Billie Jean King: A Victory for All Women

Billie Jean King in 2016https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billie_Jean_King“Heroes don't go for the perishable trophies - they go for the imperishable trophies. . . . While fame, fortune, power et al may come their way, accumulating such is not their goal” (Harper). In his article, “How Should We Choose Our Heroes?”, Charles Harper claims that a true hero does not act to gain fame or to get a trophy. Instead, a hero acts out of his or her own drive to change and better the world. Additionally, Harper argues, “A real hero, a hero who deserves biography, autobiography or memoir is someone who may attract attention but directs that attention beyond himself or herself and reflects in their daily lives” (Harper). Adding onto his previous thought, Harper argues that a real hero will use that attention and fame to further help others. As human beings we should have a figure who we look up to. However, we should choose a figure who truly deserves the title as a hero and that best defines or reflects our values. The definition of a hero differs slightly from person to person. One thing that most people can agree upon is that a hero does things for the greater good, and has the power to make a difference in the world while inspiring many. Heroes are not honored for their power and strength, but rather what they do with it. A true hero uses his or her strengths to change the world. With this in mind, one may question what traits make up a deserving hero. Heroes are all around us, from mothers to politicians, teachers to soldiers, and students to entrepreneurs. To me, it does not matter if heroes are famous or not; what matters is that they continue to inspire many through their actions. And it is through these actions, that they prove that they possess the traits and values of heroism, such as bravery and determination. I believe that someone who has true courage does things that makes him or her step outside of his or her comfort zone, whether it be a life-threatening feat, or accomplishing something that many deem impossible. In the face of a challenge, a true hero would continue to fight for their cause, maintaining their desire to change the world. It is only when one embodies both the courage to do the unthinkable and the determination to change the world that he or she can be defined as a true hero.

A prime example of someone who has the determination to change the world and the courage of a rightfully deserving hero is Billie Jean King. Born on November 22, 1943, in Long Beach, California, Billie Jean King grew up knowing that she wanted to do something amazing in her life. Because her father encouraged her to excel in athletics, King’s love for tennis sparked a flame in her heart and grew as she got older. When she was just eleven years old, King knew what she wanted to do for the rest of her life: tennis. In 1965 her tennis career really started to kick off, and King received a lot of attention. That year at the age of 22, King was ranked the U.S. No. 1 position, and in 1966 she ranked World No. 1, holding the title for a total of six years between 1966 and 1975. In September of 1970, the U.S. Open tournament refused to give the same amount of prize money to women and men. The men earned significantly more than the woman did. Angered by this, King and eight other women, formed the “Original Nine.” They decided to boycott the tournament and organized their own women’s tour. Eventually, the U.S. Open was the first tournament to pay both men and women equally. Shortly afterwards, King started the Women’s Tennis Association. By then, King had already made a statement that not only tennis needed to change the way the women were treated, but society also needed to change. In 1973, Bobby Riggs, an outspoken male chauvinist challenged King to a tennis match. The fifty-five-year-old believed that he could beat any woman at tennis. At first King was hesitant to take his offer, but she knew this event would be crucial and impact society greatly. On September 20, 1973 King defeated Riggs, and won the “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match. In 1981, King admitted her bisexuality and now spends her time standing up for LGBTQ+ rights. King may have officially retired from singles in 1983 and doubles in 1990, but she continues to play tennis in her own time. King proved her courage during her tennis match against Riggs and her standing up for equality in tennis by splitting apart to form a women’s tour. Additionally, she proved her devotion to changing the world for the better by standing up for everybody and proving the power of a woman by winning the match against Riggs. Through her bravery to do the unthinkable, no matter what others thought of her and her devotion to her fight for equality, Billie Jean King exemplifies the traits of a true hero.  

Billie Jean King facing her opponent, Bobby Riggshttps://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2017/dec/01/battle-of-the-sexes-billie-jean-king-bobby-riggs-wtaThroughout her career as a tennis player, King demonstrates her courage to do things that many would deem impossible, or unfathomable for a woman to do, which proved many people wrong. In September 1970, King and eight other women had the hopes of partnering with the men’s tour, however, the men wanted nothing to do with that. When the U.S. Open tournament refused to pay the women equally and fairly, King and the other women decided to do something about it: “When the men’s tour refused to address women’s concerns over pay disparity, King broke away to set up a women’s tour, with each of the ‘Original Nine’ players signing a symbolic $1 contract” (Nicholson). Despite being threatened to be thrown out of the tennis association, Billie Jean King demonstrated her courage by continuing on with the plan to stand up against the unfair ways of the tournament. The women defied everybody’s expectations by actually following through with their plan and creating their own tour. Also, by making the contract only $1, it further proved their point that it was not just about the money. Rather, it was about something bigger: equality. Another example of King’s courage was in September 1973 when Riggs challenged King to a tennis match, stating that he could beat the best woman tennis player. Wanting to prove Riggs wrong, King took on this challenge: “She even was victorious in one of the most famous tennis matches when, in 1973, she defeated self-proclaimed "chauvinist pig" Bobby Riggs in a nationally televised "Battle of the Sexes" event that was watched by 90 million people” (Yaeger). With 90 million people watching, King knew the importance of the match. If she lost, King would have felt as if she had let not only herself down, but all those who supported her as well. Despite this, she still had the courage to go up against Riggs, the man who claimed that all women were beneath him. Not only did King prove her bravery, but she also proved her determination throughout her career as a tennis player.

King shows her determination to change society’s faulted ways by using her influence on and off the court to stand up for equality, especially women’s rights. From a young age, King knew that she wanted to do something great with her life, and through tennis she did just that. In an interview with Rebecca Nicholson, King reflected upon what she realized as a twelve year old, and what she wanted to do with her life from then on: “‘I was daydreaming about my little tiny universe of tennis, and I thought to myself: ‘Everybody’s wearing white shoes, white socks, white clothes, playing with white balls, everybody who plays is white. Where is everybody else?’ she recalls. ‘That was the moment I decided to fight for equality and freedom and equal rights and opportunities for everyone. Everyone. Not just girls. Everyone’” (Nicholson). At a young age, King realized the bias and discrimination in the world. She decided that she wanted to change that. King then spent the rest of her life fighting for equality, not just women’s rights, but everybody’s rights, no matter his or her skin color, race, sexual orientation, etc. By devoting her life to changing the world and using tennis as her platform, King showed her determination, a trait of a hero. Following the tennis match against Riggs, King received many congratulations and thanks, but also heard that she had made an impact on people regarding women’s rights and opportunities: “‘I also get a number of men--who are now fathers of daughters--who tell me they are making sure their daughters have the same opportunities in their lives as their sons’” (Yaeger). King’s victory against Riggs proved the power of a woman and that a woman deserves the same amount of respect and rights as a man. King’s impact on the world led to more women’s rights and opportunities. Her victory left an imprint on society. Her determination and devotion to her cause impacted the lives of people and changed how people saw the world. King proved people wrong one match at a time, something truly inspiring. Starting from a young age, King remained an advocate for change in society, and throughout her actions she impacted the world enough to make changes to its ways.

Billie Jean King holding up her trophy after beating Bobby Riggshttps://www.biography.com/news/battle-of-the-sexes-true-story-factsAll in all, it was Billie Jean King’s mindset that she could do anything regardless of what others thought, and her continuous fight for equality showcased her courage and determination, that cemented into place her status as a deserving hero. By not caring what others thought of her, King continued to achieve her childhood goals of improving society one step, one match, and one victory at a time. She did so by rising to the top as a tennis player and using her platform to advocate for not only women’s rights, but also equality for all. When King was just a young girl she already knew where her life was headed: “. . . she looked up at her mother and with all the passion, determination and precociousness of a strong-willed young girl, blurted out, ‘Mom, I just know I'm going to do something great with my life.’. . . And over the next 60 years, she proved her prediction right.” (Yaeger). Even as a young child, King knew what she wanted to do with her life, and she dedicated her entire life to follow her dream. King stands as an inspiration to many people, including me. It was not King’s prowess as a tennis player that drew me to her, but it was what she chose to do with her skills as a tennis player. She used tennis as her platform to spark change in society by standing up for equality. Additionally, King inspires me and others by encouraging people to follow their childhood dreams just as she did. I hope that one day, I too, can say that I made a difference in this world by standing up for equality. King’s reason to win the match had nothing to do with tennis. She did not do it for the trophy, but to prove the power of a woman. A true hero acts for the greater good instead of acting for what she wants. King did just that, knowing that her win against Riggs would not just be a victory for her, but a victory for all women.

Works Cited

Harper, Charles F. “How Should We Choose Our Heroes?” The MY HERO Project, The MY HERO Project, myhero.com/TeachersRoom/Show/9. Accessed 29 Apr. 2018.

Nicholson, Rebecca. “Billie Jean King: 'Be Ahead of Your Time – That's What You Have to Do'.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 12 Nov. 2017, www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/12/billie-jean-king-tennis-equality-battle-of-the-sexes. Accessed 16 Apr. 2018.

Yaeger, Don. "Paving the way: Billie Jean King's successes on and off the court created opportunities for others." Success, May 2009, p. 78+. Biography In Context, https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A197935841/BIC?u=powa9245&sid=BIC&xid=4ccab68c. Accessed 16 Apr. 2018.