California State University LA honored tennis great Billie Jean King with the unveiling of a statue on its campus late last week.
King, who attended Cal State LA from 1961 to 1964 but never graduated, was lauded for her work both on and off the court, in advancing gender equality, LGBTQIA+ rights, and other social justice issues.
“I’m so honored,” King said, speaking before a crowd of about 500 people. “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 was created by sculptor Brian Hanlon.
“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 won her first Wimbledon women’s double titles while still a student at the university. Her 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.”
#Cal #State #Honors #Billie #Jean #King
