Billie Jean King becomes first woman to receive Walk of Fame star for sports entertainment
Billie Jean King is the first woman to be honored in the Walk of Fame's new category for sports entertainment.
April 08 2025 11:25 AM
More about Billie Jean King, the lesbian tennis great who beat bobby Riggs in a September 1973 "Battle of the Sexes" tennis match. King was a vocal advocate for women's equal pay and equal rights and her match against Riggs was symbolic of women's struggle for equality. She founded the Women's Tennis Association and Women's Sports Foundation. Billie Jean King made headlines in 1998 when she came out of the closet. In 2000 she served as the first openly gay coach of the United States women's tennis team.