Sports

Billie Jean King set to bring in history along with Legislative Gold Award

.Sep 17, 2024, 09:18 PM ETWASHINGTON-- Billie Jean Master will end up being the first individual ladies's professional athlete to be granted the Congressional Gold Medal.Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey revealed Tuesday that their bipartisan regulations had passed our home of Agents and would certainly be delivered to President Joe Biden for his signature.The bill to recognize Master, the ping pong Lobby of Famer as well as activist, had currently passed all in the Senate.Sherrill, a Democrat, said in a claim that Master's "life time of campaigning for and hard work transformed the garden for females and also girls on the court, in the classroom, and also the place of work." The bill was introduced in September 2023 on the 50th wedding anniversary of Master's success over Bobby Riggs in the "War of the Sexual activities," still the most-watched ping pong match of perpetuity. The medal, awarded by Congress for notable accomplishments as well as additions to society, has formerly been offered to professional athletes, consisting of baseball players Jackie Robinson and Roberto Clemente as well as golf enthusiasts Jack Nicklaus, Byron Nelson as well as Arnold Palmer.King had actually actually been rewarded the Governmental Medal of Flexibility in 2009. Fitzpatrick, a Republican, mentions she has "faulty barricades, led unexplored paths, and also inspired a great number of individuals to stand happily with guts and principle in the defend what corrects.".