Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs “Battle of the Sexes” 1973 tennis match was big news at the time, generating unfamiliar controversy between men and women. This weekend, Emma Stone and Steve Carell hit the silver screen with an autobiographical look at Billy Jean and Bobby in the movie “Battle of the Sexes”.
At the time of the match, Billy Jean was ranked the #1 women’s tennis player in the world, giving the match a real sub-plot of interest and social importance. In 1972 Billy Jean had won the singles titles at all four Grand Slam events, but it’s her controversial sporting match with accomplished tennis player and con man Bobby Riggs that thrust her into the national spotlight. Billy Jean remained close friends with Bobby until his death in 1995
Billy Jean was a tennis prodigy at the age of 14 (very few women teenagers made a living at professional sports at that time) and enjoyed a legendary career in the sport. Most people don’t know that the Elton John song “Philadelphia Freedom” was inspired and dedicated to Billy Jean; they had grown close over the years. Billy Jean King became a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom Award in 2009.
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