>>> WE'RE BACK ON WEDNESDAY MORNING, TAKE YOU BACK 1973.
90 MILLION VIEWERS TUNED IN TO SEE THE LEGENDARY BATTLE OF THE
SEXES BETWEEN TENNIS LEGENDS BILLIE JEAN KING AND BOBBY RIGS.
>> AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, BILLIE JEAN WON, A VICTORY NOT JUST FOR
HER, BUT WOMEN EVERYWHERE. NOW THE STORY IS HEADING TO THE
BIG SCREEN. BILLIE JEAN KING IS HERE,
GEEKING OUT TO BE IN YOUR PRESENCE.
>> GEEKS RULE. >> BILLIE JEAN, WHAT DID YOU
THINK WHEN YOU LEARNED THEY WERE GOING TO MAKE A MOVIE.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE MATCH, IT'S ABOUT MORE THAN THAT --
>> MORE THAN THAT. IT'S PERSONAL.
IT'S DEEP, IT'S DEEP, BUT IT'S FUNNY TOO.
IT HAS FUNNY MOMENTS, VERY TENSE MOMENTS.
BUT, THE BATTLE OF THE SEXES, REALLY CAUGHT THE ESSENCE AND
EMMA STONE, OF COURSE -- DO I NEED TO SAY ANYTHING ELSE.
EMMA STONE IS GOING TO PLAY YOU. WHAT?
IT'S LIKE SO EXCITED. SO, THIS IS THE ANNIVERSARY
TODAY. I PLAYED, I PLAYED EXACTLY
SEPTEMBER 20th, 1973. SO THIS IS LIKE A 44th
ANNIVERSARY. >> WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS
MATCH IN A COMMERCIAL BREAK THE OTHER HER DAY, AND ONE OF THE
YOUNGER MEMBERS OF OUR TEAM HERE, DYLAN, SAID -- SHE SAID,
WAS IT A HUGE DEAL BACK THEN? >> OH WOW.
>> FOR PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T LIVE THROUGH, THEY MAY BE CAN'T
UNDERSTAND HOW CAPTIVATING THIS WAS.
>> NO, THEY CAN'T. IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE.
IT WAS SO EMOTIONAL. TITLE IX HAD JUST BEEN PASSED
THE YEAR BEFORE, WHICH WAS VERY IMPORTANT PIECE OF LEGISLATION.
BECAUSE BEFORE THAT, WHEN FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS DB THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WOULD GIVE MONEY TO THE HIGH SCHOOLS OR
COLLEGES OR -- PRIVATE OR PUBLIC, DIDN'T MATTER, IT'S LIKE
THEY HAD TO DO IT EQUALLY FOR THE FIRST TIME.
THAT IS THE ESSENCE. THEY HAD AN AFTERTHOUGHT OF
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. SO A WOMAN NEVER GOT AN ATHLETIC
SCHOLARSHIP UNTIL AFTER THAT. AND BEFORE THAT, IT WAS
CLASSROOM QUOTAS, DOCTOR AT HARVARD FOR INSTANCE, 5% BEFORE
1972. >> WOW.
>> AND THAT'S WHY THERE WERE NO WOMEN DOCTORS AND LAWYERS.
AND NOW THERE'S MORE WOMEN IN MEDICAL SCHOOL AND LAW SCHOOL
THAN MEN. NOW EVERYONE NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND
THAT. IT'S ONLY 37 WORDS.
EVERYBODY CAN HANDLE TO READ THIS.
I KNOW THEY WANT TO READ ONLY ABOUT THREE WORDS OF IT -- FOCUS
A LITTLE BIT LONGER. >> YOU CAN DO THIS.
YOU CAN DO THIS. >> WHAT WAS THE RELATIONSHIP
LIKE IN REAL LIFE WITH YOU AND BOBBY RIGS?
IT SEEMS LIKE YOU WERE JOVIAL AND HAD FUN TOGETHER?
WERE YOU FRIENDS. >> NO -- BUT I LOVE HISTORY.
I KNEW ALL ABOUT IT. I KNEW HE HAD BEEN DEPRIVED
DURING HIS PRIME. HE WON THE TRIPLE CROWN WHICH IS
SINGLES, DOUBLES, AND MIXED AT WIMBLEDON, AND THE SECOND WORLD
WAR CAME. HE NEVER GOT THE ATTENTION THAT
HE CRAVED. HERE'S HIS MOMENT WHERE HE IS
JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH. AND I UNDERSTOOD THAT ABOUT HIM.
AND I RESPECTED HIM SO MUCH BECAUSE HE WAS ONE OF MY HEROES
THAT I THINK THAT'S THE REASON I BEAT HIM.
BECAUSE I RESPECTED HIM, DID MY HOMEWORK, I WAS READY.
>> WE JUST WENT A FEW SECONDS BECAUSE WE COULD TALK TO YOU FOR
HOURS. IS THERE ONE THING LIKE YOUR
MOST DISTINCT MEMORY FROM THE MATCH ITSELF?
>> PROBABLY WHEN HE JUMPED THE NET AND SAID I UNDERESTIMATED
YOU. MY DAD TAUGHT MY BROTHER AND I,
MY YOUNGER BROTHER WAS A PITCHER FOR THE SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS,
GOOD SLIDER, MY DAD EMPHASIZED YOU ALWAYS RESPECT YOUR
OPPONENT, EVEN IF YOU DON'T LIKE THEM.
AND YOU ALWAYS -- NEVER, EVER UNDERESTIMATE THEM.
SO WHEN HE SAID THAT, I WENT OH, I CAN'T WAIT TO TELL DADDY.
>> SWEET. >> THAT IS SO NICE.
BILLIE JEAN KING, HOW IS THIS CHANGEUP?
>> HE WAS REALLY GOOD ON THE SLIDER.
>> I LIKE A GOOD SLIDER. >> A GOOD SLIDER.
I LOVE IT. >> I'M WITH YOU THERE.
>> I WANT TO TELL PEOPLE YOU'RE GOING TO BE BACK WITH HODA AND
KATHIE LEE. BATTLE OF THE SEXES HITS
THEATERS ON FRIDAY. WE'RE BACK IN A MOMENT.