Billie Jean King is still making headlines at 81. Today, she became the third recipient of a star in the new Sports Entertainment section of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This new category didn’t exist before 2023. Until then, the Walk of Fame was strictly for stars of stage and screen. But things changed when the Sports Entertainment section was added. Michael Strahan and Carl Weathers got there first, but now it’s Billie Jean’s turn — and it fits. After all, who better than BJK, the woman who revolutionized the sport? But that’s not the only reason April 8 is special for her.

The American stalwart, at the age of 11, saved up $8 of her own money to buy her very first tennis racket in 1955. That may not sound like much today, but it’s the equivalent of $92.40 in 2024. She, along with a school friend, took their first tennis lesson on one of the many free public courts in Long Beach. They attended free coaching sessions by Clyde Walker, a pro who worked for the City of Long Beach. That was the beginning of everything. Athleticism was in BJK’s DNA.

Her mother, Betty, was a swimmer. Her dad, Bill Moffitt, played basketball, baseball, and ran track. Her younger brother, Randy Moffitt, also turned pro — he pitched in Major League Baseball for 12 years, playing for the San Francisco Giants, Houston Astros, and Toronto Blue Jays. The sports gene clearly ran through the family.

And today, on this big day for Billie Jean, when she’s been honored on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, it’s also her father’s birthday. She took a moment to honor him with a heartfelt post on X. “My dad was an athlete, a hard-working firefighter, and a ‘girl dad’ long before the term was coined. He was also my life coach, along with my wonderful mother. Today is his birthday. Happy birthday, Dad. I miss you and love you,” she wrote.

The 81-year-old has talked about her father before, too. In a 2020 interview with the LA Times, BJK opened up about her childhood and her parents. She said, “They supported us but never pushed us to be sports stars. They concentrated more on being life coaches. Even my ultra-competitive father, who was a terrific athlete, never cared if we won or lost our games. ‘Did you try your best and have fun?’ he’d ask, same as my mother did.”

The 12-time Grand Slam champion further added, “I was grateful that my parents resisted setting limits on me, which is different from saying that my upbringing was always progressive. My mom and dad were strict and conservative in many ways, but they also told my brother and me we could be anything we wanted to be.” Then she added, “My parents always treated Randy and me equally, which was unusual for many families then.”

No wonder she became a voice for equality. It was part of her story right from the start. So how did that journey begin?

When Billie Jean King first experienced gender inequality

It all started in 1955 when Billie Jean first faced gender inequality for the first time during a tournament at the Los Angeles Tennis Club. She was barred from a group photo of junior players — not because of her game, but because she wore tennis shorts instead of the traditional skirt. That moment opened her eyes. It wasn’t just about dress codes — it was about something bigger. From that point on, she never stopped.

By 1967, BJK had already reached world No.1 in both singles and doubles. But she didn’t just want to be the best — she wanted to make things better. In 1973, she helped secure equal prize money for women at the US Open. Earlier that same year, she was one of the key players behind the creation of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA).

And she hasn’t slowed down in the 50 years since. King has continued to raise her voice — not just for gender equality in tennis but for social change across the board. She’s greatness personified, isn’t she?