Original 9 trailblazers stood for tennis equality in 1970
Associated Press
1 / 18
In this Sept. 23, 1970, photo provided the Houston Library, tennis players hold up $1 bills after signing a contract with World Tennis magazine publisher Gladys Heldman to turn pro and start the Virginia Slims tennis circuit. From left standing are: Valerie Ziegenfuss, Billie Jean King, Nancy Richey and Peaches Bartkowicz. From left seated are: Judy Tegart Dalton, Kerry Melville Reid, Rosie Casals, Gladys Heldman and Kristy Pigeon. Gladys Heldman replaced her daughter, Julie Heldman, who was injured and unable to pose for the 1970 photo. Its the 50th anniversary of Billie Jean King and eight other women breaking away from the tennis establishment in 1970 and signing a $1 contract to form the Virginia Slims circuit. That led to the WTA Tour, which offers millions in prize money. (Bela Ugrin/Courtesy Houston Library via AP)FILE - In this Dec. 9, 1979, file photo, Gladys Madalie Heldman stands on a tennis court in Houston. Tennis promoter Heldman and Philip Morris helped the Original 9 women form the Virginia Slims circuit in September 1970. (AP Photo/EFK, File)FILE - In this April 7, 2012, file photo, Kristy Pigeon, a member of the original nine women who helped start the women's professional tennis tour, is honored at the Family Circle Cup tennis tournament in Charleston, S.C. Its the 50th anniversary of Billie Jean King and eight other women breaking away from the tennis establishment in 1970 and signing a $1 contract to form the Virginia Slims circuit. That led to the WTA Tour, which offers millions in prize money. (AP Photo/Mic Smith, File)FILE - In this April 7, 2012, file photo, Valerie Ziegenfuss, one of the original nine women who helped start the women's professional tennis tour, is honored at the Family Circle Cup tennis tournament in Charleston, S.C. Its the 50th anniversary of Billie Jean King and eight other women breaking away from the tennis establishment in 1970 and signing a $1 contract to form the Virginia Slims circuit. That led to the WTA Tour, which offers millions in prize money. (AP Photo/Mic Smith, File)FILE - In this April 7, 2012, file photo, Jane "Peaches" Bartkowicz, one of the original nine women who helped start the women's professional tennis tour, is honored at the Family Circle Cup tennis tournament in Charleston, S.C. Its the 50th anniversary of Billie Jean King and eight other women breaking away from the tennis establishment in 1970 and signing a $1 contract to form the Virginia Slims circuit. That led to the WTA Tour, which offers millions in prize money. (AP Photo/Mic Smith, File)FILE - In this April 7, 2012, file photo, Rosie Casales, a member of the original nine women who helped start the women's professional tennis tour, are honored at the Family Circle Cup tennis tournament in Charleston, S.C. Its the 50th anniversary of Billie Jean King and eight other women breaking away from the tennis establishment in 1970 and signing a $1 contract to form the Virginia Slims circuit. That led to the WTA Tour, which offers millions in prize money. (AP Photo/Mic Smith, File)FILE - In this April 7, 2012, file photo, Kerry Melville Reid, a member of the original nine women who helped start the women's professional tennis tour, is honored at the Family Circle Cup tennis tournament in Charleston, S.C. Its the 50th anniversary of Billie Jean King and eight other women breaking away from the tennis establishment in 1970 and signing a $1 contract to form the Virginia Slims circuit. That led to the WTA Tour, which offers millions in prize money. (AP Photo/Mic Smith, File)FILE - In this April 7, 2012, file photo, Julie Heldman, a member of the original nine women who helped start the women's professional tennis tour, is honored at the Family Circle Cup tennis tournament in Charleston, S.C. Its the 50th anniversary of Billie Jean King and eight other women breaking away from the tennis establishment in 1970 and signing a $1 contract to form the Virginia Slims circuit. That led to the WTA Tour, which offers millions in prize money. (AP Photo/Mic Smith, File)FILE - In this April 7, 2012, file photo, Nancy Richey, a member of the original nine women who helped start the women's professional tennis tour, is honored at the Family Circle Cup tennis tournament in Charleston, S.C. Its the 50th anniversary of Billie Jean King and eight other women breaking away from the tennis establishment in 1970 and signing a $1 contract to form the Virginia Slims circuit. That led to the WTA Tour, which offers millions in prize money. (AP Photo/Mic Smith, File)FILE - In this April 7, 2012, file photo, Judy Tegart Dalton, a member of the original nine women who helped start the women's professional tennis tour, are honored at the Family Circle Cup tennis tournament in Charleston, S.C. Its the 50th anniversary of Billie Jean King and eight other women breaking away from the tennis establishment in 1970 and signing a $1 contract to form the Virginia Slims circuit. That led to the WTA Tour, which offers millions in prize money. (AP Photo/Mic Smith, File)This April 6, 2012, photo provided by Charleston Tennis LLC shows the Original 9 players re-enacting their pose when they signed $1 contracts to become pros in 1970, at the Family Circle tennis tournament in Charleston, S.C. From left standing are: Valerie Ziegenfuss, Billie Jean King, Nancy Richey and Peaches Bartkowicz. From left seated are: Judy Tegart Dalton, Kerry Melville Reid, Rosie Casals, Julie Heldman and Kristy Pigeon. Its the 50th anniversary of Billie Jean King and eight other women breaking away from the tennis establishment in 1970 and signing a $1 contract to form the Virginia Slims circuit. That led to the WTA Tour, which offers millions in prize money. (Chris Smith/Courtesy Charleston Tennis LLC via AP)FILE - In this April 7, 2012, file photo, members of the original nine women, from left to right, Billie Jean King, Peaches Bartkowicz, Kristy Pigeon, Valerie Ziegenfuss, Judy Tegart Dalton, Julie Heldman, Kerry Melville Reid, Nancy Richey and Rosie Casals, who helped start the women's professional tennis tour are honored at the Family Circle Cup tennis tournament in Charleston, S.C. The nine signed a dollar contract 50 years ago, and it turned into millions for female tennis players. They were tired of being squeezed out of events by promoters and paid 10 times less than men. (AP Photo/Mic Smith, File)Billie Jean King waves to the crowd during the dedication ceremony for the USTA National Tennis Center re-named in her honor at the US Open tennis tournament in New York, Monday, Aug. 28, 2006. Its the 50th anniversary of Billie Jean King and eight other women breaking away from the tennis establishment in 1970 and signing a $1 contract to form the Virginia Slims circuit. That led to the WTA Tour, which offers millions in prize money. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)FILE - In this March 17, 1977, file photo, Rosie Casals of Sausalito, Calif., catches up with the ball for a backhand return during her match with Mary Hamm at the Virginia Slims tournament in Philadelphia. Casals won, 6-2, 6-4. Its the 50th anniversary of Billie Jean King and eight other women breaking away from the tennis establishment in 1970 and signing a $1 contract to form the Virginia Slims circuit. That led to the WTA Tour, which offers millions in prize money. Casals was one of then nine. (AP Photo/Rusty Kennedy, File)FILE - In this July 21, 1963, file photo, Nancy Richey poses with her trophy after winning the women's singles title of the National Clay Court tennis championships in River Forest, Ill. Its the 50th anniversary of Billie Jean King and eight other women breaking away from the tennis establishment in 1970 and signing a $1 contract to form the Virginia Slims circuit. That led to the WTA Tour, which offers millions in prize money. Richey was one of the nine. (AP Photo/LO, File)FILE - In this June 28, 1973, file photo, Australia's Kerry Melville makes a return against Ilana Kloss, of South Africa, during a match at Wimbledon. Its the 50th anniversary of Billie Jean King and eight other women breaking away from the tennis establishment in 1970 and signing a $1 contract to form the Virginia Slims circuit. That led to the WTA Tour, which offers millions in prize money. Melville was one of the nine. (AP Photo/Bob Dear, File)USA's Billie Jean King, left, winner, and Australia's Judy Tegart, shake hands at the end of the women's tennis final at Wimbledon, in July 1968. Its the 50th anniversary of Billie Jean King and eight other women breaking away from the tennis establishment in 1970 and signing a $1 contract to form the Virginia Slims circuit. That led to the WTA Tour, which offers millions in prize money. (AP Photo/Robert Dear)FILE - In this April 25, 1969, file photo, Julie Heldman, of Los Angeles, Calif., competes against second-seeded Lesley Turner Bowrey, of Australia, in the Rome International Open Tennis Tournament in Rome. Heldman and eight other women risked their tennis careers 50 years ago when they signed $1 contracts to launch a new women's circuit. (AP Photo/Claudio Luffoli, File)
In this Sept. 23, 1970, photo provided the Houston Library, tennis players hold up $1 bills after signing a contract with World Tennis magazine publisher Gladys Heldman to turn pro and start the Virginia Slims tennis circuit. From left standing are: Valerie Ziegenfuss, Billie Jean King, Nancy Richey and Peaches Bartkowicz. From left seated are: Judy Tegart Dalton, Kerry Melville Reid, Rosie Casals, Gladys Heldman and Kristy Pigeon. Gladys Heldman replaced her daughter, Julie Heldman, who was injured and unable to pose for the 1970 photo. Its the 50th anniversary of Billie Jean King and eight other women breaking away from the tennis establishment in 1970 and signing a $1 contract to form the Virginia Slims circuit. That led to the WTA Tour, which offers millions in prize money. (Bela Ugrin/Courtesy Houston Library via AP)
