This is a machine-generated transcript. Text is unformatted and may contain errors.

Ladies and gentlemen I. Would like your attention because of the. Popularity of. Our guest of honor and what happened this morning on the ticker tape parade in the crowds and take good pay and the photographer as a city and all we work on you know usually the live. I'd like to have your attention please ladies and gentlemen at the waiters working as quiet as possible. Mr Gibson Mr Mer. Reverend clergy members of the Board of Estimate. This saving grace guys and ladies and gentlemen. Over one hundred years ago the famous French statesman Alex the talk will. End up praising the singular prosperity and growing strength of democracy in America wrote and I quote it ought mainly to be attributed to. The superiority of American women. I'll have to admit that American women have shown time and again. That they are endowed with great courage and powers of physical and or it's. What often exceed those of the so-called stronger sex. Comparisons aside. The young woman we are honoring today truly deserves our tribute she is a product of our city she came up the hard way. And now stands at the top of her class. To reach the top not only because every natural athletic ability but because of our own wavering courage and determination to be a champion. Althea Gibson her own to victory was not easy Nevertheless she was her career and finally at Wembley. She played and won like a champion. With skill and with dignity. Even more than your personal success. It was a triumph for fair play sportsmanship. And equality of opportunity. And my friend said that it is a place here to want to do is the first of our speakers. And man to go by was already introduced by mistake Kleis because it's been so close to me here doing this job but he represents his constituents with a great ability in the state Assembly and he has given much of his time and energy to tennis as the executive secretary of the American kind of facilitation. Once again I say the man and the city we are grateful for his excellent assistance. In making the official city tribute to. Possible I have high honor for sending Assemblyman Booker Mel Baker. Colonel Patterson. Mr Mayor. Distinguished property public officials and friends of all their Gibson and up close. This is indeed a happy occasion for all of us. I hope that it could have ended the rally on the note struck by all together soon after the horror when she said this is my finest hour. Indeed it is the finest hour on America. Because I'm working against is more than a tennis champion. She has been an ambassador of goodwill for our country. And a great salesman. Democratic way of life. Because she has won this championship is evidence of the fact that she has always given that fact that's true whether she played. Mediocre player or whether she played a little. Surely. Already. In looking over the tennis material. I came across a document compiled from years ago by Mr Ruff through Barclay. Former President of the United States Lawn Tennis Association. And he composite short of a Ten Commandments for tennis players. Which the coalition shot the only thing these were not ten commandments but sixty sixty shots for tennis players. And a number thirty three of those shots missed the consent there is no limit to the pleasure of honest effort the score. When Live Cortlandt is closed for the night should be the sum total of. One's best and nothing else and because it will be a given has given her best at best to the game at best to her country we are today thank you very much. Thank you Assemblyman Baker annex peaker is a prominent businessman along associated with the Westinghouse organization who is also president of the United States Lawn Tennis Association the governing body of an amateur tennis in this country I hope he will come forward and talk to us for a moment Mr Randall H. McMahon. Thank you Mr Patterson Mr. Coffey. And all of our famous friends thanks to Althea. I've had two of the greatest thrills this week and my life when the news came through last Saturday an American girl had won Wimbledon again and it just it's just thrilling. And then the opportunity for the first time thanks to our failure to write in a ticket paper eight this morning was something that I'll never never forget. It's wonderful I know welfare will agree with me to shake the hands of the Queen of England but it takes a little long. Missing the mayor. To really put on our welcome and we are all be proud of the welcome that our city gave to Alf they are this morning. You heard it said many times to be a tennis champion you must have the best equipment the best playing facilities and begin when you are twelve or fourteen years of age to think about nothing but playing tennis. I hope your great win at Wimbledon has buried this premise and philosophy for all time to be a champion you must have a great determination and interest in the game. And then you must have that ability and determination to overcome all obstacles. And courage and then last but not least you must have the will to win all hours of the quantities that make up a chance and out has been the abundance of all of those quantities and the champion of Quade we are all proud of now your economic playing field speaks for itself but I'm wondering how many in this room realize what a wonderful and bass of the. Saleswoman you have been for America last year too. The cooperation of the all the American tennis association the United States not just the United States Lawn Tennis Association and the State Department we all sent on a trip to Asia nowadays Netcom you did a grand. This year you're visiting you have brought back the Lamberton champions in those trips and my uncle opinion you have. To spread the American gospel and correct bode well for America and then the great majority of. Our ambassadors abroad say keep up the good work go back to England next year and bring that championship back defended well I know you will you're a real lady a great competitor Good luck and keep up the good work. Thank you Mr McMahon. Next the borough president of Manhattan a man whose character and ability and office averment him the gratitude nightmare ation of all our citizens the Honorable you let me Jack. The guest of honor this outfit Gibson to her mother and her father missionary Pattison controller. Presidents man a scout Cashmore. Distinguished guests ladies and gentlemen. Like music sports is a universal language and those who excel on the field of competition are by and large regarded as international citizens sons and daughters of the. Last week on the sun drenched famous Centocor the Wimbledon. Exquisite skill and brilliant performance stepped into this cycle the Lawn Tennis was introduced in the United States and their early part of eighteen seventy four and then to them played by a woman Miss Mary out of Britain who played the first game I am told on the grounds of Staten Island cricket and basketball club. Where the president man a scout Co is familiar and mine out knowledge of the game is still want to me however it has always been a game of love. So the love and regard that we have for you here is. What the proudness we feel as we gather here today in this dedicated moment we failed at this fitting to add the capital letters to the words that will emblazoned on the tablet of our times this is a moment of great honor to us all. To share with you this great. What. Has added strength and meaning to the Star-Spangled Banner and is this truly American as the stars and stripes how you reach that goal is an inspiration to all Americans what you came through today by your fellow citizens of all races creeds and religion is ample proof that in our democracy. We take the leadership in emphasizing human achievements as we move forward in a vigorous crusade to what full equal opportunity. For a champion in a way of champions as New Yorkers and I know what the pride of the I am particularly proud heritage Manhattan to know that you have this coveted crown we had to date with bounded emotions but like to add an exclamation point to that passage in history to which. Must be added with great champions we know in the field of sports. We pray that God Well if you have the strength to continue to achieve the things you seek Thank you. Thank you very much President Jacques. It is now my pleasure to introduce your host Althea Gibson So the man who speaks for all New Yorkers in expressing the warmth of their admiration and respect for our guest of honor the mayor of the city of New York the honorable Robert F. wigner. Mr Patterson Our guest of honor I'm a skeptic and I've been members of the clergy. My colleagues on the Board of Estimate Mr and Mrs Gibson and Gibson's two younger sisters who are standing out there. And my friends. I'm sure anything that I could say after the distinguished speeches which have already been made. In particular. One man wonderful reception on the part of New York City to our guest of honor would be very and a clear Matic But as we said on the steps of City Hall. And has been said here today Mr Gibson is not only a great champion in tennis but a great representative of this country we love so much I suppose it's a long way from where I was at West one hundred forty third Street to the center caught at Wimbledon but made march in a dignified and fine way and we here in New York that we can receive you today and honor you the first women's champion ever to be born and bred right here in New York City. And. I think even with all of the problems. We realize that through this Gibson's example. Children from New York can grow up to be fine and outstanding and wonderful people people who can assume leadership in various fields and you will cause have risen to the very top and one of the most competitive and difficult sales in sports or in any. Walk of life. And therefore it is a signal honor for me as the mayor but to me more important as a humble little two was born and bred on the sidewalks of New York to present this Medal of Honor from the city of Najaf and Miss Gibson with this medal because the love and affection and respect of every single citizen of New York City and may you as we now continue to be a champion for many years to come on the field on on the tennis caught we know that with us you will always be a great and wonderful champion May God bless you. And your work and as I said we give this to you with all of our love and affection. About our Ladies and gentlemen I guest of honor and the greatest women's tennis player in the world today Miss Gibson. Thank you Samantha. Thank you friends. For this wonderful. Piece of patient. This is the key to New York I'm told. You are. This is the greatest moment of my life. I. Would have never thought. That I would be standing up in front of so many of my friends in front of so many. Dignitaries and especially proud of the mayor the city of New York. Accepting a medal. For just hitting a little ball around. But. This victory isn't mine alone. It belongs to so many people in so many ways. It belongs to those who had faith. In my ability. It belongs to those who have given me courage and determination to carry on in this great sport. For this I have so many to thank. To thank each and every one would be. Not an ordeal not a task. I don't know what it would be because you who have helped me so much deserve so much in return. But I like to mention the few. Who've attributed a great deal to my SO I say my presence here tonight or this evening this afternoon I like to think first of all what a walker for being the first person to hand me a tennis racket. For being the first person. To reach over a handful of youngsters playing talent tennis in a hundred forty third Street and saying to me. I think you can make a good tennis player. For this I think but it was. I also like to thank my first coach. Who has helped me with my furthering attempts with his great ability of teaching those who need to learn so much. For helping me with the strategy of the game at that particular time of course it's changed quite quite a deal since then but he deserves my gratitude and thanks I like also to thank the two people who have done I believe. The most for me in my tennis career and I'm speaking of one who is present here today Dr Arthur be Johnson. That. It was through Dr Johnson's and sawfish contributions which made it possible for me to travel around the USA at that particular time to get the needed experience that I so needed to attain this victory and Dr H. Eaton who is not present here today and whose home I received love and courage meant and a great deal more while attending or shall I say finishing high school when at the time I did not care to finish. He has done a great deal for me and for that I thank Dr Eaton and Dr Johnson. Also I like to thank Mr Bertram L. Baker of the eighty eight and all of his associates who helped me in the past to accomplish many things. And also along with the A.T.F. and Mr Baker and the associate the president and the associates of the U.S. L.T.A. who have. Done great things for me in the past years who have made it possible. For me to see the world by just getting that ball around as I said before I don't deserve such high things as I am receiving here today I like to thank my mother and father. Man and all of my relatives for their encouragement and their faith in me they have helped so much in seeing me through some of the trying. Years in tennis. The last but not least I hope I'm not forgetting anyone I like to thank my present coach Mr Sidney Llewellyn who has stood by me all these years since one nine hundred fifty teaching me various things in various techniques new teachings that I have used in my tennis matches. And also for his kindly advice that I have received from him during the time when I wanted to quit playing tennis and no one knew it to join the army. Or am I glad I didn't. So you can see how this victory doesn't belong to me you can see how it belongs to every one of you here present today I just can't describe the joy and the feeling that in my heart now for the splendid way that I have been received by the city of New York City. The praise that goes to them comes from the very depths of my heart I thank you for that God grant that I wear this crown that I have won with dignity defend it with the highest honor and God grant that all the youngsters who are coming up today trying to get in some field of sport that they love like to play I hope that God grant them the encouragement the determination to carry on as I have. And I wish they would start with part of tennis at least that started me they say what's good for the goose is good for the gander. Yes This this field of sports is something great Which reminds me of a joke this is concerning tennis and sense that's a feel I'm in. Your mind you're the joke between the devil and the Lord the demagogue a bright idea in his head one day he went up to the Lord and said I like to have a tennis match with you and those that you have. So a lot of them as are you are you serious he said Sure I'm serious so you must be kidding. Now don't we agree to it will you want to say well you can how can you when you can't when I have all the best players up here I have twenty try but I have got the more I have fixations own all those players how can you when he says Do you agree. To tell this match with me as well as knowing that you don't have a chance I guess are great but tell me how do you think you can win. The devil said well you may have all the best tennis players in the world but I've got all the empires in the linesman down here I am. I am and so you see this time this game of tennis has its complications also I am. Going to finish when my day is done in tennis. I hope to relinquish it graciously thank you again from the bottom of my heart and I THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. Thank you Miss Gibson for that stimulating talk and this is a day that New Yorkers will not soon forget.