Philadelphia Freedoms (1974) Dick and Ken Butera as a charter member of WTT in 1973. The team began play in WTT's inaugural 1974 season. The Freedoms played their home matches at the Spectrum. The centerpiece of the team was tennis legend Billie Jean King who served as its player-coach. King became the first woman to coach a professional sports team that included male players. Once King was signed on with the Freedoms, her good friend Elton John decided to write and record the song "Philadelphia Freedom" to wish her luck on her new venture with WTT and for the team to use as
Billie Jean King support the women's sports movement after becoming friends with King. Actress Holly Hunter portrayed King in the 2001 ABC television film "When Billie Beat Bobby". King played a judge on "Law & Order" in 2007, and appeared as herself on "The Odd Couple" in 1973, "Ugly Betty" in May 2009, and "Fresh Off The Boat" in 2016"." Actress Emma Stone portrayed King in the 2017 biopic "Battle of the Sexes". The Ted Tinling designed dress King wore for the real "Battle of the Sexes" match is part of a Smithsonian Museum collection. Billie Jean and Larry King were engaged in