Meeting Billie Jean...

Photo Copyright@2006Charity.com

I really can't believe my life sometimes, like Thursday night when I met one of my all-time heroes, Billie Jean King, face-to-face for the first time. To look at her, so down to Earth and in the moment, it was a wonderful experience. Those eyes are so alive. filled with so much life. She is extraordinary.

I had interviewed Billie Jean King for various articles on the telephone in recent years but the only previous time I had seen her in person was at Wimbledon in 1991 - my first trip to Great Britain. I spotted her watching Tim Mayotte play from a balcony of what i think was the HBO booth. I snapped a photo of a far away Billie Jean on that day and have always cherished it. It was so ironic too because as I was taking the tube (subway) to Wimbledon that first day, I thought about what she wrote in her autobiography about the magical the All England Club and it was in my head when I first saw Centre Court and the rest of the grounds.

Anyway, fast-forward 15 years and there we are having a chat. A photo was taken of us that I have to track down so I can post it.

I became a fan of Billie Jean for life in 1982 when, at the age of 38, she upset reigning US Open champion Tracy Austin, 19, to make it to the semifinals of Wimbledon. This was a year after she was outed by a former lover who was suing her for palimony. Billie Jean got through that ordeal and I was always so impressed that she was able to come back and play for a few more years with great success, including a run to the Wimbledon semis in 1983 as well.

This summer has been such a sweet time for BJK, highlighted by the United States Tennis Assn. naming the National Tennis Center after her. That was topped off by 2006 US Open champ Maria Sharapova receiving her $1 million-plus check in prize money and having the presence of mind to thank the pioneer of the women's pro tour.

"Her kind words and generosity towards me I think was a reflection of her knowing the history of women's tennis and of tennis and understanding some of the things my generation went through," Billie Jean said Thursday. "She connected then and now and it's very rare that we see that."