Getty Images

Sometimes, societal change comes in the aftermath of powerful street protests. Other times, it comes accompanied by horns, dancers, and outrageous costumes in a spectacle worthy of an end-of-times bonanza. The latter illustrates the simultaneously real and surreal 1973 matchup known as the “Battle of the Sexes” between tennis Hall of Famers Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs .

September 20 marks the 50 th anniversary of the now-famous 1973 match, which took place just one year prior to the passage of Title IX that established new opportunities for female college athletes. But at the time, women’s sports were still generally treated as a novelty. It was largely through the efforts of King, who spearheaded the formation of a new tour and threatened to boycott tournaments

See Full Page