Billie Jean King is a former tennis player. Billie Jean King is one of the most decorated players in the history of professional tennis. Billie is a strong example of an independent woman in addition to being an athlete.
Billie, who was the world number one in 1996, has been in the industry for a little more than three decades.
During her time representing the United States, Jean won 39 Grand Slam trophies.
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Early Years, Parents, and Siblings
Billie Jean King was born on November 22, 1943, in Long Beach, California, United States of America.
Her mother, Betty Moffitt, is a housewife, and her father, Bill Moffitt, used to be a firefighter.
She was born into a conservative Methodist household.
In terms of her family, she has a younger brother, Major League Baseball pitcher Randall James “Randy” Moffitt.
Billie also played softball as a kid before switching to tennis at the age of eleven.
Her career also took off at the Los Angeles Tennis Club later on.
Billie Jean used to be a very aggressive player with a lot of pace in her game.
Billie also won the “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match when she was 29 years old, which is one of her biggest achievements.
Jean also promotes the Virginia Slims cigarette brand as a sponsor of women’s tennis.
During the 2000s, she also worked for their company, Philip Morris.
Facts of Billie Jean King
| Full Name | Billie Jean King Moffitt |
| Birthday | November 22, 1943 |
| Birth Place | Long Beach, California, U.S. |
| Nick Name | Unknown |
| Religion | Conservative Methodist |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Zodiac Sign | Sagittarius |
| Age | 78 years old |
| Height | 1.64 m (5 feet 4 1⁄2 inches) |
| Weight | 61 kg (134 lbs) |
| Hair Color | Dark brown |
| Eye Color | Blue |
| Father’s Name | Bill Moffitt |
| Mother’s Name | Betty Moffitt |
| Siblings | A younger brother, Randall James “Randy” Moffitt |
| Education | Long Beach Polytechnic (High School) California State University (College) |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Life Partner | Larry King (m. 1965-1987) Ilana Kloss (current girlfriend) |
| Profession | Former tennis player |
| Professional since | 1959 |
| Country | United States |
| Plays | Right-handed (one-handed backhand) |
| Retired in | 1990 |
| Net Worth | $22 million |
| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
| Official Website | billiejeanking.com |
| Merch | American Masters: Billie Jean King, Collectible Doll, Autographed Cut |
| Last Update | May 2022 |
Net Worth
Billie Jean King has a net worth of $22 million. In addition, she received US$1,966,487 in prize money from the games.
Even here, Billie was the first female athlete to win a reward worth more than $100,000. The championships did not have the same prize money for guys and females back then.
Billie had so earned $15,000 less than Ilie Năstase, the men’s champion. Indeed, she fought for an equal amount for both sexes on behalf of all women.
Later, the US Open became the first competition to implement equity policies.
Endorsements of brands
She, like every other player, makes money by endorsing brands. In 1970, she signed an endorsement deal with Head for their athletic apparel.
She has promoted other products such as Addidas and Glamour throughout her career. She currently has a $1 million contract with Glamour.
Billie Jean lost roughly $2 million in brand endorsement deals in the early 1980s.
Marilyn Barnett, her secretary, had filed a lawsuit against her at the time. She had already started an intimate relationship with her.
Barnett then sued King for a misunderstanding, while she denied the relationship.
She divorced her husband, Larry King, after disguising her sexual identity for a long period. Following that, she falls in love with Ilana Kloss, with whom she currently stands.
Books, films, and television shows
Billie Jean King enjoys pop culture as well. She played a judge in Law & Order in 2007, Ugly Betty in 2009, and Fresh Off the Boat in 2016.
She also starred in The Odd Couple in 1973 and The L Word in 2006, with The Bold Type being her most recent performance in 2020.
In addition, a film was developed about her time at the Battle of the Sexes.
To give you an example, Billie is played by Emma Stone, who wears a Ted Tinling-designed outfit. Furthermore, she has been referenced in song lyrics as an influence.
In 1975, Elton John wrote a song for Billie called “Philadelphia Freedom,” which became a number one smash. At the same time, King appears in the Le Tigre song “Hot Topic.”
Billie wrote a book called Pressure is a Privilege: Lessons I’ve Learned from Life, which was followed by the Battle of the Sexes in 2008.
Honors and Achievements
As a successful player, Billie Jean has received numerous honors and trophies. She is reportedly the first player to be named Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Frank Deford, Jean was later used as a sex symbol. She was declared the most admired lady in the world by Seventeen magazine.
She was nominated for the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in addition to being inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
King is also a trailblazer in the fight against prejudice against homosexuals, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender persons.
They also dedicated an 11-acre Sports Complex after her, the Billie Sports Complex, in her honor. Later, in 2006, the Women’s Sports Foundation gave and launched the Billie Awards in her honor.
Owners of Teams
Billie Jean was also elected to the Philip Morris Incorporated board of directors in 1999. She and her business partner, Kloss, currently own the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team.
Meanwhile, they also own the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA).
They’ve also claimed a piece of Angel City FC’s ownership, which will debut in the National Women’s Soccer League in 2022.
Lifestyle
With such large net worth, King is able to live a joyful and opulent lifestyle.
Having said that, she is not without her own issues.
She, for example, has osteoarthritis and has undergone double knee replacement surgery.
Jean, on the other hand, leads a somewhat healthy lifestyle and only eats vegan foods.
She also works out five times a week, doing the bare minimum. She does a lot of walking, biking, and weight lifting.
When it comes to her meals, she keeps a few carbs on hand while focusing on vitamins and calories.
Billie Jean also owns a beach property in Malibu that she bought for $500,000 in 1981.
She also built a seaside house on Kauai’s tropical North Shore in 1972, according to reports.
Charities and foundations
Billie has been a strong spokesperson for the cause on numerous occasions.
King is also the creator of the Billie Leadership Initiative. In addition, the Jean King Main Library is named after her.
At the same time, Billie is collaborating with Mattel on the “Inspiring Women Series” of Barbie dolls.
To demonstrate, they started with Barbie dolls costumed as Billie in her 1973 ‘Battle of the Sexes’ match versus Bobby Riggs.
CityParks Foundation, Elton John AIDS Foundation, GLAAD, and Food Bank For New York City are among the numerous organizations she has sponsored.
She also volunteered with the Los Angeles LGBT Center, the Starkey Hearing Foundation, and the Women’s Sports Foundation.
Similarly, her charity collaborated with ESPN to establish the King Youth Leadership Award.
The award included $10,000 in academic scholarships for the recipients.
She later added herself as a collaborator with Pearle Vision and One Sight.
They worked at Girls Prep Lower East Side Elementary giving eye exams and glasses during their time there.
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Presence on Social Media
You can look up her information and submit it to her social media accounts.
Billie Jean King (@billiejeanking) is her Instagram handle, and she has 92.8k followers.
She also has 522.8k followers on Twitter as BillieJeanKing (@BillieJeanKing).
