TC 270: Playing Your Own Game

Host Robin Masiewicz and guest Amy Frost talk about tennis great Billie Jean King and her famous "Battle of the Sexes" tennis match with Bobbie Riggs in 1973. Billie Jean's win helped lead the revolution in women's sports, and changed how women are viewed on and off the field. September 20 is the 42nd anniversary of the historic match. In case you're wondering if a tennis match played in 1973 is even relevant to today's world, Variety reports that Fox Searchlight is producing "Battle of the Sexes" with Brie Larson as Billie Jean King and Steve Carell as Bobby Riggs. HBO is producing "Proof" with Elizabeth Banks and Paul Giamatti, and coming from Chernin Entertainment is “Match Maker” with Will Ferrell attached to play Riggs. "That's the way I want the world to look: men and women working together, championing each other, helping each other, promoting each other -- we're all in this world together." Billie Jean King isn't just a pioneer in of women's tennis - she's a pioneer in women getting paid. In the TED talk below, Billie Jean talks about identity, the role of sports in social justice, and her the famous "Battle of the Sexes" match with Bobbie Riggs. Recommended Books About Billie Jean King Athlete, coach, leader, activist, and one of the most illustrious and celebrated tennis players in history, Billie Jean King is recognized for her life-long struggle for gender equality, both on and off the court. She was honored with a Presidential Medal of Freedom. Her work led to the landmark Title IX law requiring that girls/women and boys/men be given the same opportunity in sports, and she empowered women and educated men when she defeated Bobby Riggs in the Battle of the Sexes in 1973. Life magazine named King one of the "100 Most Important Americans of the 20th Century," and she is ranked No. 5 on the Sports Illustrated "Top 40 Athletes" list for significantly altering or elevating sports the last four decades. If you'd like to share your thoughts about Billie Jean King, women's issues, or any other topic, please leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!