Tennis icon Billie Jean King joins MLB players to read ‘I Am Billie Jean King’ to California 5th graders
Yesterday, the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) announced that sports legend Billie Jean King, along with Dodger infielders, Gavin Lux and Edwin Rios, will host a book distribution and reading event on Friday, September 20 at 11:30 a.m. at Oropeza Elementary School located at 700 Locust Aveenue in Long Beach, California. King, Lux, and Rios will team up at the event as they share the importance of reading and help LADF provide access to books for underserved children. With the support of the Billie Jean King Leadership Initiative, all 5th graders in the Long Beach Unified School District will receive the “I am Billie Jean King” book this academic year.
“We are honored to partner with such an icon like Billie Jean King who truly represents our Foundation’s values and mission to serve youth with limited access to education, sports and healthcare resources,” said Chaitali Gala, LADF Chief Operating Officer.
“Her story, her work, and all that she stands for are such great examples for children everywhere, and now 5,000 kids will receive the gift of reading and owning her story.”
As part of the Ordinary People Change the World book series, “I am Billie Jean King” shares the journey of tennis legend, Billie Jean King, and her efforts as a champion of equality. King will read an excerpt of her book to 200 students from Oropeza and Edison Elementary Schools.
“The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation stands for equity and opportunity, which made this an important and logical partnership for us and to be able to connect it with the students in Long Beach makes it extra special,” said Billie Jean King, Dodger Owner and Founder of the Billie Jean King Leadership Initiative. “I hope these children enjoy reading this story and are inspired to live their dreams and create their own groundbreaking path.”
On September 21, Billie Jean King will also have the Long Beach Main Library named in her honor and the Dodgers will host a Billie Jean King bobblehead night presented by Budweiser at Dodger Stadium featuring youth from Long Beach Unified.
LA Reads is a literacy campaign focused on helping youth build a lifelong love of reading, providing access to books for underserved youth, and improving overall reading frequency for school-aged children through several community and stadium events and an annual literacy challenge called Dodgers Reading Champions. Following the event and through December, LADF will host 10 additional reading events in Long Beach Unified.
King, now 75, is a former World No. 1 professional tennis player. At the tender age of 29, she beat another World No. 1 professional tennis player, Bobby Riggs, in the now famous 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match. Riggs was a loud-mouthed 55-year-old at the time of the match and spent years leading up to the “Battle of the Sexes” publicly belittling and mocking King.
Actress Emma Stone portrayed King in the 2017 film, “Battle of the Sexes.”
(Source: MLB)
~ Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today / Connect with Richard on Facebook and Twitter
