora had quite the interesting life balance, being the ultimate picture of decorum at social events and an absolute beast on the sports fields.
However, she did get arrested once for smoking in the lobby of a Boston hotel, which was something that only men were allowed to do at the time.
Any criticisms for her behavior didn’t stop Eleonora, as she went on to achieve great things as an athlete.
Some of her achievements include becoming a four-time national tennis champion and the first woman to ever ride a horse in a major polo match in 1909.
In addition, she won over 200 trophies and was one of the first women to race a car and later fight a speeding ticket. Overall, she played 19 different sports.
Eleonora passed away at the age of 86 in 1968. After her death, she was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame, International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame, and the Horsemen’s Hall of Fame. What an amazing life she led!
If true crime defines your free time, this is for you: join Chip Chick’s True Crime Tribe
Sign up for Chip Chick’s newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox.
More About:Chicks We Love Sports
Read This Next
