Reimagine the Astrodome
The King of Texas On Thursday night September 20, 1973, Billie Jean King rode into the Astrodome like Cleopatra on a crimson-draped litter before a crowd of 30,472, for a $100,000 winner take all tennis match against Bobby Riggs. She rode out the King of Texas. Sports are a microcosm of society. Three years earlier on September 23, 1970, women’s professional tennis was born in Houston when nine players, called the Original 9 and led by Billie Jean King, signed symbolic $1 contracts. Howard Cosell wore a tuxedo to announce the ABC broadcast of “Battle of the Sexes”, live from the Astrodome on September 20, 1973. One of Cosell’s favorite sayings was, “What is popular isn’t always right, and what is right isn’t always popular”. Billie Jean King epitomized Cosell’s aphorism by demonstrating women’s equality to a worldwide television audience of approximately 90 million people in 37 countries. ( a larger audience than both the 1973 & 1974 Super Bowls. ) During the time-span of this competition, a very unique anniversary for the Astrodome (09.20.2013) passed without being adequately celebrated. This project physically represents the 40th anniversary of September 20, 1973 as a pivotal moment in earning respect and awareness for gender equality as a universal freedom. In other words, the most historically noteworthy event that ever took place in the Astrodome was a battle, a “Battle of the Sexes”. Billie Jean King and the Original 9 used tennis as a platform for social change. The Original 9 set a path for others, which can be described as celestial, therefore, the Astrodome site will now symbolically represent their return to the city of Houston. During the same year as the “Battle of the Sexes” in the Astrodome, the U.S. Open become the first grand slam tennis event to offer equal prize money to both woman & men players. Two counter-intuitive elements are used to Reimagine the Astrodome. 1. Tennis = Billie Jean King’s role in the “Battle of the Sexes” 2. Gender Equality = the Original 9 who signed $1 contracts
The Original 9, September 20, 1970 - Houston, Texas Clockwise from top left: Valerie Ziegenfuss, Billie Jean King, Nancy Richey, Peaches Bartkowicz, Kristy Pigeon, Gladys Heldman, Rosie Casals, Kerry Melville Reid and Judy Tegart Dalton.
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