Emma stone plays billie jean king and steve carell plays bobby riggs in a movie about the 1973 tennis match that became a referendum on equality. Today, many people are not aware that riggs played another woman before billie jean king, but he did. Billie jean king raises her hands in triumph as her opponent, bobby riggs, prepares to hurdle the net following her straightset victory in an exhibition tennis match at the houston astrodome. Did bobby riggs throw his match with billie jean king to pay. A courageous advocate for gender equality for women from a young age, billie jean king accepted a challenge to play a match against former number 1ranked tennis player bobby riggs. This weekend, a new movie based on the true story starring emma stone as billie jean king and steve carell as bobby riggs hits theaters. Bettmann contributorgetty images the match brought. It was 1973, and riggs, a top mens player in the 1930s and 1940s, was now a 55yearold selfdescribed hustler and. Billie jean kings secret motivation in the battle of the. Riggs 1973 the source is the guinness book of world records.
Billie jean king and the battle of the sexes national women. According to the legend herself, the reason billy jean king won the infamous battle of sexes tennis match in 1973 actually has nothing to do with the sport itself. Sep 18, 2017 so bad was his play, as sports illustrated reported, a friend of riggs remembers someone shouting, looks like bobby bet on billie jean. Jun 27, 2017 billie jean king meets bobby riggs again from the odd couple duration.
Billie jean king, american tennis player whose influence and playing style elevated the status of womens professional tennis. While battle of the sexes portrays the fierce competition between tennis greats bobby riggs and billie jean king, riggs son says his dads chauvinistic persona was all. Billie jean king and the battle of the sexes national. The event drew an enormous audience and npr s bob mondello says the movie could too. In 1973, at the age of 55, he challenged billie jean king, widely considered the greatest female player at the time and an outspoken feminist, to a match. Now, for the first time ever, billie jean shares the life lessons that led to. Facts mix with fiction yet battle of the sexes may still.
But her journey to the battle of the sexes was no accident. Riggs pursued margaret court, chris evert, and billie jean king, three of the top four womens players that year. She was also known for defeating bobby riggs in a battle of the sexes match in 1973. The 1973 tennis match between billie jean king and bobby riggs became the most watched televised sports event of all time. Nov 10, 2017 the famous tennis match was held at the houston astrodome between the 29yearold womens world champion billie jean king and the 55yearold mens former world champion bobby riggs. Bobby riggs son reveals his dads last words to billie jean king. Riggs, meanwhile, came in on a rickshaw surrounded by scantily clad women known as bobbys bosom buddies. Book summary provides an account of the 1973 battle of the sexes tennis match between billie jean king and bobby riggs, discussing its impact on the cultural history of the 1970s and its. It was 1973, and riggs, a top mens player in the 1930s and 1940s, was now a 55year. Billie jean king on her sexuality and beating bobby riggs in. Riggs had defeated margaret court a little over four months earlier, and king felt that she was playing for the.
Billie jean kings most popular book is good night stories for rebel girls 2. The real reason billie jean king beat bobby riggs has. The real reason billie jean king beat bobby riggs has nothing. In the same year, the sports museum of america and the womens sports foundation announced the billie jean king international womens sports center. Sep 20, 2017 tennis trailblazer billie jean king visits today to talk about the new film battle of the sexes, which dramatizes her headlinemaking 1973 tennis match with bobby riggs.
Was the tennis battle of the sexes between billie jean king. In 2009, she was awarded the presidential medal of. Pioneer billie jean king moved the baseline for womens tennis king s 1973 exhibition match with selfproclaimed male chauvinist bobby riggs is now the subject of the new film, battle of the sexes. She often represented the united states in the federation cup and the wightman cup. Nov 23, 2017 the 1973 tennis match between billie jean king and bobby riggs was called the battle of the sexes. Matches played against margaret court and billie jean king has placed riggs in legendary status, but to delve into that segment of his career first would be doing him a disservice. Used books may not include companion materials, some shelf wear, may contain highlightingnotes, may not include.
Riggs was a great junior player, deemed to be one of the finest to hail from perry joness southern california tennis association factory of young talent. And one final note on the spectacle of the riggsking match. Pioneer billie jean king moved the baseline for womens. Billie jean king and bobby riggs squared off in the battle of the sexes round 2. Battle of the sexes a courageous advocate for gender equality for women from a young age, billie jean king accepted a challenge to play a match against former number 1ranked tennis player bobby riggs. How billie jean king beat a misogynist pig champions the tennis great was an early activist on and off the courts and her legendary win in.
Billie jean king has 27 books on goodreads with 2024 ratings. Billie jean kings new book is called pressure is a privilege. Tennis trailblazer billie jean king visits today to talk about the new film battle of the sexes, which dramatizes her headlinemaking 1973 tennis match with bobby riggs. Billie jean king remembers battle of the sexes august 25, 2008 as the 35th anniversary of billie jean king and bobby riggs battle of the sexes match approaches, cohost renee montagne. Bobby riggs battle of the sexes 1973 tennis youtube. Facts mix with fiction yet battle of the sexes may still be. The term is most famously used for an internationally televised match in 1973 held at the houston astrodome between 55 yearold bobby riggs and 29 yearold billie jean king, which king won in three sets. Thats one of the reasons i beat him because i respected him. As the 35th anniversary of billie jean king and bobby riggs battle of the sexes match approaches, cohost renee montagne talks to tennis legend billie. So bad was his play, as sports illustrated reported, a friend of riggs remembers someone shouting, looks like bobby bet on billie jean. Lessons ive learned from life and the battle of the sexes billie jean king library, and billie jean, and more on. This may marks the 40 th anniversary of the original battle of the sexes tennis match between bobby riggs and one of the top female tennis players in the game at the time. Billie jean king on the battle of the sexes controversy.
In the early 1970s, she began playing on the newly established virginia slims tour, the first professional womens tennis tour. Books by billie jean king author of pressure is a privilege. Billie jean king, bobby riggs, and the tennis match that leveled the game by selena roberts. Bobby riggs rides in a carriage pulled by women in his. How billie jean king made womens sports history during the. Billie jean king and bobby riggs before their epic match.
Advantage, bobby, but game, set, match, billie jean. Bobby riggs did not throw the battle of the sexes, billie jean king has said, most recently in an onthestreet chat with tmz. The greatest crowd at a tennis match was the 30,472 who came to the astrodome in houston, texas, on september 20, 1973, to watch billie jean king beat bobby riggs, over 25 years her senior, in straight sets in the. Billie jean kings victory over bobby riggs in the battle of the sexes was a pivotal moment in gender relations for generations of american women and men. Sep 21, 2017 billie jean king and bobby riggs before their epic match. Aug 25, 2008 as the 35th anniversary of billie jean king and bobby riggs battle of the sexes match approaches, cohost renee montagne talks to tennis legend billie jean king about that famous match. She won the singles title at the inaugural wta tour championships. The tennis legend emphatically denies the recent allegations made in. In her career she won 39 major titles, competing in both singles and doubles. The autobiography of billie jean king king, billie jean on. Sep 22, 2017 according to the legend herself, the reason billy jean king won the infamous battle of sexes tennis match in 1973 actually has nothing to do with the sport itself. Billie jean kings victories, on and off the court cbs news. Sep 17, 2017 billie jean king raises her hands in triumph as her opponent, bobby riggs, prepares to hurdle the net following her straightset victory in an exhibition tennis match at the houston astrodome.
How billie jean king made womens sports history during. Did bobby riggs throw his match with billie jean king to. Billie jean king on her sexuality and beating bobby riggs. Sep 21, 2017 emma stone plays billie jean king and steve carell plays bobby riggs in a movie about the 1973 tennis match that became a referendum on equality. King went on to win in three sets, ushering in a new era of recognition for women in tennis, sports, and other walks of life. The famous tennis match was held at the houston astrodome between the 29yearold womens world champion billie jean king and the 55yearold mens former world champion bobby riggs. Bobby riggs son reveals his dads last words to billie. Billie jean king still gets asked about her battle with bobby riggs, which occurred 44 years ago this week, more than anything else in her remarkable life. Lessons ive learned from life and the battle of the sexes.
Billie jean kings nickname for emma stone is peahead. Listed under tennis is an entry called greatest crowd, which goes like this. Lessons ive learned from life and the battle of the sexes billie jean king library billie jean king, christine brennan on. King is the author of numerous books, including, pressure is a privilege. The hype leading up to the tennis match between billie jean king and bobby riggs on sept. How the battle of the sexes influenced a generation of men. In tennis, battle of the sexes describes various exhibition matches played between a man and a woman, or a doubles match between two men and two women in one case. Sep 29, 2017 the hype leading up to the tennis match between billie jean king and bobby riggs on sept. Riggs lost to womens liberation advocate billie jean king, then the worlds secondranked female player, in straight sets before more than 30,000 spectators at the houston astrodome and a.
In doing so, she launched her fight for parity into the worldwide limelight. Billie jean king was a wellknown tennis great when riggs first challenged her, having won many tournaments and receiving many awards and accolades. King then presented riggs with a squealing baby pig and in return received a large. With the election of donald trump and all the sexism and misogyny that the 2016 election entailed just behind us the story is sadly relevant today. How billie jean king beat a misogynist pig champions the tennis great was an early activist on and off the courts and her legendary win in the battle of the sexes paved. Ap the movie battle of the sexes opens this weekend in select cities, with emma stone playing king and steve carell playing riggs. Oct, 2017 while battle of the sexes portrays the fierce competition between tennis greats bobby riggs and billie jean king, riggs son says his dads chauvinistic persona was all an act speaking to inside. Was the tennis battle of the sexes between billie jean. Sep 21, 2017 in 1973, at the age of 55, he challenged billie jean king, widely considered the greatest female player at the time and an outspoken feminist, to a match. Trapped in the media glare, king and riggs were on opposites sides of a. Riggs had been a top mens player in the 1930s and 1940s in both the amateur and professional ranks. On september 20, 1973 billie jean king defeated bobby riggs at the houston astrodome in the socalled battle of the sexes. Sep 20, 2017 billie jean king and bobby riggs squared off in the battle of the sexes round 2.
After defeating court, riggs continued to talk trash, and a match against 29yearold billie jean king was arranged. Billie jean kings secret motivation in the battle of the sexes. The 1973 tennis match between billie jean king and bobby riggs was called the battle of the sexes. Lessons ive learned from life and the battle of the sexes billie jean king library. Sep 23, 2017 billie jean king won in straight sets. What happened to bobby riggs after battle of the sexes. Billie jean king beat bobby riggs in tennis 44 years. Battle of the sexes tells the story of the 1973 tennis match between bobby riggs and billie jean king.