When Billie Jean King stepped onto the court at the Houston Astrodome in 1973, 50 million people were watching. It wasn't just a tennis match; it was a cultural explosion. Everyone remembers the glasses, the blue-and-white outfit, and the massive stakes of the "Battle of the Sexes." But what’s often overlooked is the specific tool she used to dismantle Bobby Riggs.
People always ask about the Billie Jean King racket because they want to know if there was some secret sauce in the tech. Honestly, the answer is both simpler and way more interesting than just "it was a piece of wood."
The Racket That Won the Battle of the Sexes
For that specific night in Houston, King didn't use some futuristic prototype. She used a Wilson Billie Jean King Autograph. It was a classic, high-end wooden racket. Specifically, it was part of Wilson’s "Strata-Bow" line.
These things were heavy. We’re talking about a frame that could weigh upwards of 13 or 14 ounces. If you picked one up today, you’d probably think it felt like a small club. But for King, it was about control. She was a serve-and-volley specialist. She needed a racket that wouldn't twist when she met a hard passing shot at the net.
The Autograph model featured a long handle pallet to reduce torque. Basically, it made the shaft stiffer and the head more flexible. This gave her that signature "touch" that allowed her to drop volleys right over the net while Riggs scrambled in the backcourt.
What was it made of?
- Frame: Laminated wood (mostly ash and maple).
- Strings: Natural gut (specifically, high-grade catgut).
- Grip: Perforated brown leather.
- Head Size: Roughly 65 to 69 square inches.
Contrast that with a modern racket. A modern Babolat or Wilson usually has a head size of 100 square inches. King was playing with a "sweet spot" about the size of a lemon. If you didn't hit it perfectly, the vibration would travel straight up your arm.
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The Short-Lived Metal Revolution
Here is something most people get totally wrong. They think the "Battle of the Sexes" racket was her only iconic gear. But King actually sparked a massive tech shift years earlier.
In 1967, she became the first person to win a Grand Slam with a metal racket. She used the Wilson T2000 at the U.S. Championships. This thing looked like a space-age banjo. It was made of stainless steel with a "tuning-fork" shaft.
It was radical. It was loud. It "whooshed" through the air.
But even though she won with it, she didn't stick with it forever. Why? Because metal rackets back then were wild. They offered incredible power, but they were a nightmare to string and lacked the precise feel of wood. Eventually, she went back to her familiar Wilson wood frames for the biggest matches of her career, including the Riggs match.
That Purple Racket from Brown's Sporting Goods
You can't talk about the Billie Jean King racket without mentioning where it all started. This is the "origin story" every tennis nerd loves.
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When she was 11, Billie Jean saved up $8.29. She earned it doing odd jobs and chores around the house. She walked into Brown’s Sporting Goods in California and bought a purple racket. She even had it re-strung with purple strings.
She reportedly loved that racket so much she slept with it next to her. That $8 investment eventually turned into 39 Grand Slam titles. It’s a reminder that while the gear matters, the obsession with the game matters more.
The Yonex Era and the Square Head
Later in her career, King did something that changed racket shapes forever. She signed with Yonex. At the time, the Japanese company was trying to break into the U.S. market.
Founder Minoru Yoneyama kept sending her rackets, and she kept sending them back. She was picky. She wanted more control and a bigger hitting area without the frame getting "floppy."
This back-and-forth led to the development of the "Isometric" square-headed racket. By squaring off the top of the frame, Yonex made the strings a uniform length. This effectively grew the sweet spot. If you look at a Yonex racket today, they still have that slightly boxy look. You can thank Billie Jean's perfectionism for that.
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Why You Can't Buy the "Riggs Racket"
If you're looking to buy the exact Billie Jean King racket she used in 1973, you'd better have a massive bank account.
In 2017, the racket she used to beat Riggs went up for auction at Bonhams. It sold for $125,000. For a long time, its whereabouts were a bit of a mystery. King had originally donated it to a charity auction for the Women's Sports Foundation back in the early 80s.
It’s now considered one of the most important pieces of sports memorabilia in history. It isn't just sports equipment; it's a symbol of the fight for Title IX and gender equality.
Actionable Insights for Players and Collectors
If you're a fan or a player looking to channel some of that BJK energy, here is what you should actually do:
- Don't play with a vintage wood racket if you have elbow issues. Seriously. They are beautiful to look at, but they have zero vibration dampening. If you want to try one for the "feel," keep the session under 15 minutes.
- Look for the "Autograph" on eBay. If you want a piece of history for your wall, search for "Wilson Billie Jean King Autograph." You can usually find them for $30 to $70. Look for frames that aren't warped—if the head looks like an egg pulled to one side, it's trash.
- Appreciate the "Small Head" training. If you want to improve your timing, try hitting with a smaller-headed racket (90-93 sq inches) during practice. It forces you to focus on the ball better, just like King had to with her 65 sq inch woodie.
- Check out the Wilson Heritage line. Wilson occasionally releases "throwback" aesthetics on modern frames. You get the 1970s look with 2026 carbon fiber technology. It's the best of both worlds.
The legacy of the Billie Jean King racket isn't about the wood or the steel. It's about the fact that she was never satisfied with "good enough." She pushed manufacturers to make better gear because she knew that every millimeter of the frame mattered when you were playing for the future of the sport.