Billie Jean King’s ‘Battle of the Sexes’ victory was 50 years ago, echoes still ring
Billie Jean King U.S. Open Sept 10 Billy Jean King honored on Sept. 10 at U.S. Open (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) (Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
By Tom Ensey, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
The women’s rights movement was picking up steam and Billie Jean King was the top women’s tennis player in the world in 1973 when she struck a great blow for women’s rights during the “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match.
King’s victory still echoes 50 years later for its tremendous effect on equal rights for women in sports and elsewhere. She is being considered for a “Congressional Medal of Freedom.”
Bobby Riggs was a 55-year-old man who won U.S. amateur and professional titles, a Wimbledon singles title and was ranked No. 1 in the world -- in 1939, the Los Angeles Times reported. He had developed a reputation as a gambler and a tennis hustler with a rude, overbearing, and studiedly comic personality of questionable taste. Riggs hatched the idea to play King in a “battle of the sexes,” but she said no. So he wrangled a match against Grand Slam winner Margaret Court in what came to be named “The Mother’s Day Massacre,” The Times reported. He continued to badger King proclaiming that he would beat her as badly and crowing that “no woman could beat him” because they “lack emotional stability,” the Times said. He was 55 and King was 29, at the top of her game, and had just won her fifth Wimbledon singles title.
She said yes.
So it was set: Sept. 20, 1973, at the then-palatial Houston Astrodome, national TV, prime time, with bombastic sports broadcaster Howard Cosell mike-side.
The match had gone viral in the days before social media, ESPN, and general 24/7 media bombardment. The match was all anybody talked about, talk shows hummed with opinions. The broadcast drew 50 million people in the U.S. and an estimated 90 million more, worldwide, still the most to watch a tennis match and one of the most-watched television sports events of all time.
King played along with the circus-like atmosphere tinged with cringe-inducing 1970s humor, making her entrance on a chair borne by scantily-clad male athletes from nearby Rice University; Riggs’ “chauvinist-pig” persona was on full display. He entered riding a rickshaw drawn by scantily clad females, who along with Riggs all wore shirts sponsored by the candy bar “Sugar Daddy,” a pioneering moment in sports marketing.
But the hoopla meant nothing once the two players stepped onto the court. King was all business and methodically chopped Riggs up and won going away 6-4. 6-3, 6-3. She took the then-staggering prize of $100,000.
Her victory helped bring about a sea change in how women athletes were treated.
“The Battle of the Sexes gave women’s tennis, and women athletes, an unprecedented global platform,” King told the International Tennis Hall of Fame (ITHOF). “I am proud of the match’s lasting impact in establishing respect and providing opportunities for women in sports and beyond,” King said at a ceremony honoring her at the U.S. Open, reported by nbcenework.com
Battle of the Sexes Bobby Riggs flexes his biceps in an attempt to intimidate Billie Jean King. The two played against each other September 20, 1973. King won the match in straight sets. (Bettmann/Bettmann Archive)
Battle of the Sexes (Original Caption) Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs at press conference in the East Side Tennis Club announce that they will play each other in a one game $100,000 winner takes all match. Photo shows Riggs speaking while seated next to King. (Bettmann/Bettmann Archive)
Battle of the Sexes Tennis star Billie Jean King waving to fans from float as she is carried into stadium prior to her tennis match with Bobby Riggs. (Photo by Sahm Doherty/Getty Images) (Sahm Doherty/Getty Images)
Battle of the Sexes UNSPECIFIED - CIRCA 1973: Tennis player Bobby Riggs practice in a bonnet and dress prior to playing in a tennis match called Battle of the Sexes II against women's player Billie Jean King circa 1973. King won the match 6-4, 6-3, 6-3. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) (Focus On Sport/Getty Images)
Battle of the Sexes HOUSTON - SEPTEMBER 20: Billie Jean King raises her hands in triumph after defeating Bobby Riggs in the "Battle of the Sexes" Challenge Match at the Astrodome on September 20, 1973 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Focus on Sport via Getty Images) (Focus On Sport/Focus on Sport via Getty Images)
Battle of the Sexes HOUSTON - SEPTEMBER 20: Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs during the Battle of the Sexes Challenge Match at the Astrodome on September 20, 1973 in Houston, Texas. (Focus on Sport via Getty Images) (Focus On Sport/Focus on Sport via Getty Images)
Battle of the Sexes Tennis: Battle of the Sexes: Bobby Riggs in action during match vs Billie Jean King at the Astrodome.
Houston, TX 9/20/1973
CREDIT: Jerry Cooke (Photo by Jerry Cooke /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
(Set Number: X17993 ) (Jerry Cooke/Sports Illustrated via Getty Ima)
Battle of the Sexes UNITED STATES - SEPTEMBER 20: Tennis: Battle of Sexes, Billie Jean King in action vs Bobby Riggs during match at Astrodome, Houston, TX 9/20/1973 (Photo by Tony Triolo/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (SetNumber: X17995) (Tony Triolo/Sports Illustrated via Getty Ima)
Battle of the Sexes Billie Jean King reaches for a low volley in her tennis match against Bobby Riggs. Riggs boasted earlier in the year that no woman could beat a male professional tennis player. King won the match in straight sets. (Bettmann/Bettmann Archive)
Battle of the Sexes (Original Caption) Shown in action, Bobby Riggs runs to the net in the tennis "Battle of the Sexes" against Billie Jean King, (not pictured), in their winner-take-all $100,000 match in the Astrodome. (Bettmann/Bettmann Archive)
Battle of the Sexes (Original Caption) Billie Jean King reaches for the ball in the first set of her match with aging Bobby Riggs, (not pictured), for $100,000 winner-take-all match in the Astrodome. (Bettmann/Bettmann Archive)
Battle of the Sexes 20 Sep 1973: Bobby Riggs of the USA in action during a Battle of the Sexes Challenge Match against Billie Jean-King of the USA held at the Astrodome, in Houston, Texas. The battle of the sexes match came about after Bobby Riggs had challenged King to abest of five set match stating no woman could beat him. King therefore proved him wrong and won the match in straight sets with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 win. At the time it was watched by the biggest ever audience for a tennis match with a crowd of over 30,472 watching at the arena with another 40 million watching on television sets around the world. \ Mandatory Credit: AllsportUK /Allsport (Getty Images/Getty Images)
Battle of the Sexes Retired tennis champion Bobby Riggs challenged Billie Jean King to a battle of the sexes tennis match in 1973. King beat Riggs in three sets and helped female athletes gain ground in matters of pay, and recognition. (Bettmann/Bettmann Archive)
Battle of the Sexes 20 Sep 1973: Bobby Riggs of the USA comes off court defeated by Billie Jean-King of the USA after a Battle of the Sexes Challenge Match held at the Astrodome, in Houston, Texas. The battle of the sexes match came about after Bobby Riggs had challenged King to a best of five set match stating no woman could beat him. King therefore proved him wrong and won the match in straight sets with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 win. At the time it was watched by the biggest ever audience for a tennis match with a crowd of over30,472 watching at the arena with another 40 million watching on television sets around the world. \ Mandatory Credit: AllsportUK /Allsport (Getty Images/Getty Images)
Battle of the Sexes UNITED STATES - SEPTEMBER 20: Tennis: Battle of Sexes, Billie Jean King victorious with trophy and surrounded by fans and media after winning match vs Bobby Riggs at Astrodome, Houston, TX 9/20/1973 (Photo by Tony Triolo/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (SetNumber: X17995 TK1 R7 F25) (Tony Triolo/Sports Illustrated via Getty Ima)
Battle of the Sexes Tennis: Battle of the Sexes: Billie Jean King victorious with trophy after winning match vs Bobby Riggs at the Astrodome.
Houston, TX 9/20/1973
CREDIT: Jerry Cooke (Photo by Jerry Cooke /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
(Set Number: X17993 ) (Jerry Cooke/Sports Illustrated via Getty Ima)
Battle of the Sexes UNITED STATES - SEPTEMBER 20: Tennis: Battle of Sexes, Closeup of Billie Jean King (L) and Boby Riggs (R) with media at press conference at Astrodome, Houston, TX 9/20/1973 (Photo by Jerry Cooke/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (SetNumber: X17993) (Jerry Cooke/Sports Illustrated via Getty Ima)