Jerry was so sure the tournament was going to be a financial disaster that he declined to be paid — instead he took a third ownership of the tournament, which is why I now have a house in Laguna.
The prize money for the BMC Women’ Pro Championships, Jan. 6 to 9, 1971, in San Francisco was $15,000, with $4,200 to go to the winner, the biggest purse ever for a women’s tournament to that date. Just eight years later, prize money for single tournament was $100,000. Now that’s barely the winner’s share in some tournaments.
You’ve come a long way baby.
Eventually Billie persuaded Jerry to head up the Women’s Tennis Assn., a relationship that was productive, but volatile — with battles royal that left everyone around them exhausted as they walked away arm-in-arm to get a rum raisin ice cream cone.
“We both thrived on pressure,” she said.
At one point, Billie, Larry and Jerry were my bosses. I was the editor of “Inside Women’s Tennis,” the official publication of the WTA. The Kings were the publishers. I was loathe to use a byline because of the conflicts of interest. Billie blew her stack.
“You do it, you get credit,” she said.
Among her credits:
In 1990, Life Magazine named her one of the 100 Most Important Americans of the 20th Century.
She received the Gerald R. Ford Award in 2008 in recognition of her contributions to higher education and intercollegiate athletics in 2009.
In 2006, the National Tennis Center, home of the U.S. Open was renamed for her, to honor her contributions to tennis, sports in general and society.
She said her thoughts at that time are similar to the ones she has now on the eve of being presented with the Medal of Freedom.
“I am so thankful for everyone in my life: I had great parents; I grew up in Long Beach where I got free tennis lessons; I’ve had great instructors; Larry, Jerry, Gladys, Ilana — all the other people who are part of this medal,” Billie said.
Looking back on her life, she said, “I just got lucky, lucky, lucky.”
Some of fellow medal recipients are her heroes.
“To be in the company of people like Steven Hawking, Desmond Tutu, Nancy Brinker is unbelievable,” Billie said.
The records on and off the court prove she belongs there.
Barbara Diamond is a columnist for the Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot. She can be reached at Barbara Diamond, P.O. Box 248, Laguna Beach, 92652; call (949) 380-4321 or e-mail coastlinepilot@latimes.com.
