Cal State LA Celebrates Billie Jean King, Unveils Statue of Hall of Famer

By Tennis Now | @Tennis_Now | Saturday, October 5, 2024
Photo credits: J. Emilio Flores/Cal State LA

Billie Jean King is a social rights warrior and Hall of Fame champion.

Now, King is a monumental figure on campus.

More: WADA Appeals Sinner’s Doping Case, Seeks Ban for World No. 1

Cal State LA honored beloved alumna Billie Jean King with the unveiling of a statue on the grassy area outside of the Physical Education Building at the Billie Jean King Sports Complex last week.

One of the greatest tennis players of all time, King’s influence extended beyond athletics as she bravely used her voice to advocate for gender equality, LGBTQIA+ rights, and other social justice issues. King, her wife Ilana Kloss, and their good friend and fellow former pro Rosie Casals are among the most ardent supporters of Golden Eagles athletics.

“I’m so honored,” King said. “This statue on our campus will connect us forever. It reminds me that our legacy is not what is important. Your legacy is what other people say about you, but our contributions to our communities is what will define us forever.”

The bronze statue by renowned sculptor Brian Hanlon honors King’s numerous contributions to Cal State LA and serves as inspiration to the campus community. It was made possible through generous donations by Kloss, George and Kathy Hicker, and John Chapple.

The event drew a crowd of about 500, which included California State University Chancellor Mildred García, CSU Board of Trustees Chair Jack B. Clarke Jr., CSU Trustee Wenda Fong, and Assemblywoman and Cal State LA alumna Wendy Carrillo.

King ended her address to the crowd with personal news that drew some of the event’s loudest cheers.

“When I left this campus in 1964 to become the No. 1 tennis player in the world, I was not able to complete my degree,” she said. “I am happy to announce that I will be re-enrolling in Cal State LA to finish my degree. It’s never too late!”

King attended Cal State LA from 1961 to ’64 but left to concentrate on her tennis career. She won her first Wimbledon women’s double titles while still a student at the university. King’s career highlights include 12 Grand Slam singles championships (including five Wimbledon and four U.S. titles), 16 women’s doubles and 11 in mixed doubles. King was ranked No. 1 in six of 10 year-end polls from 1966 through 1975.

“The value of a good education has always been important to me, and I learned a great deal while I was on this campus,” King said. “At that time, my focus was really to be the greatest player in the world, No. 1 in the world, and to change our sport—from amateur to professional. We used to get $14 a day. That had to end. So, I left Cal State LA and went on a journey to make my sport better, to make a difference in the life of others. Tennis was my platform.”

She then turned toward the student-athletes and said, “That’s another thing—you have a platform that very few people have. So, use it to make this world a better place.”

King used her standing as one of the most recognized athletes of the 1960s and ’70s to campaign tirelessly for parity for women in sports, and in 1972 testified in front of Congress on behalf of Title IX prior to its passage.

In 1973, King scored a victory for women’s equality when she outdueled Bobby Riggs in the “Battle of the Sexes” exhibition, which was watched live by 50 million TV viewers. In retelling the story to Cal State LA student-athletes prior to the statue unveiling, King said her defeat of Riggs went beyond sports, and that fans—both women and men—have continually told her that it inspired them to achieve their goals.

“Billie Jean King is the embodiment of our traditions of success and activism,” said Cal State LA President Berenecea Johnson Eanes.

“We should all be so lucky,” said CSU Chancellor García, “to be considered a hero, a shero, and a champion, even if only in a small way to just one other human being. Imagine how exceedingly rare it is to be this hero/shero and a champion to millions across multiple domains. That is Billie Jean King.”

During the university’s 50th anniversary celebration in 1997, Cal State LA and the CSU bestowed King an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters in recognition of her athletic achievements and the distinction those accomplishments brought to her alma mater.

King is also the recipient of the United States’ two highest civilian awards. In 2009, President Barack Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and just last week she became the first individual female athlete to receive the Congressional Gold Medal.

King has hosted for 20 years the Billie Jean King & Friends event at Cal State LA, which has raised more than $4.5 million for athletic scholarships.

“She embodies so many of Cal State LA’s and the CSU’s core values,” Garcia said, “and she wonderfully demonstrates the courage to stand boldly for those values—even in the face of criticism and adversity. What’s more, she has opened the door of opportunity for many, helping to raise millions of dollars in scholarships here at this great institution, Cal State LA, her alma mater.”