Long Beach native and tennis legend Billie Jean King will become the solo female athlete to be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. Mekahlo Medina reports for the NBC4 News at 4 p.m. on Sept. 18, 2024.
Billie Jean King has accomplished many firsts in her life, and you can add the first individual female athlete to be awarded a Congressional Gold Medal to that list.
“Billie Jean King broke barriers,” said Congressman Robert Garcia, who represents Long Beach and District 42. “She brought the idea of equity in women’s sports and women having more access to sports in our universities and professional life, (it's) in large part because of Billie Jean King’s work.”
Garcia was one of many co-sponsors of the House bill that nominated King. Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey announced drafted the bipartisan legislation that passed the House and will now be sent to President Joe Biden for his signature.
The bill to honor King had already passed unanimously in the Senate.
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The honor comes just after the 50th anniversary of King’s victory over Bobby Riggs in the “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match. It is still the most-watched tennis match of all time with more than 90 million viewers.
Before King started breaking barriers nationally, she started playing as a fifth grader on public tennis courts in Long Beach which now bears her name.
The Billie Jean King Tennis Center in Belmont Heights hosts players who are just learning tennis and those who remember King’s remarkable achievements: 17 years old when she won Wimbledon doubles and a total of 39 Grand Slam singles, doubles and mixed doubles titles.
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“I just think she is an icon,” said Tracey Risso, who plays tennis at the court and honors King for her atheistic achievements and her fight for equal pay for women athletes. “Our younger players, really anybody, who has not seen the disparity would take it for granted. I think if kids, young female players especially, knew about it, they would really appreciate what she has done for them.”
Former President Barack Obama honored King with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009 for her equal pay fight and her work for the LGBTQ+ community.
“As Billie Jean Once said, we should never ever underestimate the human spirit nor should we underestimate Billie Jean King's spirit,” said Obama.
The medal, awarded by Congress for distinguished achievements and contributions to society, has previously been given to solo male athletes, but never to a solo woman athlete until now.
A ceremony will be announced once President Biden signs the bill.
