Billie Jean King's Quotes

A champion is afraid of losing. Everyone else is afraid of winning.

Billie Jean King

In 1973, women got 59 cents on the dollar; now we are getting 74 cents on the dollar. In the area of finance and business, we are at 68 cents on the dollar.

Billie Jean King

When we reach the point where the women athletes are getting their pick of dates just as easily as the men athletes, then we've really and truly arrived. Parity at last!

Billie Jean King

Women get the attention when we get into the men's arena, and that's sad.

Billie Jean King

Sports are a microcosm of society.

Billie Jean King

I like entrepreneurial people; I like people who take risks.

Billie Jean King

Tennis is a perfect combination of violent action taking place in an atmosphere of total tranquillity.

Billie Jean King

Women's sports is still in its infancy. The beginning of women's sports in the United States started in 1972, with the passage of Title 9 for girls to finally get athletic scholarships.

Billie Jean King

I wanted to use sports for social change.

Billie Jean King

In the seventies we had to make it acceptable for people to accept girls and women as athletes. We had to make it okay for them to be active. Those were much scarier times for females in sports.

Billie Jean King

When they take surveys of women in business, of the Fortune 500, the successful women, 80% of them, say they were in sports as a young woman.

Billie Jean King

There is no life for girls in team sports past Little League. I got into tennis when I realized this, and because I thought golf would be too slow for me, and I was too scared to swim.

Billie Jean King

Sports teaches you character, it teaches you to play by the rules, it teaches you to know what it feels like to win and lose-it teaches you about life.

Billie Jean King