Recently in Billie Jean King Category

Tennis legend Billie Jean King watched the matches at Wimbledon on Saturday. At 64, the equal right activist is at the site of her greatest triumphs as a player. She was just a teenager back in 1961 and playing in her first Wimbledon when she and Karen Hantz giggled their way to the title. She went on to win six singles titles there and shares the record with Martina Navratilova for the most overall titles won at Wimbledon - 20 - which includes singles, double and mixed doubles.

Billie Jean King is my hero so any time I see an interesting interview with her, I gotta share it with ya. The legend chatted with AP and here are some highlights:

On Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's run in the presidential primary: "If you go by history, it took women 70 more years to vote. If (Sen. Barack) Obama's smart and wants to win, he'll have Hillary as his running mate. To me that would be the right thing to do because they both had so many votes. I know if I were in his position, it's a no-brainer. Or if I were in her position and she became the nominee, he's the right one. They both were so neck and neck, they both bring a different demographic, so I think that's important. But, hey, whatever happens, happens."

Her five-year plan: I thought about a TV show--why not--for the boomers. Get the grandkids on. I know I want to do more books. I like self-improvement, but I want to do THE book (autobiography). I've done a couple in the past, but a lot of years have gone by. It's the first time in my life I'm not clear on my focus. It's been good because it's a challenge. I have a huge sense of urgency, I've always had since I've been a young girl. I love tennis ... with diabetes and obesity on the rise, you can't beat it as a lifetime sport.

If you were the head of a sports network: "I'd start having more and more women's sports on. I love sports because of the human element. I think most people can relate to that, whether they like a sport or not. It's about the people. The reason people think they know all these male athletes is because they see them all the time. If they see us enough, they will definitely like us. And make sure you take boys and girls to women's sports. The girls are taken to men's sports. Don't separate."

On she likes at Wimbledon which beigns next week: (Rafael) Nadal and (Novak) Djokovic are playing better than a year ago. Djokovic won the Australian, he loves to perform, loves being out there just like Nadal. (Roger) Federer is still the one to beat. He's a genius, probably the greatest player that's ever lived. He's such a great person, he's got a good soul, he's very aware of the world around him. On the women's side? I'm going to miss (Justine) Henin. I just loved watching her backhand and her all-court play. She was so tiny and had to be such a great athlete to be No. 1 in the world. But the Williams sisters, Lindsay Davenport ... Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic, those two are great. And Maria Sharapova, if she can get that serve going and have more self-confidence.

I sometimes question why certain "stars" are honored on The Hollywood Walk of Fame. The Olsen twins? Britney Spears? Kinda robs the whole thing of credibility. But then it gets restored somewhat when a great actress like Holly Hunter is given a star to call her own. The Oscar winner ("The Piano) is the star of such films as "Broadcast News," "Raising Arizona," "Living Out Loud" and "Thirteen." She currently stars in the TNT series "Saving Grace" and won two Emmy awards for "Roe V. Wade" and "The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader Murdering Mom."

Helping Holly celebrate her star on Friday were tennis legend Billie Jean King and director Steven Spielberg (with wife Kate Capsaw). Holly was Emmy-nominated for her performance as BJK in the television film "When Billie Beat Bobby" and Spielberg directed her in the terrific 1989 flick "Always."

If anyone has something worthwhile to say, it's certainly Billie Jean King. The tennis legend and equal rights pioneer announced Wednesday that she is writing "Pressure is a Privledge: Lessons I've Learned from Life and from the Battle of the Sexes" to be released on August 12.

The book is being published in conjunction with the 35th anniversary of the 1973 battle of the sexes match against Bobby Riggs that caught the world's attention and ended up not only being one of the most pivotal moments in the history of women's sports, but American culture as well. That match, which BJK won, obviously, will be the backdrop for this book about all the lessons she has learned along the way during that has been an extraordinary life. It is co-written with journalist Christine Brennen and the preface is by Holly Hunter who portrayed Billie Jean in a TV movie about the battle of the sexes match.

What a treat it was to open the Sunday paper (the LA Daiy News, of course) and see Billie Jean King on the cover of the USA Weekend magazine. Anyone who knows me or has been reading this blog awhile knows that Billie Jean is my hero and has been an inspiration to me in many ways ever since I read her autobiography in the early 80s (I realize some of you were still in diapers!). Her attitude about life, about fairness and achieving what you set out to do have stuck with me always. While I've interviewed her several times in recent years, the piece written by Cokie Roberts today is as terrific as anything I've seen done. I want to give you a few excerpts and a link to the whole things is at the bottom:
Talk about Wimbledon finally offering equal pay in 2007.
BJK: "I was so happy. I'd waited forever, fought for it forever, but guess who took the lead of the young kids? Venus Williams. [Williams wrote an opinion piece in "The Times" (of London) in 2006 that Wimbledon was "on the wrong side of history."] She was great. Finally, we had a person who wanted to step up a little -- or a lot -- because since me, there was, "Who's next? Who's going to lead?" I kept saying, "Oh, we're looking," and then Venus Williams -- it got through to her. ... In 1968, we started that fight. The equal prize money's not about the money -- we're making lots of money. It's about the message. It's empowering girls to think they can do anything. I don't want girls, or boys, to ever think they're inferior. Everyone deserves the dream. Everyone."

What difference do you think it makes to girls if Hillary Clinton wins the presidency?
BJK: "You have to see it to be it. If a girl sees a woman [succeed at something new], all of a sudden, the sky truly is the limit. It's not just an idea anymore -- it's real, and it sends a message. It uplifts over half the population of the world every time a woman gets going."

One of the places where you've been an icon is in gay rights. That's bound to have had an effect on young women, particularly, but also on young men in the world.
BJK: "People in the gay community come up to me a lot and say "thank you." They get tears in their eyes, and the ones who are older and saw me go through my palimony case have a much better understanding of what I was going through. Thirty-four years ago is much different from what it is today. It keeps getting better, slowly but surely. But the problem is, we're in the minority, and when you're a minority, you have to wait a long time -- just like people of color with civil rights. You need straight people who have compassion and can put themselves in your shoes."

I listen to you reflecting on these years, and we're about the same age. I will admit to being a Pollyanna here,but there's so much that is so much better.
BJK: "I know, but that's not how I'm made. You're absolutely correct. If I pause and embrace it, it's great that we have gotten this far. But what's that got to do with today and tomorrow? You know, my dad never let me read my press clippings, and it was the greatest thing that he ever did. The first time I made the front of the sports page in the "Long Beach Press-Telegram," I had lost, 6-love, 6-love, and I was just crushed. I had won all of these other matches, and they never put me on the front page. And my dad never let me forget that moment. He said, "Billie, I don't want you to ever read a press clipping again." And I said to him, "Well, why not?" "Because it's about yesterday. It's not about today and tomorrow."

To read the entire piece, go to USA Weekend.com

I was glad to see Maria Sharapova win the Australian Open singles title over the weekend. She is a worthy champion who, at the age of 20, has already won three of tennis' grand slam tournaments with wins in 2004 at Wimbledon and 2006 at the US Open.

But what I am even more happy about is that she seems to be a thoughtful champion as well which she displayed during her post-match speech in Melbourne when she told the crowd that a text message from the great Billie Jean King that morning had been inspirational. It read: "Champions take their chances and pressure is a privilege."

Sharapova said she carried Billie Jean's theme onto the court against Serbia's Ana Ivanovic. .
"I had those great words in my mind during the match," Maria said.

"She's always a person who texts me if I have a tough moment or a great win."

Billie Jean won the Australian Open way back in 1968 - one of 12 grand slam singles titles which also included six Wimbledons, four U.S. Opens and a French Open crown. She first met Maria at a juniors tournament when the Russian was 13.

"From that point on, she's just always been really supportive," Sharapova said. "She's always one of the first people to text me when either I'm having a tough moment or a great win."

I guess I won't be cancelling my subscription after all. A few issues back, Instinct magazine had included a photo of my hero, Billie Jean King, in its SPOTTED section - you know, the section where all the beautiful people are seen at parties etc - and the caption was completely derogatory about the 63-year-old icon. Why? Because she doesn't look like a chisled 28 year old dude? I was so pissed off and even more pissed that I didn't fire off a letter in protest because I really felt like it was a slap to a person who has worked so hard to make the world a better - and more equal - place for us all.

In the current issue, the magazine gets it right. They posted a large picture of Billie Jean in her prime, hitting a backhand volley (her favorite shot). The caption reads: SORRY BILLIE JEAN KING: One of the world's all-time greatest athletes, she's equally accomplished as a tireless advocate for women's and GLBT rights. Like a bad serve, we lobbed a mean joke her way this year, but luckily, cheap shots bounce off heroes.Well said.

I read earlier that the caption had been written by interns and I hope that they, and others who are in their 20s or younger learn about who the heroes in the world are - who have worked to make life easier for them whether its Billie Jean or anyone else who is no longer young and buff.

Everyone's gonna get old but not everyone can claim to have changed the world the way BJK has.

I'm not sure how I happened upon this but I thought it was so much fun! The year is 1975 at an Elton John concert with him singing "The Bitch is Back." You may recognize one of his back-up singers: it's a cery curly-haired Billie Jean King!
EnjoY!