AND he was 55 years old. She would not have beaten the Bobby Riggs of 1941, 1946, or 1947, when he was #1 in the world. Nor would she have beaten the Riggs of 1939 when he won Wimbledon in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. He also beat Margaret Court when she was #1 in the world, the year before he lost to Billie Jean. Just seems a shame that a world class player such as Bobby is only remembered for losing one highly publicized match.
Riggs made no excuses for his loss. He was total class as at the end of the match he said playing tennis and winning is the best thing and playing and losing was the next best thing. IF you look at the match replay you will hear the announcers talk about Riggs legs looking shaky. So sorry Chirstine. It is just the truth. Were you there?? Do you know any of the participants??. It is not turned around on the women, King did what she had to do. But she didn't give him a match for a tiebreaker!!!!
Interesting to read some of the comments here. Firstly, this guy was eccentric, a brilliant actor and gave the media exactly what they wanted. All the hype and drama of being a chauvinist, and of course, the general public ate it up like a Sunday roast. He gave BJK and female tennis in general a platform and a spotlight when there wasn't one there before. Bobby was a master of self-promotion and marketing. A smart guy who played everyone for a fool, even when he deliberately lost to further help BJK's cause. BJK knew what he was doing and that's why she had such a deep love and respect for him up until the very end of his life. In regards to the vitamins, most are water soluable and the extra nutrients would have been expelled in his urine. Also, vitamins were nowhere near as strong or widely available almost 50 years ago as they are today. You would have needed a prescription or a damn good reason to take them back then.
Mr. House She wasn’t #1, she was #2. He beat Margaret Court who was #1. So he actually proved his point. But he was a consummate hustler; he had to be. Read bios on him, he learned to make the most of his talents despite being 5’7” and not having a power serve. He was smart and strategic as a player in tennis and golf.
It was a show... they both made tons of money and women's tennis benefited greatly. Most likely Riggs threw the match but who cares? It was a show to make money!
Bobby Riggs, the ultimate hustler and "tennis bum" with three grand slam titles no one remembers. As they said, I might tell him to shut up but I sure as hell wouldn't bet against someone with this many aces up his sleeve. He was a fast-talking quasi-charlatan who made it hard to tell truth from bull shit. But he was in some strange way good for the game and brought interest to tennis at its height of popularity in the 1970's.
Never mind about the gay part, you are absolutely right about her being in her 20s, and he was 55. Not only that, but he had a 14 year layoff from tennis after he stopped playing pro. Spent his time playing golf. I'd bet that at any given time, the #10 ranked man (and probably the 50th ranked) would beat the #1 ranked woman in the world in a 5 set match. Also everyone conveniently forgets that Bobby beat Margaret Court the year before, when she was ranked #1 in the world in women's tennis.
Billie Jean herself said that she stood absolutely no chance in a match against men of her age. That is why she said that beating a 55 year old Bobby Riggs was really of no athletic importance to her whatsoever, but extremely important to the cause of women's tennis and sports (Title IX was just a year old, and the WTA tour was only it's second season). A King loss would have effectively ended women's tennis right then and their). People always forget to quote her honesty about that match and her playing players of her own age.
I played tournament tennis for 21 years, and was rated as high as a 5.5. I played so many people who acted bizarre on court, but many were very normal acting off the court. He seemed to very bizarre off the court as well. He really seemed quite off to me. He did play an amazing point, in his younger days, and he looked to be very quick about the court. He was a great champion winning several grand slams when there was little money in the sport. I think he used the women to try and capitalize on money he didn't get while he was in his prime.
Absolutely. He planned on reviving his new career by playing the top women. If he defeated Billie Jean in the $100,000.00 "winner take all" match, (although both players were guaranteed at least that much in ancillary rights), his next match was to be a $1,000,000 "winner take all" match against either Chris Evert or Evonne Goolagong. By losing this match, his flow of $$ ceased.
All the players had to hustle back then. The professional tour was a lot of middle class guys, touring, playing anywhere that people would show up, desperately trying to earn a living for themselves and their families. It bugs me that the NAtional Tennis Center Is named for Billie Jean King, and Arthur Ashe (who both deserve recognition), but nothing is named after Jack Kramer and Pancho Gonzales, who worked so hard and suffered so much to create the first professional tour. Without them , there would be no professional tennis of any sort.
@@joemarshall4226 So true, Joe. So true. But I know that (as an example) the name "Louis Armstrong Stadium" name can never be changed, according to a document agreed to, signed, filed, and approved in NYC several decades ago. I'm not sure what the other courts are allowed to do. But it would be nice to have stadiums named after Pancho, Tilden, Wills, Chrissie, Jimmy, etc. I suspect that it hasn't happened for the same reason...the powers that be have their hands tied as to what they can and can not do.
the riggs v king battle of the sexes in sept 1973 was at the houston astrodome i think it must have been on tv or at least recorded, but folk on here say they cant find any clips ????.
Bobby Riggs (February 25, 1918 - October 25, 1995) was a great hustler. His biggest swindle was when he lost to Billie Jean King, he must have made millions off it. He was in a way charming even when he was obnoxious, and kind of knew that women were being unjustifiably discriminated against like he was for being "old" in his mid 50s.
She kicked his butt. he didn't know what hit him and underestimated her. She ran him ragged, and he was sweating profusely and out of breath for much of the match because BJK was able to run him around the court and feed him "garbage", whereas Court didn't do her homework on him, and played only for the guaranteed payday of $35,000. She didn't realize the implications of what would happen if she lost, and also didn't think that the match was such a big deal, but Bobby made it so, and it was played in front of a sell-out audience on Mother's Day in 1973. Margaret opened the door, and Billie slammed it shut.
Everybody knows he in fact threw that match to pay off gambling debts. Super in shape, beat Margaret Court who was #1, then hit a bunch of unforced errors in the King match? Just doesn't add up. Physicality doesn't equate to superiority of anything except just that, just sayin' men and womens physical sports are in completely different leagues if they're both perfectly fit and able
Couldn't CBS come up with a better location for the interview with Wallace and Riggs? On beach chairs on a patch of worn grass? I got a kick out of Bobby Riggs, but I'm glad BJK beat him. Enjoyed the movie too.
@apedosmi1 it was done in 1992. In September 1992, the 35-year old Navratilova played 40 yro Jimmy Connors in the third Battle of the Sexes tennis match at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Connors was allowed only one serve per point and Navratilova was allowed to hit into half the doubles court. Connors won 7-5, 6-2. Even with advantages, the female (even a lesbian Navratilova) still lost to the male Connors. Cuz it was more comparable. Hardly anyone talks about the 1992 game though.
He beat Margaret Court womens number 1/2 in straight sets and then lost to King so in fairness he wasnt totally proved wrong.. To even beat one top female athlete at his age after been retired for decades is pretty impressive...
He threw the match against King because THAT was the pay-off set up by first beating Court. He dumped a LOT of points, to make sure. King was, and is, an unwitting patsy, because her ego will not allow her to consider the possibility that she is not the all-American hero who restored womankind's pride.
He challenged her remember . So surely this is about a man trying to put women down rather than the other way round. He thought despite the fact he was that age that women stood no chance against him. So he was proved wrong.
Are you that stupid?? This was all about money and promoting women's tennis and it worked. Women's Tennis catapulted and never looked back. You don't even realize that Billy Jean and the others broke away from the main stream to start their own league. They struggled for a long time and Bobby helped them get on the map!
he played that 'character' amazingly. Similar to Andy Kaufman when he turned to wrestling. It's just a shame he nearly hurt the women's movement but from what BJK has said that was never his intention and was actually a supporter of womens rights and equal pay.
I just searched the internet and Answers.com say that he got both serves and did not have to cover the doubles alleys. However, I would like to see the match again myself to verify their answer.
They should have focused more on him in the movie he was a far more interesting and vibrant character than Billy Jean King. Steve Carell did a fantastic job playing him.
he still beat Margaret Court at the age of 55, she was the best female tennis player in the world at the time. if men and women are really equal in tennis, how could that possibly happen? using the men and women are truly equal in athletics logic, that would be like Björn Borg coming out of retirement and beating Djokovic right now. anyone could tell you that wouldn't be possible though.
he was also what 100 years older than Billy? In his prime he would have destroyed her, and remember he did NO training for the match, it was a laugher for him, he wore a Big daddy warm up jacket for the 1st set !!! RIP Bobby
My My, don't we get upset when our mythical goddesses get knocked down a peg. i was just telling the truth to put things in perspective. No Christine, He hyped the match and made her a ton of money. If you look at the history of the thing you will see BJK visited him as he was near death. She liked him. What he said was just hype. But what Riggs did not like was that BJK blackballed him from playing any other women because she felt the women's game could not take another hit.
Wasnt born back then but that was a cool clip to see. Based on the comments (even in this day and age), its easy to see why a 50+ yrs old man and star female tennis players resorted to shenanigans for attention and money. Sadly, nobody is taking them seriously even today!
REALLY? Is that why Billie Jean King was given the "Presidential Medal of Freedom", the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a civilian? Is that why the ENTIRE US Open site was renamed the "Billie Jean King National Tennis Center". Is that why the Fed Cup has been renamed the Billie Jean King Cup. Is that why the year end championship trophy for the women is titled the "King Cup" (as is the trophy for Team Tennis)?. Is that why she was named one of the one hundred most important individuals of the century by Life Magazine, one of only three athletes to be on that list)? Is that why Elton John wrote a song about her entitled, "Philadelphia Freedom', which became the best selling single in 1975? Is that why there were not one but TWO movies made about her? She continues to fight for equality for men and women, not one over the other. She is a true icon, both in sports and in the general fabric of society as a whole.
I am writing this comment while under the influence of several medications and painful tremors. So please don't hold me responsible for anything that I say or write here.
Bobby Riggs laughed all the way to the bank. The whole male chauvinist thing was contrived to get publicity and make bank. He was a long since past his prime fifty-something retired player who brilliantly promoted this mock battle of the sexes into a lot of $. Well done, Bobby.
Totally agreed. It's the same thing Andy Kaufman did when he turned wrestler. It's a character, thats all. Even Billy Jean has said they were great friends after the match and while he could be a bit piggish..She could never tell if it was to wind her up (as friends) or actully him. Either way it was never in a horrible way. Nothing like his character.
Randy Bailin I agree. It was obvious Riggs was playing a character and doing this for money & publicity. What's hilarious are the people who took it seriously (feminists) and think this was some type of genuine match that somehow proved something. Perhaps it had a psychological affect for feminists but in reality it was an old washed-up guy playing a much younger professional and playing the "chauvinistic" role for kicks. They also negate to mention that Riggs had beaten several other female professional players prior to Billie Jean King.
He died poor, majority of his money has made more than halfway through life. So he lived life backwards. Mundane for the first half, then balls to the wall till death. One cool character. His energy is intense.
PLEASE! Men's Tennis is exactly that MEN'S Tennis and vice versa. I must admit, I bought into this PR, BS back in the day, but in retrospect it gets nothing more than a yawn and an eye roll. Both are/were great players. Let the greats be the greats. I play for the love of the sport. Sometimes a LOUD mouth and ARROGANCE is a mask for a lack of true ability and talent or just controversy. Nothing against either talent. Just a comment in passing as food for thought.
He reminds me of a younger version of the old guy in 1st Cocoon movie. The old man with glasses who's wife dies in movie. The Oldman who was always negative about everything l
the point isn't that he was older, blah blah blah, the point is he taunted the female players and challenged her, so if you're gonna challenge, you have to be prepared to lose with dignity, not "well, I was older than her", you can't cover your ass like that; you're such a man to challenge, be a man to lose
You have to be kidding. there are college players that would beat the women's number one player. Read about Braach and the Williams sisters: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Sexes_(tennis)
EXACTLY someone with some sense, finally... Bobby Riggs was 55 years old, came out of retirement and this man/woman was like world no.2. First of all the guy's an idiot anyway for even thinking he could play a competitive match against a pro at his age and fitness at that time. Yet it's unbelievable how many women are still seeing this as some pivotal point in womens tennis. The top womens tennis player at the time beating an overweight, out of practice, almost senior citizen male.
He had just beaten world number one Margaret Court in straight sets...something like 6-2, 6-1. She didn't throw the match, he was just a good player...even in his 50s. Just like John McEnroe, who could have beaten any of the women in his mid-50s.
Truth be told, Bobby was having arm problems at the time and was taking a medicine which caused his legs to be shaky. If you will note in the match he served and vollied a lot because he didn't have the legs to stay out there. Also because Bobby had defeated Margret Court so badly and Billie Jean was not as good as her, he didn't train as hard as he did for the first match. If BJK had given him a rematch he would have beaten her badly but BJK blackballed him from playing anymore ladies.
The Riggs-King match was played with no rules advantage by King. It was a true tennis match. Just like the match he played against Court. That is what made it so unique. Such a money match had never happened before with so much on the line. It is easily the most important tennis match and sporting event in the history of all sport in the history of the world. In retrospect, it is easy to see why he lost. He was not in condition and too old to compete against her. but, it was an upset to most.
A fist full of pills and a slug of liquor ...right on bobby...is he still alive and kicking? or did he die soon after the drug cocktail? Good to see the old Brown Bomber...
Instead of making excuses for this guys BS and getting uppity about women, you should point a finger squarely at his stupidity. Don't turn this around on women.
Listen...one thing that nobody gets is how well a fifty something man can play if he keeps in good shape. Bill Tilden could take one set from anyone in the world when he was 50. John McEnroe beat 31 year old James Blake, when James was fresh off the tour and John was in his mid 50s.....Pros quit when they are in their early to mid 30s, because they get ground down by the touring life, but for ONE MATCH, you can still play really well! There is little doubt in my mind that Bobby threw the match. He beat Margaret Court 6-1 6-2 just a month or two before the Battle of the Sexes. Margaret was a lot better than Billy Jean, and played a similar style. Bobby was a gambler. he obviously was manic.....he knew how to hype an event and hustle. And he did just that. it made sense for him to lose because he could demand a rematch, and double his money. There are also allegations of him throwing it to pay off mob debts. He begged Billy Jean for the rematch for a long time, but quick money wasn't her goal. Bobby went on to win senior championships until his 70s. He was a touch player, a master of angles, lobs, spins, and very quick around the court.....the number one player in the world briefly,,,,,Ranked number 7 all-time by the great Ellsworth Vines in his 1972 book . The second best "Little Man" after Pancho Segura.
Billie Jean and Margaret were dead even in their last 24 matches (12-12). BJK dominated in 1972 in the same way that Margaret did in 1973. BJK was also distracted by her relationship with Marilyn Barnett, and Margaret told her husband and friends that she knew she would regain #1 because BJK needed to devote her body, mind and soul to tennis at 100%, otherwise she was beatable. Regarding a re-match: BJK told Bobby before they even played that this was a one shot deal, and that, win or lose, she would never play him again. He thought that she was bluffing and that a larger amount of $$ would get her to change her mind, but she remained adamant. She wasn't playing for the $. She was playing for the future of women's tennis and women's sports.
Making excuses for him doesn't seem very helpful. Why did he do it? Seems to me like he made his own bed. And, if he beat the woman who was #1 at the time, that makes Billie Jean's victory less excusable, does it not?
Here is why I think the match is not on youtube: The rules totally favored Billy Jean. He only got one serve to her two. I think she also got the doubles alleys.. If this is true, it gave her an unbeatable advantage and diminishes Women's Lib's great victory. Therefore, it isn't politically correct to show the match and thus display her unfair advantages. I have searched and searched and have not found the video which would prove the rules one way or another. Does anyone have it?
so funny...even today people cant admit he lost plain and simple...he threw the game...yeah that's only way Billie could beat this broke down player...um ok...
