Billie Jean King Biography

Tennis Player

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Name at birth: Billie Jean Moffit

Billie Jean King dominated women's tennis for nearly two decades, retiring from professional play in 1984. She won her first Wimbledon title in 1962, beating top-seeded Margaret Smith. King won 20 Wimbledon titles, 6 of them singles. In 1973 she played men's player Bobby Riggs, who had publicly proclaimed no woman could beat him (the previous year he had beaten Court). The stunt was dubbed "The Battle of the Sexes," and when King trounced Riggs she became a feminist icon. Since retiring she's worked as a coach, television commentator and businesswoman.

Extra credit: In 1981 her longtime secretary, Marilyn Barnett, brought a palimony lawsuit against King and their love affair became public. King won the suit.

Billie Jean King appears with Margaret Smith Court and Babe Didrikson Zaharias in our loop on champion athletes, Big Girls On The Ball.

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