billie jean king Flashcards
(12 cards)
billie jean king top accomplishments
changed trajectory of women’s pro tennis via virginia slims circuit
pressed for inc money prizes, and to bring attention to women’s tennis
battle of the sexes
media driven event, exhibition match w former wimbledon champ bobby riggs
september 1973
best 3/5 in houston astrodome, over 30k attendants
BJK won 6-4, 6-3, 6-3
mother’s day massacre
bobby riggs beat the then top fem tennis player margaret court
BJK upbringing
BJ moffitt, born in long beach
mother betty, father bill, brother randy
- randy became MLB pitcher
- working class fam, amazing produced 2 pro athletes
- tennis usually elite sport
pursued many sports, wanted to be baseball player…started tennis at 11
dedicated and drive from firefighter father
bill moffitt
conservative and patriarchal
homophobic
BJK’s early successes
won wimbledon doubles 1961 at 17
reached wimbledon singles final in 1963, won in 1966-68
first woman since 1938 to win mixed doubles, singles, and doubles in wimbledon in the SAME YEAR
- 1967
won 39 grand slam titles in her career
transition to pro tennis
was amateur until 1967
open tennis began in 1968
houston nine
by 1970, became tired of lack of respect and parity
BJK + 8 players established the virginia slims tour
breakaway tour, merged w open tennis by 1973
virginia slims was tobacco product, but only sponsor willing to advance women’s tennis
women’s tennis parity today
majors have equal prize money
tours events don’t have same parity
BJK as a gay woman
fought for feminism and women’s tennis, but not LGBT rights
took refuge w/in marriage when she was outed in 1981
1960s-70s allowed privacy to athletes and celebrities
martina narratilova
gay tennis player in 1970s, sexuality public knowledge
alt approach to BJK
BJK impact
USTA renamed flushing meadow, site of US open
USTA BJK national tennis centre
