Heldman, Gladys (1922–2003)
Heldman, Gladys (1922–2003)
American sports magazine editor. Born Gladys Medalie, May 13, 1922, in New York, NY; died from self-inflicted gunshot wound, June 22, 2003, in Santa Fe, New Mexico; Stanford, BA, 1942; University of California at Berkeley, MA, 1943; m. Julius D. Heldman (tennis player), June 15, 1942; children: Carrie Medalie Heldman and Julie Medalie Heldman (both tennis players).
Major force behind women's tennis, was an amateur tennis player (1945–54), ranking #2 in the southwest and #1 in Texas, competiting in 4 US Opens; played doubles with Althea Gibson (1953–54) and won a berth on Wimbledon team; launched, published, and began to edit World Tennis magazine (1953), which would become the most successful tennis magazine in the world; underwrote US Lawn Tennis Association's National Indoor championship (1959); often documenting the inequities in prize money for men and women, decided the only way women would be treated decently at a tournament was to have one of their own; helped create the Virginia Slims professional tour (1970). With Pancho Gonzales, also wrote The Book of Tennis. Inducted into International Tennis Hall of Fame (1979).