Billie Jean King, center, her wife Ilana Kloss and USTA president Brian Hainline watch the women's singles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships between Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, and Jessica Pegula, of the United States, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
September 27, 2024 - 2:37 PM
WASHINGTON (AP) — Billie Jean King is now the first individual female athlete to be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.
President Joe Biden signed bipartisan legislation Thursday to recognize King for “a remarkable life devoted to championing equal rights for all, in sports and in society.”
The bill to honor King, the tennis Hall of Famer and activist, passed unanimously in the Senate and then in the House of Representatives.
The bill was introduced last September on the 50th anniversary of King’s victory over Bobby Riggs in the “Battle of the Sexes,” still the most-watched tennis match of all-time. The medal, awarded by Congress for distinguished achievements and contributions to society, has previously been given to athletes including baseball players Jackie Robinson and Roberto Clemente, and golfers Jack Nicklaus, Byron Nelson and Arnold Palmer.
King had already been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., a co-introducer of the bill, said she has “broken barriers, led uncharted paths, and inspired countless people to stand proudly with courage and conviction in the fight for what is right.”
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