Intensely competitive and outspoken in her demand for equality for women athletes, Billie Jean King changed the face of women's sports, paving the way for today's professional women athletes. Holder of a record 20 Wimbledon titles and winner of all four Grand Slam tournaments, King is perhaps best remembered for her defeat of Bobby Riggs during the epic Battle of the Sexes in 1973. Passionately dedicated to tennis, to women's rights, and to being one of the best athletes, male or female, of her day, Billie Jean King's heroic actions redefined what was possible for women, making her a role model for generations to come.

Billie Jean Moffitt was born in Long Beach, California, on November 22, 1943. The daughter of a fireman and a homemaker, and the sister of future San Francisco Giants relief pitcher, Randy Moffitt, Billie Jean was an athletic girl who excelled...