Billie Jean King Didn’t form the WTA

Written by: on 6th October 2013
US Open Tennis
Billie Jean King Didn't form the WTA

epa01858730 Former US tennis player Billie Jean King reacts to the crowd as they give her a standing ovation during a break as Serena Williams of the US plays Kim Clijsters of Belgium in their semifinal match at the 2009 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 12 September 2009. EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO  |

Contributing Editor’s Note: Congratulations to Lovey for once again setting the record straight! The importance of correcting the record lies not in taking an accolade away from BJK but giving it to the rightful owner, Gladys Heldman! Lovey should not have had to straighten this record, BJK should have, This reminds me of another record that should be straighten. The ones who are taking credit for Open Tennis weren’t even in the neighborhood! Some of us with Gray Hair remember that one too!

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On this day 40 years ago Billie Jean King played Bobby Riggs. It was sold as the battle of the sexes. It was quite an extravaganza. Elton John couldn’t haved staged BJK better if he had produced the show himself.( Ever notice they could be twins separated at birth ? )

It really got a buzz going around the globe in a totally “mainstream way “. .it became the topic at every water cooler , dentists chair , hairdressers , taxi drivers , bartenders. Who wasn’t talking about it ? Really ! It put a huge spotlight on the sport.We all watched.

People didn’t go home and watch the match from work. They went to bars ,tennis clubs and people’s homes. Yes,people threw dinner parties around a television set. It was AmazeBalls. Totally. It was like super bowl. We would be happy if tennis fans gathered in gaggles. How fun.

We applaud The greatest hustler of all time , he was proving the world wrong by 1939 when he bet on himself to win Wimbledon in singles,dubs,and mixed dubs ! Bobby Riggs was a dear friend. He was brilliant. He was a lifetime gambler and hustler. He was also a great tennis player. He had great feel and touch. Glided around the court. Was a bit of a combo of Johnny Mac and Roger Federer or Edberg. He moved very quietly around the court. He had great hands , great anticipation , and knew all the odds. The fact that Bobby isn’t in the SCTA hall of fame ? Shocking. Some say Kramers doing ? …Others say it’s because all of these hall of Fames committees love to torture the future inductees ? Power is corrupting. Right Jean D .? ….

 

Now onto Billie Jean King. We applaud you for all you’ve done for the women’s causes and the world. But. Here’s the big but. Billie Jean King did not, I repeat did not form the WTA. The WTT, yes. but not the WTA. A business woman named Gladys Heldman formed the WTA. BJK might have been the star. The number one player in the world. But Gladys had all the smarts and connections. She had started “World Tennis ” magazine in 1953. It was the magazine all about tennis around the world published monthly for over 30 years. Gladys was a “Guardian of the Game “….. Stacey you know we are right. So do you BJK. And Rosie Casals and Tory Fretz and Val Ziegenfuss and Kerry Melville and that’s all off the top of my head to name a Few. All the women signed on with Gladys for a dollar each. Everyone with gray hair knows. So please stop saying that Billie Jean King formed the Women’s Tennis Association ! BJK and her husband Larry King formed World Team Tennis … What’s next. Telling us she invented the game …..

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