.Sep 17, 2024, 09:18 PM ETWASHINGTON-- Billie Jean King are going to come to be the first private girls's professional athlete to become rewarded the Legislative Gold Medal.Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Mikie Sherrill of New Shirt announced Tuesday that their bipartisan laws had passed your house of Reps as well as would be actually sent to Head of state Joe Biden for his signature.The bill to recognize King, the ping pong Lobby of Famer and protestor, had actually currently passed unanimously in the Senate.Sherrill, a Democrat, pointed out in a claim that Master's "lifetime of proposal and effort altered the yard for females and ladies on the court, in the class, and also the place of work." The bill was actually introduced in September 2023 on the 50th wedding anniversary of King's success over Bobby Riggs in the "Struggle of the Sexes," still the most-watched ping pong suit of all time. The medal, rewarded by Our lawmakers for distinguished achievements and also additions to community, has actually recently been provided to professional athletes, featuring pitcher Jackie Robinson and Roberto Clemente and golfers Port Nicklaus, Byron Nelson as well as Arnold Palmer.King had actually actually been actually rewarded the Presidential Award of Flexibility in 2009. Fitzpatrick, a Republican, claims she possesses "busted barricades, led undiscovered pathways, and influenced plenty of folks to stand proudly along with nerve and also strong belief in the fight for what is right.".