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SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL PORTFOLIO GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY The Original 9 hold a dollar rep- resenting new contracts in 1970. A DOLLAR Only Nancy RIchey is facing pho- CASH ADVANCE: WOMEN’S TENNIS PIONEERS tographer Bela Ugrin, who actu- STILL MAKES ally took the famous money shot. JANE “PEACHES” BARTKOWICZ ROSIE CASALS JUDY DALTON A DIFFERENCE n AGE: 71 n AGE: 71 n AGE: 82 inal 9’s plans to gather in person n HOMETOWN: Hamtramck, Michigan n HOMETOWN: San Francisco n HOMETOWN: Melbourne, Australia n n n WOMEN’S PROFESSION- this year were dashed. But they BIO: Bartkowicz was a dominant BIO: Inducted into the International BIO: Dalton was the oldest member juniors player but Tennis Hall of of the Original 9 AL tennis as we know it will still be celebrated across the her pro career was Fame in 1996, and a highly suc- today began when the world for the leap they took that short; she retired the self-declared cessful doubles Original 9 players helped make it possible for the at age 21 a year “rebel” won seven player. She won signed $1 contracts tennis players on Forbes’ 2020 after the Original majors doubles doubles titles in all with Gladys Heldman in best-paid women athletes list to 9 tournament in titles alongside four Grand Slams September 1970 to earn a combined $130.4 million Houston, in part her close friend, and even after found a new circuit. In because of her King. Casals won retirement contin- this past year. It’s not just a story honor of the Original 9’s aversion to the 112 pro doubles ued to promote 50th anniversary, WTA of social advancement, but also promotional work championships women’s tennis of tremendous business success. required to help overall, second as president of Charities continues to Here is their story, told in their launch the fledg- all-time only to the Australian Fed carry out the women’s own words and the words of oth- ling Virginia Slims Circuit. Bartkowicz Martina Navratilova, and was an accom- Cup Foundation. legacy by making a ers who were with them. helped pioneer the two-handed back- plished singles player, too. difference and giving hand shot. back to communities THE OPEN ERA around the world Beginning in 1968, pros and JULIE HELDMAN BILLIE JEAN KING KRISTY PIGEON through values of n n n progress and empower- amateurs were allowed to play AGE: 74 AGE: 76 AGE: 70 n HOMETOWN: Berkeley, California n HOMETOWN: Long Beach, California n HOMETOWN: Danville, California ment. the same tournaments, and n BIO: Gladys Heldman’s daughter, she n BIO: Famous for her on-court suc- n BIO: Pigeon was one of the younger Though the pandem- prize money, formerly paid was a talented pro cess — she won members of the ic has ruled out an under the table, became an offi- player, reaching 39 singles and Original 9 in Sep- in-person celebration of cial part of the game. a No. 5 ranking doubles major tember 1970, play- the nine women this n twice. Heldman titles, including a ing professionally DONALD DELL, tennis orga- year, the WTA will nizer and agent: It was very little was a late addition record 20 Wimble- part of the year, to the momentous don titles, and then attending launch a special 2020 prize money, first year or two, and Virginia Slims of became the first college the other celebration of the group the women were even worse be- Houston tourna- woman athlete to part. Pigeon was through several cause they were getting much less ment after real- earn $100,000 in close with Original initiatives, including a than the men. It was like one- izing she didn’t a season — and 9 organizer Gladys special acknowledg- tenth. want to miss out promotion of the Heldman. Pigeon ment during the U.S. n JULIE HELDMAN, Original 9 on contributing sport and social played profession- Open women’s member and daughter of orga- to sports history, despite an elbow injury. justice cause, King helped found the WTA ally until 1975, and later started a ranch semifinals on Sept. 10, a Heldman later became a lawyer and and World TeamTennis, is an Interna- for therapeutic horseback riding in Idaho. nizer Gladys Heldman: Systemic misogyny began to take televised 11-part series author, writing a book about her life, her tional Tennis Hall of Fame inductee and a with broadcast partner over and by 1970, which was only two years into Open ten- mother and her Original 9 experience. Presidential Medal of Honor recipient. nis, there were virtually no tournaments for women who Tennis Channel beginning on Sept. 13, wanted to make money. KERRY MELVILLE REID NANCY RICHEY VALERIE ZIEGENFUSS and a variety of n BILLIE JEAN KING, Original 9 member: Larry [King, her n AGE: 73 n AGE: 78 n AGE: 71 dedicated stories found former husband] says, “If you go pro, the men will get rid n HOMETOWN: Mosman, Australia n HOMETOWN: San Angelo, Texas n HOMETOWN: San Diego of you.” And I said, “No they won’t, they’re my friends.” n BIO: Reid won 26 titles, including the n BIO: An International Tennis Hall of n BIO: Ziegenfuss won six titles as a on WTAtennis.com and The Original 1977 Australian Fame inductee, doubles player, as the WTA’s social He goes, “Billie, I am telling you the men will think you channels via #Original9. Undervalued and underpaid, nine don’t deserve it. And the old boy network will prevail be- Open singles Richey reached well as a bronze crown and the No. 2 in the world medal in the 1968 The celebration will cause they own everything. They run everything.” And he 1968 Wimbledon in 1969 and won Summer Olym- also spotlight a virtual daring tennis players turned pro was right. And I was totally wrong. and 1978 Austra- 69 singles titles in pics in Mexico celebrity reunion event n JANE “PEACHES” BARTKOWICZ, Original 9 member (as 50 years ago, changing the course lian Open doubles her two-decade City with doubles with the Original 9 on told to WTAtennis.com): The cost of traveling to events was titles, during a career. She won partner, and fel- Sept. 23 in honor of its of women in sports forever. successful pro Australian Open low Original 9 a real issue. I remember going to Europe, winning the first “A Dollar Makes A tennis career in and French Open member, Jane six tournaments I played — and actually losing money. Difference” fundraising BY BRET MCCORMICK n JULIE HELDMAN: By the time it came to August 1970 and the which she was a singles champi- “Peaches’’ Bartko- top-10 regular. onships and four wicz. Ziegenfuss campaign with the Billie U.S. Open, there had been weeks where there were no tournaments Queen Elizabeth II majors doubles still lives in her Jean King Leadership In the annual list of top-paid female ath- with 10th contributor Gladys Heldman, their to play, and everybody was very worried and upset. Billie Jean and made Reid a Member of the Order of the titles, while playing around the same time hometown of San Diego and has an ac- Initiative. — B.M. letes in the world, women’s tennis players shrewd and savvy organizer. Rosie [Casals] were trying to get a boycott going to stop the women British Empire (MBE) in 1979. as her equally talented brother, Cliff. tive career in real estate. have dominated the rankings since 2010. Some were rebels and feminists. All were from playing in Los Angeles where this terrifically famous pro- Eighty-four percent of the spots on the driven by an oppressive, male-dominated moter [Jack Kramer] decided they would only have enough prize Forbes-produced list during the past decade tennis establishment to take a potentially money for the men. … It was symbolic that one of the oldest tourna- have gone to 22 women’s tennis stars, and career-ending chance by turning pro on ments around turned on us, and one of the guys who could have CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14 nis players beginning in 1970. ly energetic, very accomplished as a promoter, had the top earner each year was a tennis play- Sept. 23, 1970, in Houston. They signed Hel- helped, turned on us: the Pacific Southwest and Jack Kramer. The rest of the time they were window-dressing. n PAUL PEARCE, former executive director of the the biggest Rolodex in tennis, focused on her mag- er. Only one other ball sport had an athlete dman’s symbolic $1 contracts, a move that n VALERIE ZIEGENFUSS, Original 9 member: That was my back- n NANCY RICHEY, Original 9 member (as told to Houston Tennis Association: I was sitting in my office azine, and had this steel backbone and was able to make the list in that span, American soccer established the first women’s professional yard in Southern California. I loved that tournament. I upset Bil- WTAtennis.com): We were so discriminated against one day, phone rang, and it was Gladys Heldman. She move mountains. But at the same time, part of that player Alex Morgan. tennis tournament. Within three years, that lie Jean in 1964. I had done well in the Pacific Southwest, but, you — I was at the point where I didn’t care if I never asked “Paul, do you think you can raise $5,000 for a complex character was, that she could in a number Today’s top-paid female athletes can thank initial event had morphed into the Women’s know, I didn’t want to support that event anymore.