Finalist for the Track and Field Writers of America's 2018 Armory
Foundation Book Award
Tyus proves as winning a storyteller as she was a runner...The 'a' in
Wyomia is silent, but thankfully, the woman who owns that name is not.
--New York Times Book Review
Tigerbelle offers a fresh perspective on the history of women's sports
in the United States. From her one-of-a-kind accomplishments on the
track to her contributions to equal pay and publicity for women through
the Women's Sports Foundation, Wyomia Tyus has earned her place in the
pantheon of American sports sheroes and heroes.
--Billie Jean King
A Women's National Book Association selection for the National
Reading Group Month Great Group Reads for 2018!
The story of Tyus and the Tennessee State Tigerbelles has been likened
to The Hidden Figures of women's sports, and the comparison is apt.
Though Tyus never graced the cover of a Wheaties box or Sports
Illustrated, she and her teammates became an unparalleled force in
track and field, breaking barriers, setting records, and challenging the
racism and sexism of their era.
--LitHub
Wyomia Tyus may not be as well known as Wilma Rudolph or Billie Jean
King, but her athletic accomplishments and life story are equally
captivating, as related in this remarkable and inspiring memoir...This
deeply moving book by one of our greatest athletes makes indelible
statements about integrity, growing up black in the South, social
activism, gender equality, and inclusion.
--Booklist, STARRED review
One of the standout athletes of the [1960s]...Carl Lewis, Gail Devers,
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Usain Bolt later joined Tyus in the multiple
Olympic 100m titles club, but Tyus, a standout of Ed Temple's Tennessee
State Tigerbelles track teams, will always be the first.
--NBC Sports Online
Olympic sprinting champion Tyus' moving memoir not only recounts her
athletic triumphs but it also makes indelible statements about growing
up black in the South, social activism, gender equality, and
inclusion.
--Booklist, Top 10 Sports Nonfiction: 2018
Wyomia Tyus' descriptions of the Tigerbelles' team unity, the
friendships that developed even in the midst of hard times, and their
eventual championships, both individually and as a team, provide a look
at a time and era in sports and women's history that doesn't get nearly
the exposure as it deserves...Tigerbelle: The Wyomia Tyus Story is a
book all fans of any sport, but particularly those who love track and
field, will enjoy. But it also covers an equally important slice of
history, both for HBCUs and women's sports, that should never be
forgotten nor undervalued.
--The Tennessee Tribune
In 1968, Wyomia Tyus became the first person ever to win gold medals in
the 100-meter sprint in two consecutive Olympic Games, a feat that would
not be repeated for twenty years or exceeded for almost fifty.
Tigerbelle chronicles Tyus's journey from her childhood as the
daughter of a tenant dairy farmer through her Olympic triumphs to her
post-competition struggles to make a way for herself and other female
athletes.
The Hidden Figures of sport, Tigerbelle helps to fill the gap
currently occupying Black women's place in American history, providing
insight not only on what it takes to be a champion but also on what it
means to stake out an identity in an often hostile world. Tyus's
exciting and uplifting story offers inspiration to readers from all
walks of life.
With a foreword by MSNBC host Joy Reid, and an afterword by sportswriter
Dave Zirin.
