Larry King (tennis)
Larry King | |
|---|---|
| Born | Lawrence King January 30, 1945 Dayton, Ohio, U.S. |
| Occupation | Attorney |
| Known for | Founder of World Team Tennis |
| Spouse(s) | Billie Jean King (m. 1965–1987, divorced) Nancy King |
| Children | Sky King Katie King |
Lawrence "Larry" King (born January 30, 1945) is an attorney, a real estate broker, one of the founders of World Team Tennis, and the former husband of tennis star Billie Jean King.
Early life
King was born in Dayton, Ohio, and raised in Eagle Rock, California.
Personal life
He met Billie Jean Moffitt at California State University, Los Angeles, where he played on one of their best men's tennis teams, coached by Scotty Deeds. He married Billie Jean Moffitt on September 17, 1965 in Long Beach, California.[1] In 1971; Larry King conceived the idea of a professional tennis tour for women and helped organize a group of eight top women players: Billie Jean King, Rosie Casals, Judy Dalton, Julie Heldman, Kerry Melville, Kristy Pigeon, Nancy Richey, and Valerie Ziegenfuss. Then with the backing of Gladys Heldman of World Tennis and Joe Cullman of Philip Morris, the Virginia Slims pro circuit was started. In 1973 King, along with Dennis Murphy, Jordan Kaiser and Fred Barman, developed the concept of World Team Tennis, and started the league the following year.[2] Also in 1971, Billie had an abortion that was made public in a Ms. magazine article.[3] Larry had revealed Billie Jean's abortion without consulting her.[3] In 1976, King invented a smokeless ashtray, called The Clean Air King. Billie Jean became the major owner of World Team Tennis in 1984. Larry and Billie Jean King divorced in 1987.
When Larry and Billie Jean lived in San Mateo, California they became close personal friends with Charles Schulz, creator of cartoon Peanuts, along with his wife, Jean.
King and Murphy were also founders of Roller Hockey International, a professional hockey league that operated from 1993 to 1999.[4] Murphy had also been instrumental in the founding of the American Basketball Association and the World Hockey Association.
King is an avid duplicate bridge player. He was the founder of Bridge University to promote bridge throughout the country. Now he is working to establish playing duplicate bridge for prize money.
King lives in Grass Valley, California, with his wife, Nancy, and two children, Sky and Katie.
Notes
- ^ "Billie Jean King of Her Family", Long Beach Press-Telegram, November 23, 1965, page C-4
- ^ Collins, Bud "A Look at the History of World Team Tennis", World Tennis magazine, July 24, 2010, accessed June 24, 2011.
- ^ a b Stanley, Allessandra (April 26, 2006). "The Legacy of Billie Jean King, an Athlete Who Demanded Equal Play". The New York Times. Retrieved February 1, 2014.
- ^ Robb, Sharon "It Looks Like Hockey — but On Wheels", South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., June 5, 1993, accessed June 24, 2011.