The Tennis Match 90 Million People Watched
Billie Jean King’s 1973 showdown with Bobby Riggs looked like a circus. For women’s tennis, the stakes were much more serious.
Athletes World
• Billie Jean King after winning the 1973 Virginia Slims, 08/1973.
• Licensed Photo: ZUMA Press, Inc. / Alamy
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Bobby Riggs entered the Houston Astrodome in a gold rickshaw pulled by women. Billie Jean King arrived on a decorated litter carried by men. More than 30,000 people packed the stadium, while an estimated 90 million watched around the world.
The $100,000 winner-take-all match was built for television. But King believed losing could hurt a much bigger fight.
The $100,000 winner-take-all match was built for television. But King believed losing could hurt a much bigger fight.
