Early Life and Education of Billie Jean King: A Complete Timeline
Discover the defining moments in the early life of Billie Jean King. From birth to education, explore key events.
Billie Jean King, a former world No. 1 American tennis player, is considered among the greatest of all time. She secured 39 Grand Slam titles across singles (12), women's doubles (16), and mixed doubles (11). King also contributed to the United States' victories in seven Federation Cups and nine Wightman Cups. Beyond her athletic achievements, she is known for her advocacy of gender equality in sports and society.
November 22, 1943: Billie Jean King Born
On November 22, 1943, Billie Jean King, née Moffitt, was born. She became an American former world No. 1 tennis player and is considered one of the greatest of all time.
1961: Graduated from High School
In 1961, Billie Jean King graduated from Long Beach Polytechnic High School, marking a milestone in her early life and education.
1964: Full-Time Commitment to Tennis
In 1964, Billie Jean King decided to make a full-time commitment to tennis after businessman Robert Mitchell offered to sponsor her training in Australia.
1964: Left College to Focus on Tennis
In 1964, Billie Jean King left Los Angeles State College (now California State University, Los Angeles) to fully dedicate herself to her tennis career.
September 17, 1965: Marriage to Larry King
On September 17, 1965, Billie Jean King married Larry King in Long Beach. They had become engaged while she was 20 and he was 19 and still attending school.
1968: Playground Instructor and Student
Before the start of the open era in 1968, Billie Jean King earned US$100 a week as a playground instructor and student at California State University, Los Angeles when not playing in major tennis tournaments.
1968: Attraction to Women
By 1968, Billie Jean King realized that she was attracted to women.
May 1969: Knee Recovery
In May 1969, Billie Jean King's knee fully recovered from surgery.
September 1970: Pacific Southwest Open and Women's Rights Advocacy
In September 1970, during the Pacific Southwest Open where the prize money for men was significantly higher than for women, Billie Jean King and other women chose not to play to advocate for equal pay. King and the other women organized the women-only Houston Virginia Slims invitational and this helped launch the series of women-only tournaments.
1971: Abortion Made Public
In 1971, Billie Jean King had an abortion that was made public in a Ms. magazine article after Larry had revealed it without consulting her.
1971: Reason Not Playing in the Australian Open
In 1971, Billie Jean King played in New Zealand, near Australia, but did not play in the Australian Open, because she did not want to miss any Virginia Slims winter tournaments.
1972: Early Match Retirement and Admission
In early 1972, Billie Jean King admitted that cramps associated with an abortion caused her retirement from a match with Chris Evert.
1973: Battle of the Sexes Victory
In 1973, Billie Jean King, at the age of 29, famously won the "Battle of the Sexes" tennis match against 55-year-old Bobby Riggs. This event was a significant moment in the fight for gender equality in sports.
November 1976: King rehabilitates her knee after surgery
Following surgery in November 1976, Billie Jean King spent the first three months of the year rehabilitating her right knee.
1977: Prediction about Knee Injury
In 1977, Billie Jean King recalled that in 1968, her doctors predicted that her left knee would only allow her to play competitive tennis for two more years.
December 1978: King undergoes foot surgery
In December 1978, Billie Jean King underwent major surgery to her left foot.
1982: Autobiography Claim
In her 1982 autobiography, Billie Jean King claimed that she intentionally lost a match in Long Beach because of an argument with her husband.
March 1983: House Destroyed
In March 1983, the house that had been contested in the palimony suit was destroyed during a series of freak storms.
1987: Divorce from Larry King
In 1987, Billie Jean King and Larry King divorced after Billie Jean fell in love with her doubles partner, Ilana Kloss. They remained close friends afterward.
February 7, 2014: Death of Betty Moffitt
On February 7, 2014, the day of the 2014 Winter Olympics opening ceremony, Billie Jean King's mother, Betty Moffitt, died.
September 2018: Minority Owner of Los Angeles Dodgers
In September 2018, Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss became minority owners of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team.
October 18, 2018: Marriage to Ilana Kloss
On October 18, 2018, Billie Jean King married Ilana Kloss in a secret ceremony officiated by former New York City Mayor David Dinkins.
2018: 75th Golden Globe Awards
In 2018, Billie Jean King attended the 75th Golden Globe Awards as a guest of Emma Stone.
October 2020: Part of Angel City FC Ownership Group
In October 2020, Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss became part of the ownership group of Angel City FC.
May 2022: Partnership with Professional Women's Hockey Players Association
In May 2022, the Mark Walter Group and BJK Enterprises entered a partnership with the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association (PWHPA).
June 29, 2023: Purchase of the Premier Hockey Federation
On June 29, 2023, the Mark Walter Group and BJK Enterprises purchased the intellectual property and other key elements of the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF).
2023: Contestant on The Masked Singer
In 2023, Billie Jean King competed in season ten of The Masked Singer as "Royal Hen".
January 1, 2024: Start of the new professional women's ice hockey league
On January 1, 2024, the new league began with the first game played between New York and Toronto in Toronto.
2024: Value of first racket
In 2024 terms, Billie Jean King saved $8 to buy her first racket, which would be equivalent to $92.40.
