Billie Jean King will go down in history as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, and now, she'll go down as the first female athlete to receive the Congressional Gold Medal.
On Tuesday, Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey announced the bipartisan bill they introduced in Sept. 2023 — on the 50th anniversary of King's "Battle of the Sexes" victory against Bobby Riggs — had passed the House of Representatives overwhelmingly. Since it's already unanimously passed in the Senate, the bill now heads to President Joe Biden's desk for his signature.
Sherrill, a Democrat, said it's been "an absolute honor" leading the effort to "add another 'first'" to King's resume. Both he and Fitzpatrick, a Republican, noted the 80-year-old's "lifetime of advocacy" on and off the court in sharing the news about the bill.
RELATED STORY | Women are celebrating women who serve a common goal
"From fighting for Title IX and equal pay, to her ongoing advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights, Billie Jean King has truly impacted the lives of so many. I am thrilled that we are finally recognizing her with Congress' highest honor," Sherrill said.
"Throughout her extraordinary life, Billie Jean has broken barriers, led uncharted paths, and inspired countless people to stand proudly with courage and conviction in the fight for what is right," Fitzpatrick said. "With this bill getting signed into law, we are cementing Billie Jean's legacy as both a champion of tennis and equality whose impact will continue to inspire and empower future generations."
In replies to Fitzpatrick and Sherrill on X, King said she was "humbled and honored" to receive the award.
King's legendary tennis career included 39 Grand Slam titles, with a record 20 victories at Wimbledon. This helped put her at the world's No. 1 ranking in women's tennis for six years in the frame of 1966 to 1975, her website states.
At 29 years old, she infamously won the "Battle of the Sexes" match against 55-year-old Riggs. She had accepted the challenge after the former No. 1 men's player claimed the women's game was inferior to men's and that he could beat any of the top female players, even at his age. With 90 million viewers, it's still the most-watched tennis match of all time.
RELATED STORY | Equal pay in women's sports: The challenge for female athletes
Accepting the match was a display of King's advocacy for gender equality, which she's continued to work toward. She's also founded the Women's Tennis Association and Women's Sports Foundation, helped secure sponsors and pay for women in all four Grand Slams, led the implementation of Title IX nationally and more.
Her efforts on and off the court has led King to receive numerous accolades, from being inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame to being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. The difference between that and her future Congressional Gold Medal is the former is awarded at the discretion of the president, while the latter is an act of Congress and becomes law. There are generally fewer gold medals than presidential medals.
Other athletes who have received the Congressional Gold Medal, which is the highest civilian award in the U.S., include baseball player Jackie Robinson, golfer Arnold Palmer and NFL player Steve Gleason.
