Bobby Riggs
A tennis hustler who turned a carnival-style challenge match into a defining cultural moment for women's sports.
1918–1995 (age 77)·American tennis player·Birthday: February 25·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Bobby Riggs was a champion who never quite fit the country-club mold of tennis. He won Wimbledon in 1939, sweeping the singles, doubles, and mixed doubles titles, but his true legacy was forged decades later. After a successful pro career, he re-emerged in the 1970s as a self-proclaimed 'male chauvinist pig,' challenging the top women players to prove men's superiority. His 1973 'Battle of the Sexes' match against Billie Jean King became a national spectacle, watched by millions. Riggs's theatrical antics and King's decisive victory transformed the event from a stunt into a powerful symbol for the feminist movement and the legitimacy of women's athletics. He remained a complex figure, part showman and part skilled tactician, who accidentally helped change the game forever.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Bobby was born in 1918, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bobby Was Born
The biggest hits of 1918
Bobby's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1918Born
World War I ends; Spanish flu pandemic kills millions
President: Woodrow Wilson
1923Started school
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1931Became a teenager
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1934Could drive
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1936Could vote
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1939Turned 21
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1948Turned 30
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1958Turned 40
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1968Turned 50
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1978Turned 60
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 70
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1995Died at 77
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
Key Achievements
- Achieved a rare 'Triple Crown' at Wimbledon in 1939, winning the men's singles, doubles, and mixed doubles titles.
- Defeated the top male professional, Don Budge, in a 1946 head-to-head tour to claim the professional world number one ranking.
- Forced a national conversation on gender equality in sports through the 1973 'Battle of the Sexes' match against Billie Jean King.
- Won the U.S. National Championships (the precursor to the U.S. Open) in both 1939 and 1941.
Did You Know?
He was a notorious gambler and hustler, often placing bets on himself in matches where he deliberately lost the first two sets.
Riggs served as a physical education instructor for the U.S. Navy during World War II.
He claimed to have won over $100,000 in a single day by betting on himself in various matches and side-bets during his 1939 Wimbledon run.
His famous match against Billie Jean King was played on September 20, 1973, at the Houston Astrodome before a record tennis crowd of over 30,000 spectators.
“The best way to insure a win is to bet on yourself.”
