1

Battle of the Sexes: How The Conflict Compromised Its Own Ability To Affect Societal

Change

Samantha Harte

Junior Division

Historical Paper

Paper Length: not enough

2

During the early seventies, the social movement known as the Battle of the

Sexes was in full swing. Retired tennis champ, Bobby Riggs, had challenged one of the

best female tennis players in the world, Margaret Court, in what was known as the

Mother’s Day Massacre. Riggs won the match, and it fueled his misogynist attitude

towards women athletes. Another leading lady in tennis, Billie Jean King, who had

initially refused Riggs’ offer to compete, accepted the offer, and the match took place on

September 20, 1973 at the Houston Astrodome. King won the match, a major milestone

towards gender equality. The success of the Battle of the Sexes was only due to the

extreme media attention and publicization of the match, and not because the public had

accepted gender equality and initiated the social change. The iconic match between

Riggs and King initiated monumental progress towards gender equality, however the

majority of which was in athletics. Attributed to the media attention and rumors

surrounding the circumstances of King’s win, the famous match did not have the effect

on society that it could have. Despite its successful appearance, beneath its facade the

Battle of the Sexes was an unscrupulous event that's suggested impact on society was

minimal.

One of the topics my research examined was whether or not the circumstances

under which Billie Jean King won were fair. Rumors have developed over the years

since the match that Bobby Riggs lost intentionally, in order to settle his gambling debts.

Hal Shaw came forward in 2013 confessing that he had witnessed a mob meeting forty

years ago while working late at night at the Palma Ceia Golf and Country Club. He

3

claimed that there were four men at the meeting, three of whom he recognized as Frank

Ragano, Santo Trafficante Jr., and Carlos Marcello. Shaw asserted in the interview that

Ragano explained Riggs’ proposal to throw the match to the others, telling them Riggs

”had the first match already in the works … and the second match he knew would follow

because of Billie Jean King's popularity and everything that it would be kind of a slam

dunk to get her to play him bragging about beating Margaret Court,”(Shaw). According

to Shaw, Riggs’ plan with the mobsters had already been set in motion, referencing the

tennis match in which Bobby Riggs had challenged and conquered Margaret Court,

known in history as the Mother’s Day Massacre. When questioned about Shaw’s story

in interviews, Billie Jean King states undoubtedly that the accusation of Bobby Riggs

losing the match on purpose is false. She issued an official statement on twitter, saying:

“This story is just ridiculous. I was on the court with Bobby and I know he was not

tanking the match. I could see in his eyes and body language he wanted to win. People

need to accept he had a bad day at the office -- just as Margaret Court did when she

played Bobby. It was 40 years ago and I won the match and I am 100% sure Bobby

wanted to win as badly as I did. Those who bet against me lost money but the result is

the same today as it was 40 years ago,”(King). King should be considered a trusted

source on this subject, because of her experience in competing, giving her the ability to

better recognize “tanking”, and because she played in the match in question against

Riggs, however even if King was aware that Riggs lost the match on purpose, she

wouldn't be likely to admit it, as she would be discrediting her most influential and

famous win. Therefore, King’s testimonial does not provide concrete evidence of Bobby

4

Riggs’ genuine participation in the match. The eye-witness confession of Hal Shaw is

discredited by many due to the fact that he waited forty years to tell the story. Shaw

counters this argument by stating that he didn't reveal the secret for fear of punishment

from the mobsters involved. Upon examination, it appears as though Shaw had nothing

to gain from fabricating the story, excusing mild publicity. The convincing confession of

Hal Shaw and the untrustworthy statement of Billie Jean King in whether or not Bobby

Riggs intentionally lost the match discredit the event’s impact on the issue of gender

equality. Without the accusation surfacing about Bobby Riggs’ loss, the Battle of the

Sexes could have initiated more progress towards achieving gender equality outside of

sports.

Another circumstance of the Battle of the Sexes that both amplified and

discredited its success, is the extreme media attention of the match and the

exaggeration of aspects for entertainment purposes. The September game between

Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs remains the most well-attended tennis event in

American history, with 30,000 people watching at the Astrodome, and over 90 million

watching the ABC of broadcast, an estimated 37 million of which were in the U.S.. At

the start of the event Billie Jean King was carried in on a litter, imitating Cleopatra. After

their arrival at the Astrodome, Riggs and King exchanged gifts; King gave Riggs a

brown piglet, mocking his self-Proclamation of being a chauvinist pig, and Riggs gave

King a giant Sugar Daddy candy, courtesy of his sponsorship with the brand. These

gifts were obviously jokes, meant purely to provide photo opportunities and to entertain

the audience. Riggs also wore his warm-up jacket, emblazoned with the Sugar Daddy

5

logo, longer than presumably necessary, in an effort to please the company. In her

article comparing the facts of the event with those displayed in the 2017 film, June

Thomas said of the Battle of the Sexes: “It was a stunt, a side show, a distraction from

real issues in sports and in American society,” (Thomas). This quote strongly supports

the concept that the tennis match known as the Battle of the Sexes was not meant to

encourage or make progress towards gender equality, but instead was a form of

entertainment meant to distract the Marica public from “real issues”.

Following her victory over Riggs, King founded the World Tennis Team, a co-ed

circuit, with her then husband, Larry King. King coached and played for one of the

teams in the circuit, the Philadelphia Freedoms, she went down in history as one of the

first women to coach male athletes. Although her achievements in tennis made

significant strides towards total gender equality in sports, Billie Jean King and her

victory in the Battle of the Sexes had minimal effect outside of that realm.

6

Annotated Bibliography

Primary Sources

7

Bettmann. “Billie Jean King after beating Bobby Riggs.” Getty Images. 20

8

September 1973. Photo.

https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/tennis-pro-billie-jean-king-claps-

her-hands-as-bobby-riggs-news-photo/515108956. Retrieved 9 January 2018.

This is a photo of Billie Jean King clapping in celebration as her opponent,

Bobby Riggs, jumps over the net. It was taken immediately after the match, when

both players were celebrating King’s win. My research is examining the validity of

the match and this helps understand that better because it shows both players’

immediate reactions to the outcome of the match. Riggs has been accused of

intentionally losing the match for money and this photo supports that theory

because if Riggs reacted as he was expected to based on his media portrayal as

expecting and wanting to win, his immediate reaction would not have to

congratulate his opponent.

9

Bettmann. “Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King.” Getty Images. 20

September 1973. Photo.

https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/bobby-riggs-and-billie-jean-king-

shake-hands-after-mrs-king-news-photo/515335858. Retrieved 9 January 2018.

This is a photo of Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs shaking hands on a

tennis court after King’s victory in the Battle of the Sexes. My research is

examining the validity of the Battle of the Sexes and this source helps

understand that better because it shows the players who participated in the

10

match immediately after Riggs’ defeat. Riggs’ reaction of shaking hands to

congratulate King challenges his media portrayal of him anticipating a victory

over his opponent. This is evidence that he didn't actually care about the

outcome of the match because he knew King would win, and that the match’s

outcome was illegitimate.

@BillieJeanKing. “My statement on allegations that Bobby Riggs threw

the Battle of the Sexes match in 1973: ‘This story is just ridiculous. I was on the

court with Bobby and I know he was not tanking the match. I could see in his

eyes and body language he wanted to win. People need to accept he had a bad

day at the office -- just as Margaret Court did when she played Bobby. It was 40

years ago and I won the match and I am 100% sure Bobby wanted to win as

badly as I did. Those who bet against me lost money but the result is the same

today as it was 40 years ago’.” TwitLonger, 26 August 2013,

http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1rm4ae1. Retrieved 8 March 2018.

This tweet is a primary source from Billie Jean King including her statement

on the rumors that Bobby Riggs intentionally lost the tennis he played against her

in 1973. The document shows bias because we can assume King wouldn't want

to admit that Riggs lost the match intentionally, as it would discredit her

monumental win. The purpose for recording this document was for Billie Jean

King to issue a statement to the public including her opinion on the rumors.

11

“Billie Jean King On ‘Battle Of The Sexes’: Bobby Riggs ‘Was One Of My

Heroes’ | TODAY”. YouTube, uploaded by TODAY, 20 September 2017.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RAZm6ApcRwM. Retrieved 12 January 2018.

This is a video of a portion of an interview of Billie Jean King, when she is

discussing the Battle of the Sexes. The purpose for recording this video was to

document Billie Jean King’s responses during an interview. My research is

examining the publicity surrounding the event and the media’s portrayal of certain

details. This helps understand that better because in the interview King says that

Riggs “was one of my heroes” which opposes the media portrayal of the athletes’

relationship. Media made audiences believe the two players disliked each other,

which was an entirely false representation.

“Bobby Riggs on 60 Minutes”. YouTube, uploaded by BlaoSM, 25 July

2008, https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dxHrO8pwSww. Retrieved 12 January

2018.

This video is an interview of Bobby Riggs after he was defeated by Billie Jean

King in the Battle of the Sexes and was recorded for 60 Minutes.

The purpose for recording this document was to capture Riggs’ feelings on

the match and his loss to King. My research is examining the impact of the Battle

of the Sexes and this helps understand that better because it reveals Riggs’

thoughts on the effect of King winning the match.

12

Cooke, Jerry. “Portrait of Bobby Riggs with women with letters on their

shirts that spell out R-I-G-G-S before match vs Billie Jean King at Astrodome.

Houston, TX.” Getty Images. 20 September 1973. Photo.

http://www.gettyimages.com/event/new-report-claims-1973-battle-of-the-sexes-w

as-rigged-178680896#tennis-battle-of-the-sexes-billie-jean-king-victorious-with-tr

ophy-picture-id127941640. Retrieved 9 January 2018.

The title of “Portrait of Bobby Riggs with women with letters on their shirts

that spell out R-I-G-G-S before match vs Billie Jean King at Astrodome. Houston,

TX” does not reflect bias. This source is a photo taken the day of the match

between Riggs and King. It shows Bobby Riggs standing with five women with

letters on their shirts that spell out his last name. My research is examining the

13

tennis players involved in the Battle of the Sexes and this source helps

understand that better because it shows the misogynistic behavior of Bobby

Riggs.

Cooke, Jerry. “Bobby Riggs before match vs Billie Jean King at the

Astrodome.” Getty Images. 20 September 1973. Photo.

https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/battle-of-the-sexes-ii-bobby-rigg

s-before-match-vs-billie-news-photo/813861882?#tennis-battle-of-the-sexes-ii-bo

14

bby-riggs-before-match-vs-billie-jean-picture-id813861882 Retrieved January 9

2018.

This is a photo taken of Bobby Riggs the day of his match against Billie Jean

King. It was taken by Jerry Cooke for Sports Illustrated. My research is

examining the media attention and validity of the match and this source helps

understand that better because it shows Riggs wearing a shirt with a graph of a

pig and the word chauvinist. Riggs was famously quoted calling himself “a

chauvinist pig” and he embraced this comparison by wearing this shirt. This

shows that Riggs didn't seem to care about the negative effects of this behavior,

it was purely for media attention and entertainment.

“Did Bobby Riggs throw the match against Billie Jean King?”. YouTube,

uploaded by IrelandCaptured, 26 November 2017.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eYB4jsbgDVI. Retrieved 7 March 2018.

This is a video made up of primary source interviews of various people,

including Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King about the theory that Riggs lost the

September 1973 match against King intentionally. The title does not reflect any

bias and the video supports both sides of the argument, although it appears

slightly in favor of the concept that Riggs threw the match. The purpose for

recording this document was to provide evidence that Riggs fixed the match. My

research is examining the fairness of the match and this source helps understand

that better because it provides primary source evidence for both sides of the

15

argument from trusted sources who were close to Bobby Riggs, as well as King,

and from Riggs himself.

Drucker, Mort. “Bobby Riggs | Sep. 10, 1973.” Time. 10 September 1973.

Photo. http://content.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,19730910,00.html. Retrieved

11 January 2018.

This is a photograph of a magazine cover featuring a cartoon of Bobby Riggs.

This was made as a cover for Time Magazine. The purpose for recording this

was to show Bobby Riggs as the artist saw him to a large audience. My research

is examining the media’s portrayal of Bobby Riggs and this helps understand that

better because it shows a direct example of how Riggs was portrayed by media

outlets, as a “chauvinist pig”, and a “happy hustler”. This added to the

16

entertainment of the event and serves as evidence that entertaining was the sole

purpose of the match, not to make advancements in gender equality.

Garrett, Jim. “Tennis ‘Battle of the Sexes’.” Getty Images. 20 September

1973. Photo.

https://www.gettyimages.com/event/on-this-day-september-20-billie-jean-king-be

ats-bobby-riggs-in-tennis-battle-of-the-sexes-577428751. Retrieved 9 January

2018.

This is a photo of Billie Jean King feeling the bicep of Bobby Riggs before

their tennis match. It was taken by Jim Garrett for NY Daily News. My research is

examining the validity and effect of the event and this source helps understand

that better because it demonstrates the extreme media attention surrounding it. It

was taken before the match along with other photographs, including one in which

17

Riggs is feeling King’s muscle. This photo is evidence that the match served

purely for entertainment and that therefore its effect on society was illegitimate.

Lichtenstein, Grace. “Mrs. King Calls Victory ‘Culmination’ of Career.” The

New York Times Archives, 21 September 1973,

http://www.nytimes.com/1973/09/21/archives/mrs-king-calls-victory-culmination-o

f-career.html. Retrieved 12 January 2018.

The title “Mrs. King Calls Victory ‘Culmination’ of Career’.” does not reflect bias.

This is a primary source article written by Grace Lichtenstein in 1973.

The interview featured in this article happened immediately after King’s win

and was published the following day. This was written for The New York Times.

The purpose for recording this document was to document King’s thoughts after

beating Riggs in the historical tennis match. My research is examining the details

of the event and this helps understand that better because it is a primary source

and provides information on what happened during the match. For example,

Lichtenstein said “When Mrs. King won the first set, Stella Lachowicz, the public

relations chief for the Virginia Slims women's tennis circuit, trotted around

courtside handing out printed invitations to “The Bobby Riggs Bridge Jump.” She

was reminding spectators that Riggs had promised to jump off a California bridge

if he lost to her,” which shows that Riggs was overly confident that he would win

the match. Lichtenstein also said “As Larry, her husband, lifted her onto a table at

courtside, Mrs. King held the $100,000 winner's trophy high in the air, blowing

18

kisses to the crowd. She stuck her tongue at Dennis van de Meer, her coach.

She held up a fist to some friends.For Billie Jean, it was in her own words, “the

culmination of 19 years of tennis.”,” which shows King’s excitement after winning

the match and how important it was to her career.

“Mother's Day Massacre | Margaret Court vs Bobby Riggs”. YouTube,

uploaded by Richard Muscio, 19 November 2014,

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=E1Ueec50rVw. Retrieved 12 January 2018.

This is a video filmed of the tennis match between Bobby Riggs and Margaret

Court known as the Mother’s Day Massacre.

The purpose for recording this was to film the match, the first in the series

known as the Battle of the Sexes. My research is examining this match that led to

the one between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs and this helps understand

that better because it is primary source footage of the event and provides other

people’s thoughts on the match from when it was a current event.

19

20

New York Daily News. “BILLIE JEAN KING OUTLOBS THE LIP.” New

York Daily News. 21 September 1973. Photo.

http:/www.nydailynews.com/sports/billie-jean-wins-straight-sets-riggs-1973-article

-1.2355262. Retrieved 11 January 2018.

This is a photo of the front page of the New York newspaper Daily News the day

after the match between King and Riggs. It shows a photo of King and Riggs

after the match shaking hands while King pats Riggs on the back. My research is

examining the extreme media attention of the match and how that affected its

validity and this source helps understand that better because it shows that the

match was on the front cover of newspapers in New York, when the match took

place in Texas. The cover focuses on King’s success in the match instead of the

progress her victory supposedly made for gender equality. This is evidence that

no progress was actually made because papers didn't focus on it, the media only

cared about who won the match, instead of its impact on society.

Nicholson, Rebecca. “Billie Jean King: ‘Be ahead of your time – that’s

what you have to do’.” The Guardian, 12 November 2017,

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/12/billie-jean-king-tennis-equality-b

attle-of-the-sexes. Retrieved 12 January 2018.

The title of this article is “Billie Jean King: ‘Be ahead of your time - that's what

you have to do’” and it doesn't reflect the author's bias. This is an article written

by Rebecca Nicholson about an interview with Billie Jean King.

21

This article was written for The Guardian. The purpose for recording this

document was to write about the life and achievements of tennis player and

activist Billie Jean King, as well as to note her stance on current political issues.

My research is examining King’s participation in the Battle of the Sexes and this

source helps understand that better because it contains information about King

and therefore provides a better understanding of her and her involvement in the

historical tennis match. For example, Nicholson said, “One of King’s many big

theories about life is that, through sport, women can learn how to navigate a

world built by men. “Men created the culture, not women, not really,” she says,

matter-of-factly. “If you’re in sports, you learn [about] the old-boy network. You

learn how they think. It gives you a leg up every time. The lessons you learn in

sports, you can use in your daily life. I use it every single day of my life.”,” which

shows that King was genuinely motivated to participate in the 1973 match.

22

Pierson Jr., Sam C. “Bobby Riggs shows off the "chauvinist pig"

23

presented to him by his competitor, Billie Jean King, before their Battle of the

Sexes match in the Astrodome.” Houston Chronicle. 20 September 1973.

Photo.http://www.houstonchronicle.com/life/article/Battle-of-the-Sexes-takes-cent

er-court-and-center-12221552.php#photo-10157505. Retrieved 9 January 2018.

This source is a photograph taken at the event, before the 1973 tennis match

between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs.

The purpose for recording this document was to capture Bobby Riggs

showing off a gift from his opponent, Billie Jean King. My research is examining if

the match had meaning or was simply entertainment and this source helps

understand that better because it shows something that occurred before the main

point of entertainment, the tennis match. The photograph shows Bobby Riggs

holding a pig gifted to him before the match by Billie Jean King. Prior to this

event, Riggs was quoted saying “If I am to be a chauvinist pig, I want to be the

number one pig,” leading audiences to believe that the gift was a joke, meant

purely to entertain.

24

Signorino, Slug. “Was the Tennis "Battle of the Sexes" Between Billie

Jean King and Bobby Riggs Fixed?.” Washingtoncitypaper.com. 17 December

2010. Photo.

https://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/columns/straight-dope/article/13039944/w

as-the-tennis-battle-of-the-sexes-between-billie-jean. Retrieved 9 January 2018.

This is a cartoon drawn by Slug Signorino for Washingtoncitypaper.com. The

purpose for recording this was to show the artist’s view on the match between

Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. My research is examining whether or not the

match was fixed and this source helps understand that better because it shows

25

that in the artist’s opinion the match was fixed in King’s favor. King is shown

hitting a tennis ball and smiling while Riggs wears a clown nose.

Sporting News Archive. “.”Getty Images. 20 September 1973. Photo.

https://www.gettyimages.com/license/110334392/. Retrieved 9 January 2018.

This is a photo of Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs before their match in

which Riggs is seen touching King’s bicep. The purpose for recording this

document was purely for publicity. Another picture taken during the same

moment as this one shows King touching the bicep of Riggs. My research is

examining the extreme media attention of the tennis match in September of 1973

known as the Battle of the Sexes and this source helps understand that better

because it is evidence that there was an unnecessarily high amount of publicity

surrounding the match and its participants.

26

Tully, Shawn. “Before the 'Battle of the Sexes,' I Was Bested by Bobby

Riggs.” Fortune, 19 September 2017,

http://fortune.com/2017/09/19/bobby-riggs-battle-of-the-sexes/. Retrieved 12

January 2018.

The title of “Before the 'Battle of the Sexes,' I Was Bested by Bobby Riggs”

does not reflect the author's bias. This source is an article written by Shawn

Tully.

This was written about an event prior to the Battle of the Sexes but the

article was published for Fortune after. The purpose for recording this document

was to reflect on the author’s encounter with Bobby Riggs. At the time of the

encounter, the author was a college student and tennis player, which means that

he likely felt intimidated and awestruck at the meer opportunity to play and play

with one of the most famous tennis players in history. My research is examining

Bobby Riggs and this helps understand that better because it is a primary source

documenting someone's thoughts on Riggs. For example, Tully said, “After

sweeping the last two sets, Bobby scooped up his winnings, and I got to spend a

late afternoon in the company of the instantly lovable rogue who’s the “villain”

now being played by Steve Carell in the new movie, “Battle of the Sexes”,” which

shows that the author disagrees with the portrayal of Riggs in the 2017 film. Tully

also says “Bobby tagged along because he loved to gamble, and immediately,

coach Conroy, Edgar, and Bobby began throwing down bets on two-out-of-three

sets of Riggs vs. Tully. I started strong, winning the first set by rushing the net.

27

As the odds had shifted in my favor, Bobby paused while switching sides to

double his bet on himself,” which shows that the author observed the “hustler”

behavior of Bobby Riggs that he was known for in the media.

Secondary Sources

“Billie Jean King: The Battle of the Sexes NHD Documentary Senior

Division”. YouTube, uploaded by TheSuperFruit, 24 March 2017.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=K8MUDBN9zis. Retrieved 7 March 2018.

This is a documentary about Billie Jean King, focusing on her win against

Bobby Riggs. The title does not reflect bias, as it is simply stating the topic of the

video. The purpose for recording this document was to reflect on the life and

achievements of Billie Jean King, and to analyze her success in the Battle of the

Sexes. My research is examining the Battle of the Sexes match between King

and Riggs, and the impact that King’s win had. This source helps understand that

better because it is discussing analyzing those same topics.

Dockterman, Eliana. “The True Story Behind the Battle of the Sexes

Movie” Time.com, 22 September 2017,

http://time.com/4952004/battle-of-the-sexes-movie-true-story/. Retrieved 9

January 2018.

The title of “The True Story Behind the Battle of the Sexes Movie” reflects the

bias of the document in that it shows that the author doesn’t trust the information

28

in the film about the 1973 tennis match between Riggs and King. It implies that

the film is not historically accurate.

This source is an article written for time.com. The purpose for writing this

document was to criticize the historical accuracy of the facts presented in another

source. The author was a woman, which means that she likely felt in favor of

Billie Jean King. My research is examining the battle of the sexes and this source

helps understand that better because it is analyzing the validity of another

source. For example Dockterman said, “In the movie, the two tennis players

seem to know each other well — not only does Riggs call King in the middle of

the night to challenge her to a match, but King dismisses the call as typical Riggs

behavior. In reality, King says she barely knew the former champion, who was 25

years her senior,” which shows that the other source contained a tremendous

historical inaccuracy. And Dockterman said,”Fact: King did initially turn Riggs

down for the match And he did then ask Margaret Court (Jessica McNamee) to

play him instead. Riggs defeated Court in the “Mother’s Day Massacre,” which

changed King’s mind about playing Riggs. King and Court really were rivals, their

careers intertwined. King’s first major singles success came in 1972 when she

upset the top-seeded Court in the second round of Wimbledon. For the next

decade, they competed for the top spot of the women’s rankings. Over the

course of their careers, Court won 24 majors, and King just 12. That made King’s

ability to defeat Riggs after the Mother’s Day Massacre extra sweet,” which

29

shows that a portion of the information provided by the original source was

actually accurate.

Greenspan, Jesse. “When Billie Beat Bobby.” History.com, 20 September

2013,

http://www.history.com/news/billie-jean-king-wins-the-battle-of-the-sexes-40-year

s-ago. Retrieved 11 January 2018.

The title of this document “When Billie Beat Bobby”, reflects the bias of the

document in that it is going to focus purely on King’s success, excluding other

aspects of the match. This source is an article written by Jesse Greenspan. It

was written in 2013, before the film focusing on the match was released.

This article was written for History.com, specifically the History Stories

section. The purpose for recording this document was to retell the story of the

tennis match between Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King. My research is

examining the validity of the match and this source helps understand that better

because it is examining the events leading up to the match, the match itself, and

its aftermath. For example, Greenspan said, “Over the years, rumors surfaced

that Riggs threw the match for money. Just last month, a former assistant golf

pro in Florida told ESPN that he had overheard two mob bosses discussing

Riggs’ proposal to lose intentionally,” which shows that there is a possibility that

King’s victory was invalid. Greenspan also said, “Either way, the “Battle of the

Sexes” turned King into arguably the first superstar female athlete in the United

30

States,” which supports the claim that the match was more about entertainment

than societal change.

Merry, Stephanie. “‘Battle of the Sexes’ is about a tennis match — but it

feels a lot like the 2016 election.” The Washington Post, 21 September 2017,

https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/battle-of-the-sexes-is-about-a-te

nnis-match--but-it-feels-a-lot-like-the-2016-election/2017/09/20/0284abfc-9c78-1

1e7-8ea1-ed975285475e_story.html?utm_term=.fc7fe88c628f. Retrieved 9

January 2018.

The title of this is “‘Battle of the Sexes’ is about a tennis match — but it feels

a lot like the 2016 election” and it doesn't reflect the author's bias, it simply relays

the topic of their writing. This source is an article written by Stephanie Merry.

This was written after the 2016 presidential election and before the release

of the 2017 film about the 1973 tennis match between Bobby Riggs and Billie

Jean King. This was written for The Washington Post. The purpose for recording

this document was to compare the recent election to the event focused on in the

film. My research is examining the impact of the Battle of the Sexes and this

helps understand that better because it discusses how the event affected the

election. For example, Merry said, “Even so, the fight for equal respect continues

today. Just look at the hot-tempered John McEnroe, who recently said that if

Serena Williams were on the men’s circuit, she’d be ranked No. 700 in the

world,” which shows that the treatment of women athletes has not progressed as

31

much as King had hoped it would have in 30 years. Merry also said, “ The pay

gap in tennis is much narrower today than in other sports and industries, and

that’s thanks to the women who took a risk in the 1970s and refused to play for

less,” which shows that the work of King and other female sports stars had a

positive impact on modern times.

Rothman, Lily. “How Billie Jean King Won the Battle of the Sexes, as Told

in 1973.” Time, 19 September 2017,

http://time.com/4938913/battle-of-the-sexes-1973-report/. Retrieved 12 January

2018.

The title of “How Billie Jean King Won the Battle of the Sexes, as Told in

1973” does not reflect the author's bias. This is an article written in 2017 by Lily

Rothman reflecting on a 1973 article.

This source was written about an article written after Billie Jean King won the

match against Bobby Riggs. Both were written for Time. The purpose for

recording this document was to reflect on the event, focusing on a single article

written shortly after the match. My research is examining the fairness of the

match and this helps understand that better because it quotes an article that

discusses the legitimacy of Riggs’ chance at winning. For example, Rothman

quotes the article, saying, “Then came the main event, a mixed singles mismatch

between one excellent tennis player in her prime and another champion

pathetically past his. To make matters worse, right at the start the psycher

32

seemed to become the psychee,” which shows that the match was not a fair

game. The article also says “Time and again he was forced to watch helplessly

as Billie Jean rushed the net and slapped the ball past him. Between sets, Riggs‘

son Jimmy, 20, said: “Come on, Dad, wake up.” No chance. Riggs never really

got into the game,” which shows that King had an unfair advantage over Riggs

because of her age, and that Riggs level of skill was consistently incomparable to

King’s.

Shuster, Rachel. “Billie Jean King: Tennis star least of her important

roles.” USA TODAY Sports, 22 May 2013,

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2013/05/22/billie-jean-king-icons-innovato

rs-world-team-tennis-womens-rights/2159071/. Retrieved 5 January 2018.

The title of “Billie Jean King: Tennis star least of her important roles” reflects

bias because it implies that the author thinks King used tennis merely as a way to

get attention and be able to affect progress in the causes she believed in. It

seems like the author will be respectful of King’s sports achievements, but

disapproving of her choice to focus her career on tennis. This is an article written

by Rachel Shuster.

This was written for USA TODAY Sports. The purpose for recording this

document was to acknowledge Billie Jean King’s achievements while critiquing

her choice to focus on tennis. My research is examining King’s involvement in the

Battle of the Sexes and its impact on society and this source helps understand

33

that better because it is arguing that King participating in the match had a

positive effect on society, especially in sports. For example, Shuster quoted King

in the article, who said, “"People still know me mostly because I played Bobby

Riggs," King says. "It was about social change. Boys and girls have grown up

seeing the world through men's eyes. I was playing against a man and all of the

sudden every media was interested because it was about them. And that's the

way the world is.",” which shows that King believed her participation and victory

over Riggs in the historical match were successful in initiating the type of change

she desired. Shuster also said, “She is an activist. She fought for equal pay for

women athletes and for gender equality not only in sports but in all workplaces.

King stood for acceptance of people regardless of race, religion or sexual

orientation,” which shows that King was not merely a tennis player, but “an

activist”, who used tennis as a way to gain the media attention that her cause

required.

Thomas, June. “What’s Fact and What’s Fiction in Battle of the Sexes.”

Slate.com, 25 September 2017,

http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2017/09/25/fact_vs_fiction_in_the_movie_b

attle_of_the_sexes.html. Retrieved 8 March 2018.

This source is an article about the historical accuracy of the 2017, Battle of

the Sexes film written by June Thomas for slate.com. The title does not reflect

the author's bias. The purpose for recording this document was to analyze the

34

information in the film and compare it to the reality of the 1973 tennis match

between Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King.

My research is examining the Battle of the Sexes tennis match and thi source

helps understand that better because it is also analyzing that event. For example

the author says “It was a stunt, a side show, a distraction from real issues in

sports and in American society,” which shows they believe that because of the

publicity surrounding the event, it was meaningless to society. Also, when

Thomas says “Riggs worked hard before the Mother’s Day match, spending as

much as six hours a day practicing, but four months later, as the Battle of the

Sexes approached, his training was far less rigorous,” which supports the rumors

that Riggs intentionally lost the match against King.

Truffaut-Wong, Olivia. “Did Billie Jean King Really Give Bobby Riggs A

Pig? The 'Battle Of The Sexes' Was An Animal-Friendly Affair.” Bustle, 21

September 2017,

https://www.bustle.com/p/did-billie-jean-king-really-give-bobby-riggs-a-pig-the-bat

tle-of-the-sexes-was-animal-friendly-affair-2410090. Retrieved 11 January 2018.

This is an article titled “Did Billie Jean King Really Give Bobby Riggs A Pig?

The 'Battle Of The Sexes' Was An Animal-Friendly Affair” written by Olivia

Truffaut-Wong.

This article was written for Bustle. The purpose for recording this document

was to reflect on the pig that Billie Jean King gave to Bobby Riggs as a gift

35

before their historical tennis match known as the Battle of the Sexes. My

research is examining the tennis match and if it had an impact in society or was

purely for entertainment. This helps understand that better because it helps

prove that the event occurred purely to entertain. For example, Truffaut-Wong

said, “The short, but funny scene, is an amusing take on how these two athletes

played into the media hype that became the Battle of the Sexes,” which shows

that Riggs and King were aware of the true purpose of their match because they,

“played into,” the entertainment of the event. She also quoted King in the article,

who said, “Looking back on the match, King has conceded that, though it was a

huge step forward for female athletes across all sports, it was also a huge

spectacle for entertainment. "It was pure entertainment," she told NPR's Morning

Edition in 2008,” which shows that although King wanted the match and her

victory to stand for a greater cause, the whole ordeal was entirely for

entertainment. This direct quote from King is perfect evidence to support the

argument that the match was a publicity stunt.

Van Natta Jr., Don. “The Match Maker: Bobby Riggs, The Mafia and The

Battle of the Sexes”. espn.com, 25 August 2013.

http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/9589625/the-match-maker.

Retrieved 8 March 2018.

This is an article addressing an interview with Hal Shaw, in which he

confesses that he witnessed a meeting in which mob members discussed the

36

money owed to them by tennis player Bobby Riggs. It was written by Don Van

Natta Jr. for espn.com. The title doesn't display any bias, it just provides

enticement for readers to select the article.

The purpose for recording this document was to address the rumors that

Bobby Riggs intentionally lost the tennis match in 1973 against Billie Jean King in

order to settle his debts to the mob. My research is examining whether or not

these rumors are true and this source helps understand that better because it

directly addresses the rumors and quotes an interview with Hal Shaw, who

claimed to have witnessed a mob meeting where Bobby Riggs’ plan to lose the

match in order to pay his debts was discussed.

Zeitchik, Steven. “How tennis' Battle of the Sexes did — and didn't —

change the game.” Los Angeles Times, 2 October 2017,

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-battle-of-the-sexes-tennis

-movie-20171002-story.html. Retrieved 12 January 2018.

This title “How tennis’ Battle of the Sexes did — and didn't — change the

game” reflects bias because implies that the author is going to express opinions

in the article on how the historical event affected the industry. This is a

secondary source article written by Steven Zeitchik for the Los Angeles Times in

2017.

This was written after the movie focusing on the event was released and the

historical inaccuracy in the film may have affected the author’s opinions. The

37

purpose for recording this document was to analyze the effect that the tennis

match had on the sports industry and society in general. My research is

examining the Battle of the Sexes and how it impacted society and this helps

understand that better because it is discussing that topic. For example, Zeitchik

says “When King accepted the challenge from Riggs, it was to popularize the

equal-pay cause and pressure tournament organizers, particularly at the Slams,

to bring money into gender alignment”, which shows that King’s involvement in

the match was in hopes of effecting positive change. The article quotes King

saying “The biggest thing that came out of the match for me were the girls in the

stands who felt self-empowered and encouraged. Fathers came up with tears in

their eyes. And many of their daughters started playing tennis,” which shows that

the match did affect a positive change in terms of the issue of gender equality,

especially in sports.