In 1973, Billie Jean King faced Bobby Riggs in a tennis match dubbed the “Battle of the Sexes.” My 13-year-old self, along with 90 million or so other people, sat transfixed in front of the television as Ms. King walloped her much older, provocatively sexist opponent. She became a tennis hero for my generation, and her victory became a triumph for women, including rank amateurs like me. As a superstar female athlete, Ms. King paved the way for many others, including Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova. But before Ms. King...

Source: Wall Street Journal August 09, 2020 21:00 UTC