AP Was There: Battle of the Sexes

HOUSTON (AP) — "The Battle of the Sexes" was a 1973 exhibition tennis match pitting 55-year-old Bobby Riggs, self-proclaimed male chauvinist pig, against Billy Jean King, a 29-year-old feminist icon and a top female player. It was more public-relations spectacle than test of athletic skill.

A boorish Riggs exploited women's stereotypes for laughs, riling up his male supporters. King used the publicity to promote women's rights, particularly equal pay.

King's decisive victory in the match helped raise awareness of gender inequality in sports, but the entire event was little more than reality TV ahead of its time.

What follows is the AP's match report — originally published Sept.