Billie Jean King tennis player in the Battle of the Sexes tennis match with Bobby Riggs, the 55-year-old veteran, at the Houston Astrodome in Houston, Texas on Sept. 20, 1973. (AP Photo) (AP1973)
HOUSTON – On Sept. 20, 1973, the Battle of the Sexes tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs took place at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas.
The Battle of the Sexes match came about after Bobby Riggs had challenged Billie Jean King to a best of five set match, stating no woman could beat him.
Watch King’s reaction to Riggs’ bluster in the video below from KPRC 2′s archival footage:
Here are some things to know about the match:
The second Battle of the Sexes
The Houston match was the second such match dubbed Battle of the Sexes. After King declined Riggs' invitation for a match, Margaret Court, 30, stepped up to play him in a match on May 13, 1973, in Ramona, California. Riggs soundly beat her in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1.
King fell behind, then won
After seeing Court's defeat, King accepted Riggs' invitation. On Sept. 20, 1973, a 29-year-old King proved Riggs, 55, wrong and won the match in straight sets with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 win at the Astrodome.
Huge audience on TV
At the time it was watched by the biggest ever audience for a tennis match, with a crowd of over 30,472 watching at the arena and another 40 million watching on television sets around the world.
Allegations surrounded outcome
There was speculation after the match that Riggs purposely threw it in order to win money placed on betting against himself, but the allegations were never proven true. Riggs reportedly took a lie detector test to prove that he did not throw the match.
Match helped launch women's tennis
King was part of a group of women called the Original 9, forming the Virginia Slims Series. The group eventually morphed into the Women’s Tennis Association.
Bobby Riggs, riding in a rickshaw pulled by some women, makes his grand entrance to the Astrodome in Houston, Texas, Sept. 20, 1973, for his $100,000 winner-take-all match with Billie Jean King. Before the night was over Riggs left the court a dejected, defeated man after losing the championship to Ms. King, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3. (AP Photo) (AP Photo)Ms. Billie Jean King waves to crowds at the Astrodome in Houston, Tex., Sep 20,1973 as she is borne onto the crowd on a multi-colored throne carried by four men for her match with Bobby Riggs.(AP Photo) (AP Photo)Billie Jean King tennis player in the Battle of the Sexes tennis match with Bobby Riggs, the 55-year-old veteran, at the Houston Astrodome in Houston, Texas on Sept. 20, 1973. (AP Photo) (AP1973)Billy Jean King is shown in the Battle of the Sexes tennis match against Bobby Riggs, the 55-year-old veteran, at the Houston Astrodome in Houston, Texas, Sept. 20, 1973. (AP Photo) (1973 AP )Billie Jean King watches her return to Bobby Riggs in the "Battle of the Sexes" match at the Houston Astrodome, Sept. 20, 1973. Billie Jean King accepted the challenge of Bobby Riggs and beat him with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 wipeout that was a bold statement for a whole generation of women. (AP Photo) (1973 AP )Tennis star Bobby Riggs, right side, and Billie Jean King are shown in action during the "Battle of the Sexes" match in the Astrodome in Houston, Tex., Sept. 20, 1973. (AP Photo) (AP1973)Tennis star Bobby Riggs, bottom, and Billie Jean King are shown in action during the "Battle of the Sexes" match in the Astrodome in Houston, Tex., Sept. 20, 1973. (AP Photo) (AP1973)Tennis star Bobby Riggs, top, and Billie Jean King are shown in action during the "Battle of the Sexes" match in the Astrodome in Houston, Tex., Sept. 20, 1973. (AP Photo)) (1973 AP )Tennis star Bobby Riggs is shown in action during the "Battle of the Sexes" match against Billie Jean King in the Astrodome in Houston, Tex., Sept. 20, 1973. (AP Photo) (AP1973)Billie Jean King tennis player in the “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match with Bobby Riggs, the 55-year-old veteran, at the Houston Astrodome in Houston, Texas on Sept. 20, 1973. (AP Photo) (AP Photo)Supporters of Billie Jean King are shown at the Astrodome in Houston, Tex., Sep 20,1973 as King will participate in a $100,000 winner-take-all "Battle of the Sexes" match against Bobby Riggs.(AP Photo) (AP Photo)FILE - In this Sept. 20, 1973, file photo, Billie Jean King holds the winner's trophy high in the air after she defeated Bobby Riggs in the $100,000 winner-take-all tennis match at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas. King set Riggs down 6-4, 6-3, 6-3. (AP Photo/File) (1973 AP)
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