All the King's Men Trivia Quiz

Answer: Randy Moffitt

Billie Jean was born Billie Jean Moffitt to a mom who was a swimmer and a dad who played basketball, baseball and ran track. Billie Jean started playing tennis when she was eleven years old after switching from softball at her parent's suggestion. She trained on the free courts of Long Beach and a local tennis facility has been named after her (Billie Jean Moffitt King Tennis Center).

Her younger brother Randy was also athletic. He played baseball and pitched professionally for twelve years (1972-1983).

He played for San Francisco Giants, Houston Astros and Toronto Blue Jays.

Answer: Larry King

Billie Jean attended Cal State university and met Larry King there. The two got engaged when Billie Jean was twenty years old and married in 1965. They were together until 1987. Billie Jean has maintained that she was in love with Larry when they met and credits him with pushing her to pursue a career in tennis and becoming a feminist.

After their marriage ended, they stayed close. Larry remarried and Billie Jean was asked to be godmother to his son.

Answer: Bobby Riggs

Fifty-five year old Bobby Riggs defeated Margaret Court in a battle of the sexes in 1973 and fresh off that victory, teased and taunted other current female tennis players to try and beat him. King, who was a five time number one ranked female tennis player, agreed to play him (after previously declining.) For Riggs, it seemed to be a big publicity stunt which he thought he might easily win. For King, it was more serious and she wanted to beat him in order to bring credibility to women's tennis. After a slow start, she beat him in three straight sets.

She was twenty-nine at the time and there was some criticism that it was more a battle of the ages than a battle of the sexes. It certainly garnered a lot of attention as an estimated 90 million people around the world watched the match.

Answer: Ray Ruffels

Coming off surgery in 1978, King played ten singles tournaments and then focused on doubles matches. She lost several key singles matches that year, including to Chris Evert in the quarter finals at Wimbledon. Her mixed doubles partner that year was Ray Ruffels and the two made it to the Wimbledon finals before losing in straight sets. Ruffels is an Australian player and coach who also partnered with Bob Carmichael among others, winning a number of matches throughout the seventies.

In December 1978 King had surgery on her foot and only played one doubles match in 1979.

She returned to singles matches after that.

Answer: womenSports

In 1974 King founded the Women's Sports Foundation and the magazine "womenSports". It was the first magazine dedicated entirely to women in sports and was created as a way to showcase female sports talent. King felt that there was a lack of respect and attention on female athletes and launched the magazine to help to equalize the playing field for women in sports.

The very first issue was not well received as it seemed to focus a bit much on King. This was addressed in future issues and there was a good variety of female athletes from various sports showcased.

The magazine became quite successful. Jim Jorgensen was President of the magazine.

Answer: Elton John

The Elton John Band released "Philadelphia Freedom" in 1975. It reached number one in both Canada and the United States. The song was written by Elton John and his songwriting partner Bernie Taupin for Billie Jean King, who is a friend of Elton's. It was written to recognize the Philadelphia Freedoms, a World Team Tennis team of which King was a member.

The team was comprised of both male and female players and King served as player and coach, making her the first female coach to coach a professional team of male players. Elton John wanted the team to use it as their team song and was a big fan, attending games and sitting with the players. Ironically, the song was written in 1974 but not released until 1975.

By the time it was released, the team had already played their last match.

Answer: John Wooden

In 1972 King was named the "Sports Illustrated" Sportsman of the Year. Not only was she the first tennis player to receive this honor but she was also the first female athlete to receive it. She shared the award that year with John Wooden, the award-winning player and coach.

As head coach of the UCLA Bruins, he coached them to ten championships within a twelve year period. King of course is no slouch when it comes to winning and awards. During the course of her career, she won thirty-one Grand Slam titles, was awarded the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award and is in the National Women's Hall of Fame.

Answer: David Dinkins

Ilona Kloss is a former professional tennis player who was a doubles partner with King (her marriage to Larry King ending in 1987). The two had been together a very long time and got married in a secret ceremony in New York City in 2018. The ceremony was officiated by former New York City mayor David Dinkins on October 18th, 2018. King and Kloss became part owners of the LA Dodgers baseball team, the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks basketball team and Angel City soccer club.

Answer: Barack Obama

In 2009 King was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama to recognize her for her advocacy for the LGBT community. King has been an active and vocal advocate for LGBT and women's rights for many years. She was involved in the Women's Sports Foundation and the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

In 2013 she was asked by President Obama to represent the United States at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. This was interpreted as a way to advocate for gay rights in a country that does not support or provide for these rights.

Unfortunately, King had to forfeit those duties as her mom was ill and her mom passed away the day of the Opening Ceremonies.

Answer: Steve Carell

Emma Stone and Steve Carell star in the 2017 movie "Battle of the Sexes" which dramatizes the events of that infamous tennis match. The film was nominated for a number of awards including Golden Globes, Critics Choice and Screen Actors Guild Awards. Carell and Stone were both nominated for several acting awards. King accompanied Emma Stone to the Golden Globe Awards.

The dress that King wore for the actual match has also found fame. It was designed by Ted Tinling, a well known designer of tennis wear, and sits in the National Museum of American History.