It was fifty years ago today- July 6, 1968- Billie Jean King beat Judy Tegart 9-7, 7-5 to win the Ladies Wimbledon Singles Championship. It was the third time King would win the Wimbledon title- she would in the end have six Wimbledon singles championships and a dozen Grand Slam titles.
slicethelife 
Did you see the film “Battle of the Sexes” with Emma Stone and Steve Carrell? It’s about a tennis match in 1973 between Bill Jean King and Bobby Riggs. Heavily criticized, but I thought it was interesting.
I thought it was an interesting movie- did you see the actual match when it happened? It was so built up but early on in the match it became evidence Bobby Riggs had pulled a fast one on everyone – no way was he capable at 55 of winning.
No, I didn’t see the match when it actually happened. Was there the same amount of pomp & circumstance as in the movie?
As I remember it- yes it was a big show- Bobby really sold this. .. there was so much hype. I was only 12 but it seemed at the time also that the general feeling was the Riggs would wipe her off the court. I think he knew all along that he had no hope.. The early 1970’s was full of this kind of hustle- Evel Knievel and his jump over the Snake River Canyon another example. Riggs was a showman!
I am not a tennis fan at all – but Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs did make a great appearance on THE ODD COUPLE!
Bobby Riggs was the ultimate hustler- I think the Riggs- King match was the first tennis I remember watching and it was because of all the hype he drew to it.. I remember that Odd Couple appearance now too!