Margaret Ann "Peg" Grey (May 15, 1945 – February 24, 2007) was an American physical education teacher and sports organizer based in Chicago. She was the first female co-chair of the Federation of Gay Games. She was inducted into the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame in 1992.
Peg Grey | |
|---|---|
| Born | Margaret Ann Grey May 15, 1945 Chicago, Illinois |
| Died | February 24, 2007 Hinsdale, Illinois |
| Occupation(s) | Physical educator, sports organizer |
Early life
editMargaret Grey was born in Chicago, the daughter of Lawrence C. Grey and Dorothy Blyth Grey. Both of her parents were also born in Chicago; her father was a teacher. She graduated from Maria High School in 1963,[1] earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education from Chicago Teachers College, and a master's degree in physical education from Northern Illinois University.[2]
Career
editGrey taught physical education at elementary schools in the Chicago Public Schools for 35 years. She was active in the Gay Games, serving as first female co-chair of the Federation of Gay Games,[3] and on the international board of the governing body. She worked for increasing participation by athletes from non-Western nations, and by older athletes. She organized women's softball, basketball, volleyball, bowling, racquetball, and tennis teams and leagues under aegis of the Chicago Metropolitan Sports Association.[2][4][5] She was also one of the organizers of Frontrunners Chicago, a running and walking club for the gay and lesbian community.[6]
Grey raised funds for causes including AIDS and cancer research. She competed at Gay Games events in San Francisco (1982), Vancouver (1990),[7] and Chicago (2006),[8] in various sports, including marathon, softball, volleyball, and track and field.[2] She was inducted into the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame in 1992.[9] She was posthumously inducted into the Chicago Metropolitan Sports Authority Hall of Fame in 2007.[5][10]
Personal life and legacy
editGrey was survived by her partner of 40 years, Grace Leudke,[11] and her companion of 17 years, Pam Hulvey,[12] when she died from multiple myeloma in 2007, aged 61 years, in Hinsdale, Illinois.[2] Her papers and memorabilia, including trophies, t-shirts, and photographs, are in the Gerber/Hart Library and Archives.[13] There is a Peg Grey Women's Sport Tournament held annually in Johannesburg, named in her memory.
References
edit- ^ Maria High School, Maria (1963 yearbook): 138; via Ancestry
- ^ a b c d Baim, Tracy. "Sports Pioneer Peg Grey Dies" Windy City Times (February 28, 2007).
- ^ Symons, Caroline (2010-04-26). The Gay Games: A History. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-134-02789-7.
- ^ D'Emilio, John. "Chapter 33. Building Community: Peg Grey and the Power of Sports" in Queer Legacies: Stories from Chicago’s LGBTQ Archives (University of Chicago Press 2020): 157- 161. ISBN 9780226727677
- ^ a b Baim, Tracy. "The Gay and Lesbian Sporting Life" in Out and Proud in Chicago: An Overview of the City's Gay Community (Agate Publishing 2009): 179-181. ISBN 9781572846432
- ^ "About Us – Frontrunners Chicago". Retrieved 2021-06-11.
- ^ "Exuberant Welcome for Gay Games Athletes". Bay Area Reporter. August 9, 1990. pp. 38–39. Retrieved June 10, 2021 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ "5K Road Race". Chicago Tribune. 2006-07-14. pp. 33–14. Retrieved 2021-06-11 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Peg Grey" Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame (1992 inductee).
- ^ "Hall of Fame". Chicago Metropolitan Sports Association. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
- ^ "PASSAGES Grace Luedke". Windy City Times. 2008-09-03. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
- ^ Brigham, Roger (February 28, 2007). "On the Passing of an Icon". Bay Area Reporter. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
- ^ "Archive Collections – Gerber/Hart Library and Archives". Retrieved 2021-06-11.
