Philadelphia Freedom (song) honour Billie Jean King, and so asked Taupin to write a song called "Philadelphia Freedom" as a homage to her tennis team, the Philadelphia Freedoms. In "His Song: The Musical History of Elton John", Elizabeth Rosenthal recounts that Taupin said, "I can't write a song about tennis," and did not. Taupin maintains that the lyrics bear no relation to tennis, Philly Soul, or even flag-waving patriotism. Nonetheless, the lyrics have been interpreted as patriotic and uplifting, and even though it was released in 1975, the song's sentiment, intentionally or not, meshed perfectly with an American music audience gearing up for
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