Which athlete was honored with a ticker tape parade in New York City and praised by President Coolidge as 'America's best girl'?

Which athlete was honored with a ticker tape parade in New York City and praised by President Coolidge as 'America's best girl'?

• A. Arnold Palmer
• B. Anna Kournikova
• C. Gertrude Ederle
• D. Babe Didrikson Zaharias

Answer: (C)

This item hinges on recognizing a historic athletic feat that earned one of the era’s most celebrated honors and a presidential compliment. Gertrude Ederle, in 1926, became the first woman to swim the English Channel, a groundbreaking achievement that captured the nation’s imagination. Her victory led to a ticker-tape parade in New York City, a rare and lavish celebration of extraordinary accomplishment. President Calvin Coolidge praised her as “America’s best girl,” underscoring how her success challenged expectations for women in sport and inspired wide public admiration. The other athletes listed are notable in different contexts, but the specific combination of a Channel swim, a NYC ticker-tape parade, and Coolidge’s praise points to Ederle.

This item hinges on recognizing a historic athletic feat that earned one of the era’s most celebrated honors and a presidential compliment. Gertrude Ederle, in 1926, became the first woman to swim the English Channel, a groundbreaking achievement that captured the nation’s imagination. Her victory led to a ticker-tape parade in New York City, a rare and lavish celebration of extraordinary accomplishment. President Calvin Coolidge praised her as “America’s best girl,” underscoring how her success challenged expectations for women in sport and inspired wide public admiration. The other athletes listed are notable in different contexts, but the specific combination of a Channel swim, a NYC ticker-tape parade, and Coolidge’s praise points to Ederle.