Bobby Riggs

Robert Larimore "Bobby" Riggs (February 25, 1918–October 25, 1995) was a 1930s/40s tennis champion who gained even more fame in 1973 at the age of 55 as a result of challenge matches against two of the top female players in the world.

Battle of the Sexes

Suddenly in the national limelight, Riggs taunted all female tennis players, prompting Billie Jean King to accept a lucrative financial offer to play Riggs in a nationally televised match that the promoters dubbed as the "Battle of the Sexes." On September 20th, at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas, King entered the arena in Cleopatra style, carried aloft in a chair held by four bare-chested muscle men dressed in the garb of ancient slaves. Riggs followed in a rickshaw drawn by a bevy of gorgeous scantily-clad models. When the two got down to serious tennis, King had learned from Margaret Court's humiliation and was ready for Riggs' style of game. She thrashed him 6–4, 6–3, 6–3, although it should be noted that the 55-year-old Riggs played with a handicap. Riggs was forced to cover the double's court (whereas King only covered the smaller single's court) and Riggs was only allowed one serve before a fault, instead of two.

Related Topics:
Billie Jean King - Astrodome - Houston, Texas - Cleopatra - Rickshaw

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These matches, instigated solely by the consummate showmanship of Bobby Riggs, did more to increase interest in the game of tennis, especially women's tennis, than any prior championship or other competition had been able to do up to that time. In 1985 at age 67, Bobby Riggs got himself back in the tennis spotlight when he partnered with Vitas Gerulaitis to launch another challenge to female players. However, his return to the public eye was short lived when they lost their doubles match against Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver.

Related Topics:
Vitas Gerulaitis - Martina Navratilova - Pam Shriver

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As a Senior player in his 60s and 70s Riggs won numerous national titles within various age groups.

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Bobby Riggs died of cancer in 1995 in Leucadia, California. A 2001 ABC television docudrama titled When Billie Beat Bobby recounted the famous 1973 match.

Related Topics:
Cancer - Leucadia, California - ABC - When Billie Beat Bobby

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Bobby Riggs was elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1967.

Related Topics:
International Tennis Hall of Fame - Newport, Rhode Island

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