On September 20, 1973, the highly publicized "Battle of the Sexes" match was scheduled to take place at the Houston Astrodome: Bobby Riggs vs. Billie Jean King. According to History, roughly 90 million people worldwide were watching the match on TV. As reported by CNN, after Margaret Court's fall to Riggs back in May, King was anxious and determined to beat Riggs in this match: "I thought it would set us back 50 years if I didn't win that match. It would ruin the women's tour and affect the self-esteem of all women."
Between the excessive media hype and Bobby Riggs in full force, the Battle of the Sexes match was a theatrical, almost cartoonish event. According to Sports Illustrated, for their entrances, King was carried into the Astrodome by shirtless men Cleopatra-style on a gold litter while Riggs was pulled out in a rickshaw by attractive female models. Riggs then handed King a Sugar Daddy caramel "sucker" (his sponsor), while King, in turn, presented Riggs with a live pig.
King showed no mercy, and Riggs faltered. She beat him handily, with scores of 6-4, 6-3, and 6-3. King's victory in the Battle of the Sexes helped command far more respect and equality not just for women in sports but for women everywhere. Right after the match ended, as reported by Time, Riggs himself went to congratulate King, saying, "I really underestimated you."
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