Billie Jean King turns 70 today – what a woman!

I am such an admirer of the amazing Billie Jean King that I was going to sit here and come up with 70 reasons why on the occasion of her 70th birthday today. But I just do not have the time so I’m going to just toss out 25 off the top of my head:

1. Led the fight for equal prize money for women in pro tennis.

2. Decided to publicly come out as a lesbian (initially bisexual) in 1981 and lose all her endorsements rather than listen to lawyers and managers who suggested she not be honest.

3. Beat Bobby Riggs in the landmark 1973 Battle of the Sexes match when the pressure of the world was on her shoulders.

4. Founded the Women’s tennis tour in 1968.

5. Founded the Women’s Tennis Association in 1973 during Wimbledon while managing to win the singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles that year.

6. Founded World Team Tennis so males and females could play together in a team format.

7. Won a record-tying twenty Wimbledon titles in singles, doubles and mixed.

8. Founded the Women’s Sports Foundation, a non-profit organization to advance the lives of girls and women through sports and physical activity.

9. Was one of the leaders in the fight for passage of Title IX which requires any educational institution receiving federal assistance to offer equal opportunities to male and female athletes.

10. She’s one of the few women since 1968 (beginning of Open Era of tennis) to win all four grand slam singles titles in her career (Wimbledon, US Open, Australian Open, French Open). The others are Margaret Court, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova.

11. Won 39 grand slam titles overall in singles, doubles and mixed.

12. Received of the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Obama.

13. Is the first athlete to be profiled in PBS’s American Masters documentary series.

14. Is the first female tennis player to earn $100,000 in a single season.

15. Is so well-regarded that the National Tennis Center in Nw York, site of the US Open, was renamed The Billie Jan King National Tennis Center.

16. Won the women’s doubles title as a teenager at her very first Wimbledon when she was known as Little Miss Moffit (maiden name: Billie Jean Moffit). Then at 39, she made it to the semifinals in singles and final in mixed doubles at her very last Wimbledon as a player.

17. Has raised millions for AIDS causes through her annual Smash Hits event with longtime pal Elton John.

18. Has served as a mentor to younger players including Chris Evert, Venus and Serena Williams, Monica Seles and Maria Sharapova.

19. Wrote the terrific book Pressure is a Privilege.

20. The Elton John hit Philadelphia Freedom was written about BJK!

21. Was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1987.

22. Was the first female chosen as Sports Illustrated Sportswoman of the Year, sharing the honor with UCLA basketball coach John Wooden.

23. In 2000, BJK received an award from the GLAAD for “furthering the visibility and inclusion of the LGBT community in her work.

24. She was among the first class of inductees into the National Gay and Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame this year.

25. At 70, Billie Jean is still looking to do ‘one more big thing.’