sports
Billie Jean King graduates from college at age 82 after leaving for tennis: ‘Yeah baby, only 61 years!’
King distinguished herself as a tennis champ at Cal State Los Angeles, winning Wimbledon doubles while enrolled
TL;DR
- Billie Jean King graduated from college at 82 years old, having left school in 1964 to pursue her tennis career.
- King won 39 championships, a Presidential Medal of Freedom, and a congressional Medal of Honor, while advocating for gender and pay equality.
- She chose Cal State Los Angeles because its tennis coach trained men and women together, an approach she found revolutionary.
- King was motivated from a young age to fight discrimination and promote equality and inclusion.
- She founded the Women's Tennis Association and campaigned for equal prize money at the US Open.
- King famously defeated Bobby Riggs in 'The Battle of the Sexes' in 1973.