Tags
astrodome, battle of the sexes, bilie jean king, bobby riggs, equality, history, humor, sports, tennis
Every day in history is like a snowflake from heaven’s snowflake garden. It’s unique and it is fragile. Put it in your brain before it melts. This is what happened on September 20, 1973…
On September 20, 1973, Billy Jean King (a lady) defeated Bobby Riggs (a fella) in a game of tennis… in the Astrodome. Looking back, it is hard to see what the big deal was– this event featured the best women’s tennis player in the world versus a 55 year-old man. Granted, Riggs was a former number one men’s tennis player. Still, he was 55 years-old. Even if the Guffaw was alive on September 19, 1973, and had no knowledge of the future the entire piggybank would have been wagered on Billy Jean King. If Serena Williams plays John McEnroe, the little Guffaw’s college savings are going on Serena.
Billie Jean King you wouldn't beat a guy wearing glasses?.. you would...
King won “The Battle of the Sexes” in three sets. The Astrodome, a big place, was packed. King entered on a golden chair and Riggs entered on a rickshaw pulled by female models. Maybe tennis should do this more often or have the players wear capes, just spit balling. The match was broadcast live on television and play-by-play was done by legendary sports announcer Howard Cossell.
In 1973, if this is what was needed to give validation to women as athletes then job well done Billy Jean King. Today, are women athletes as popular and marketable as their male counterparts? No, but they do have a much larger slice of the pie. It is weird that it took Billy Jean King making Bobby Riggs chase a yellow ball around to make it happen.
I guess it’s a technical win then since he’s 55. I didn’t know this, but if the original press mentioned that he’s 55 as many times as you did (twice) then I figure it didn’t count in 1973 either. How old was Billy Jean King at the time?
I do not believe the event was officially sanctioned by any of tennis’ governorning bodies. It was more akin to professional wrestling, with the trash talk, pagaentry and hype (she really did win and Riggs was trying). This was a huge event in 1973. Riggs played up the male chavuanist angle to make as much money as possible and King went along with it for the payday. She was 29 when she defeated Riggs.