Mr. Barfield’s Homework

Women’s tennis great Billie Jean King was born in California in 1943. The first female athlete to earn more than $100,000 in prize money in a single season, King was also the first woman to be chosen Sports Illustrated’s “Sportsperson of the Year.” The trailblazing athlete was perhaps best known for her 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” match against Bobby Riggs, in which she beat the former No. 1 ranked player and self-proclaimed male chauvinist. After retiring from tennis with 39 Grand Slam career titles, she remained active as a coach, commentator and advocate for women’s sports and other causes.