Tennis pioneer Billie Jean King will add another first to her list of accomplishments Monday when she becomes the first woman to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the sports entertainment category.
The category was announced in 2021 by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which administers the Walk of Fame. It honors individuals, not teams or sports affiliated groups, who have made significant contributions to the world of entertainment and demonstrated “longevity of excellence” in their sport, according to Ana Martinez, the Hollywood Walk of Fame’s producer.
New York Giants Hall of Fame defensive end turned “Good Morning America” anchor Michael Strahan was the first recipient in the category in 2023.
Billie Jean King attends the premiere of “Rocketman” at Alice Tully Hall on Wednesday, May 29, 2019, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
Billie Jean King attends the 38th annual Footwear News Achievement Awards at Cipriani South Street on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
FILE – In this Wednesday June 26 2013 file photo, former professional tennis champion Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss at the premier of Battle of the Sexes in London. Billie Jean King and partner Ilana Kloss have joined the Los Angeles Dodgers ownership group. The Dodgers made the announcement Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. The tennis great says Dodgers owner and chairman Mark Walter and the organization have proven to be leaders in sports on and off the field. (Photo by Jon Furniss/Invision/AP, File)
Los Angeles Dodgers owner & chairman Mark Walter, left, and Dodger president & CEO Stan Kasten, right, pose for photographers to announce adding to the baseball team ownership group, tennis champions Billie Jean King, second from left, and her partner Ilana Kloss during a news conference in Los Angeles, Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. In addition, to joining the Dodgers ownership group, King and Kloss are also expected to join Mark Walter as a member of the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks ownership group, pending league approval. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Tennis champion Billie Jean King displays a poster of singer Elton John, from a 1975 Dodger Stadium concert she participated, after a news conference that added she and her partner, Ilana Kloss to the Los Angeles Dodgers ownership group in Los Angeles, Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Tennis champions Billie Jean King and her partner Ilana Kloss pose for photographers on the field after a news conference that added the two to the Los Angeles Dodgers ownership group in Los Angeles, Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
FILE – In this Oct. 7, 2017 file photo, tennis great Billie Jean King poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film “Battle of the Sexes” during the London Film Festival. King and former NBA star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar are lending their names to Athlete Ally, a nonprofit targeting homophobia in sports. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP, File)
Billie Jean King, left, and Ilana Kloss, right, attend the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s 17th annual “An Enduring Vision” benefit gala at Cipriani 42nd Street on Monday, Nov. 5, 2018, in New York. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP)
Tennis great Billie Jean King speaks to the media before the first-round Fed Cup tennis matches between the United States and Australia in Asheville, N.C.Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Tennis great Billie Jean King, right, and recording artist Gladys Knight, left, watch a first-round Fed Cup tennis match between United States’ Madison Keys and Australia’s Ashleigh Barty in Asheville, N.C., Sunday, Feb. 10, 2019. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Nominated for the title of greatest U.S. woman athlete of the past 25 years in an election sponsored by the Women’s Sports Foundation, five stars, from left, Wilma Rudolph, Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert Lloyd, Billie Jean King and Mary Decker, get together in New York, Sept. 10, 1984. They were selected from 29 candidates by a media panel and will be voted on n a nationwide election. (AP Photo/Marty Lederhandler)
Billy Jean King making her tournament debut after a first round bye returns ball to 18 year old Anne Smith of Dallas on Sept. 2, 1977. Miss King outlasted the 18 year old Miss Smith, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5. (AP Photo/Dave Pickoff)
Billie Jean King left, and 18-year-old Anne Smith of Dallas shake hands over the net after Ms. King outlasted Ms. Smith in a second round U.S. Open women’s singles, match on Friday, Sept. 2, 1977 at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, NY. King won 6-3, 3-6, 7-5. (AP Photo/Dave Pickoff)
Billie Jean King attends the women’s finals of the U.S. Open tennis championships on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, in New York (Photo by Greg Allen/Invision/AP)
Former tennis pro and co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers Billie Jean King throws out the ceremonial first pitch prior to a baseball game between the Dodgers and the Colorado Rockies Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
In this Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2019, photo tennis great and founder of the Women’s Sports Foundation Billie Jean King, left, and soccer star Megan Rapinoe pose for photos on the red carpet of the Women’s Sports Foundation’s 40th annual Salute to Women in Sports in New York. Rapinoe, who was honored at the gala, won Sportswoman of the Year in the team category. She led the U.S. women’s soccer team to victory at the World Cup in France and earned the FIFA Player of the Year award. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
Billie Jean King attends A+E Network’s “HISTORYTalks: Leadership and Legacy” at Carnegie Hall on Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Billie Jean King attends the Broadway opening night of “Alan Cumming Is Not Acting His Age” at Studio 54 on Monday, March 11, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
Billie Jean King, right, talks with her partner Ilana Kloss on Centre Court ahead of the semifinal match between Donna Vekic of Croatia and Jasmine Paolini of Italy at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Thursday, July 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
FILE – Billie Jean King speaks after Serena Williams defeated Danka Kovinic during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Monday, Aug. 29, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)
CORRECTS ID TO DIANA SHNAIDER OF RUSSIA NOT DARIA SNIGUR OF UKRAINE Tennis legend Billie Jean King cheers during a match between Jessica Pegula, of the United States, and Diana Shnaider, of Russia, in the fourth round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Billie Jean King waves to the crowd during the women’s singles semifinals between Emma Navarro, of the United States, and Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Billie Jean King poses with Jessica Pegula, left, of the United States, and Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, following the women’s singles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in New York. Sabalenka won the match (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Tennis great Billie Jean King speaks after being introduced as grand marshal of the 136th Rose Parade next year on the front steps of the Tournament House in Pasadena, Calif., Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Tennis great Billie Jean King, left, is introduced by Tournament of Roses President Ed Morales as grand marshal of the 136th Rose Parade next year on the front steps of the Tournament House in Pasadena, Calif., Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Tennis great Billie Jean King poses after being introduced as grand marshal of the 136th Rose Parade next year on the front steps of the Tournament House in Pasadena, Calif., Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Billie Jean King, left, and Ilana Kloss, right, pose for photos on the red carpet at the Women’s Sports Foundation’s Annual Salute to Women in Sports, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
US tennis legend Billie Jean King waves to the crowd prior the trophy ceremony of the Billie Jean King Cup final at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall in Malaga, southern Spain, on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
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Billie Jean King attends the premiere of “Rocketman” at Alice Tully Hall on Wednesday, May 29, 2019, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
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The second recipient was the late Carl Weathers, honored for a nearly 50-year acting career best remembered for his portrayal of Sylvester Stallone’s boxing nemesis-turned-friend and mentor Apollo Creed in the first four “Rocky” movies.
Weathers played linebacker for San Diego State, the Oakland Raiders and Canadian Football League’s BC Lions before beginning his acting career.
RELATED: ‘I will always remember it’: Grand Marshal Billie Jean King draws cheers riding high in Rose Parade
Coincidentally, King and Weathers are both gradates of Long Beach Poly High School.
King is being honored for her work as an executive producer of the 2023 Public Broadcasting Service documentary series, “Groundbreakers,” which paired King and such other legendary female athletes as Basketball Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman, two-time Women’s World Cup champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist Julie Foudy and rack and field world-record holder Jackie Joyner-Kersee with such current stars as four-time tennis singles Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, two-time Olympic gold medal-winning snowboarder Chloe Kim and two-time Olympic gymnastics gold medalist Sunisa Lee, Martinez told City News Service.
Billie Jean King of the United States reaches to deliver a backhand return on her way to defeating Ingrid Lofdahl Vukovich 8-6, 6-2 in their Women’s Singles second round match at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship on 27th June 1967 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, England. (Photo by Leonard Burt/ Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Tennis player Billie Jean King reaches for a forehand volley during her Women’s Singles quarter final match at the Wimbledon Championships, All England Tennis Club, London, July 3rd 1962. (Photo by Blackman/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Billie Jean Moffitt of the United States throws the tennis ball away as she jumps into the air in celebration after defeating Margaret Court of Australia in their Women’s Singles Second Round match on Centre Court at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship on 27th June 1962 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, England. Billie Jean Moffitt won the match 1- 6, 6- 3, 7 – 5. (Photo by Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Billie Jean King of the United States reaches to deliver a forehand return on her way to defeating Bernice Carr Vukovich 6-2, 6-1 in their Women’s Singles second round match at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship on 25th June 1969 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon in London, England. ( Photo by Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images )
American tennis player Billie Jean Moffitt reaches to make the return during her Women’s Singles second round match of the 1962 Wimbledon Championships, held at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London, England, 27th June 1962. Billie Jean Moffitt (later known as Billie Jean King) on the match 6-1, 3-6, 5-7, beating Australia’s Margaret Smith (later known as Margaret Court), the first time a top seed had lost her opening match, having received a bye into the second round. (Photo by Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
American tennis player Billie Jean King at the Queen’s Club Championships in West Kensington, London, UK, June 1973. (Photo by Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Tennis players Billie Jean King and Ann Haydon (later Haydon-Jones and Ann Jones) pose together during their Women’s Singles quarter final match at the Wimbledon Championships, All England Tennis Club, London, July 3rd 1962. (Photo by Blackman/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Tennis player Billie Jean King, June 26th 1962. (Photo by Edward Wing/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
American tennis player Billie Jean Moffitt stoops to make the return during her quarterfinal match of the Women’s Singles competition at the 1962 Wimbledon Championships, held at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London, England, 3rd July 1962. Moffitt (later known as Billie Jean King) lost the match 3-6, 1-6 to Britain’s Ann Haydon. (Photo by Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Billie Jean King of the United States holds the Venus Rosewater Dish aloft after defeating compatriot Chris Evert in their Women’s Singles Final match on Centre Court at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship on 7th July 1973 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, England. Billie Jean King won the match and championship 6 – 0, 7 – 5. (Photo by Douglas Miller/Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Billie Jean Moffitt of the United States plays a back hand return to Margaret Court of Australia during their Women’s Singles Final match at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship on 8th July 1963 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, England. Margaret Court won the match and championship 6 -3, 6 – 4. (Photo by William Vanderson/Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Billie Jean Moffitt of the United States holds her tennis racquet aloft to acknowledge the crowd after losing to Ann Haydon of Great Britain in their Women’s Singles Quarterfinal match at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship on 3rd July 1962 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, England. Ann Haydon won the match 6- 3, 6 -1. (Photo by William Vanderson/ Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Billie Jean Moffitt of the United States looks at the tennis ball while playing a back hand return to Elizabeth Starkie of Great Britain during their Women’s Singles Second Round match at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship on 24th June 1965 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, England. Billie Jean Moffitt won the match 6-3, 6-3. (Photo by Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
American tennis player Billie Jean Moffitt (later King) plays Brazilian tennis player Maria Bueno in the semifinals of the Women’s Singles during the 1965 Wimbledon Championships in London, UK, June 1965. She lost to Bueno. (Photo by Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Billie Jean King of the United States reaches across the net to shakehands and commiserate with Ann Haydon-Jones of Great Britain following their Women’s Singles match at the 42nd edition of the Wightman Cup women’s team tennis competition between the United States and Great Britain on 15th June 1970 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, England. Billie Jean King won the match 6 – 4, 6 – 2. (Photo by Ted West/Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
American tennis player Billie Jean King at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships in London, UK, 30th June 1972. (Photo by Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
American tennis player Billie Jean King wins the finals of the Women’s Singles at the Wimbledon championships in London, UK, 2nd July 1966. (Photo by Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
American tennis player Billie Jean King (right) beats Brazilian player Maria Bueno (1939 – 2018, left) to win the Women’s Singles at the Wimbledon Championships in London, UK, 2nd July 1966. (Photo by Reg Burkett/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Billie Jean King of the United States is presented with the Venus Rosewater Dish by Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent after defeating Ann Jones at the Women’s Singles Final match at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship on 7th July 1967 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, England. (Photo by Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
American tennis player Billie Jean King in action against Winnie Shaw of Great Britain during their Women’s Singles Fourth Round match of the 1972 Wimbledon Championships, at the All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, London, England, 30th June 1972. (Photo by Blackbrow/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Billie Jean King of the United States during the Women’s Singles Final match against Judy Tegart Dalton of Australia at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis championships on 5th July 1968 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon in London, England. (Photo by Don Morley/Allsport/Getty Images)
Billie Jean King of the United States during the Women’s Singles Final match against Margaret Court at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis championships on 3 July 1970 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon in London, England. Court won the match 14″u201312, 11″u20139. (Photo by Don Morley/Allsport/Getty Images)
American tennis players Billie Jean King and Chris Evert chatting before their match in the women’s semifinals at Wimbledon Championships, All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, UK, 3rd July 1975. (Photo by Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
American tennis player Billie Jean King pictured in action against British tennis player Deidre Catt in the 1964 Wightman Cup tennis competition at the All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, London on 15th June 1964. (Photo by Les Lee/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
American tennis player Billie Jean King on the court at Wimbledon, 28th June 1971. (Photo by Harry Dempster/Daily Express/Getty Images)
Billie Jean King of the United States during the Women’s Singles SemiFinal match against Chris Evert-Lloyd at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship on 1 July 1982 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon in London, England. (Photo by Bob Martin/Getty Images)
Billie Jean King of the United States during the Women’s Quarter Final match against Olga Morozova at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship on 2 July 1974 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon in London, England. (Photo by Don Morley/Getty Images)
Tennis player Billie Jean King of the United States in action at the Women’s Singles Final, Wimbledon, 8th July 1967. King went on to beat Ann Jones of Great Britain 6-3, 6-4. (Photo by Reg Burkett/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
American tennis player Billie Jean King competing against Ann Jones of Great Britain in the final of the Ladies’ Singles at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships, London, 4th July 1969. Jones won the match 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. (Photo by Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
7th July 1973: American tennis player Billie Jean King in action against Chris Evert at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships. (Photo by Central Press/Getty Images)
7th July 1972: American tennis player Billie Jean King receives the trophy from the Duke of Kent after beating Evonne Goolagong to win women’s singles title at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships. (Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images)
4th July 1975: American tennis player Billie-Jean King lifts the trophy after beating Australia’s Evonne Cawley to win the women’s singles title at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships. (Photo by David Ashdown/Keystone/Getty Images)
1st November 1978: The Ladies American Wightman Cup team (back row left to right) Jo Anne Russell, Pam Schriver, (front) Billie Jean King, Chris Evert (Chris Lloyd) and Tracy Austin. (Photo by Frank Tewkesbury/Evening Standard/Getty Images)
2nd July 1964: American tennis player Billie Jean Moffitt (later King) in action during a semi final in the women’s singles championship at Wimbledon. (Photo by Dennis Oulds/Central Press/Getty Images)
4th July 1975: Victorious American tennis player Billie Jean King celebrating her sixth Wimbledon singles title which she won against Australian Evonne Cawley. (Photo by David Ashdown/Keystone/Getty Images)
2nd July 1963: Maria Bueno of Brazil in action against Billie Jean Moffitt (Billie Jean King) of the USA at Wimbledon. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)
4th July 1975: Billie Jean King of the USA lifts the women’s singles trophy for the sixth time after beating Evonne Cawley at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships. (Photo by Graham Wood/Evening Standard/Getty Images)
8th July 1967: American tennis player Billie Jean King holds aloft the trophy after beating Ann Jones to win the women’s singles title at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships. (Photo by Tim Graham/Fox Photos/Getty Images)
Jul 1982: Billie Jean King of the USA in action during the Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon in London. Mandatory Credit: Bob Martin/Allsport
Jun-Jul 1975: Billie Jean King of the USA holds the trophy aloft after the Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon in London. King won the Women’s Singles event. Mandatory Credit: Allsport UK /Allsport
Jul 1966: Billie Jean King of the USA in action during the final at the Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon in London. King won the match to become the Women’s Singles Champion. Mandatory Credit: Allsport UK /Allsport
7 Jul 1973: Billie Jean King on her way to victory in the Women’s Singles Final at Wimbledon. She beat Chris Evert 6-0 7-5. Mandatory Credit: Allsport Hulton/Archive
Billie Jean King stands on the court during a match at Wimbledon in England.
Jul 1981: Billie Jean King of the USA returns a volley during the 1981 Lawn Tennis Championships at the All-England Club in Wimbledon, England. Mandatory Credit: Tony Duffy /Allsport
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Billie Jean King of the United States reaches to deliver a backhand return on her way to defeating Ingrid Lofdahl Vukovich 8-6, 6-2 in their Women’s Singles second round match at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship on 27th June 1967 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, England. (Photo by Leonard Burt/ Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
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King’s other entertainment credits include being an executive producer of “The Battle of the Sexes,” a 2013 documentary on her 1973 match against Bobby Riggs, portraying a judge on a 2007 episode of the long-running NBC crime and legal drama, “Law & Order,” and portraying herself on episodes of such series as “Fresh Off the Boat,” “Arli$$” and a 1973 episode of “The Odd Couple” that featured Riggs.
Basketball Hall of Famer Earvin “Magic” Johnson, a fellow member of the Dodgers’ ownership group with King, and Oscar-winning actress Jamie Lee Curtis, a longtime friend of King’s, are set to join her in speaking at the 11:30 a.m. ceremony at 6284 Hollywood Blvd., adjacent to the W Hotel.
All Walk of Fame ceremonies are streamed on walkoffame.com, and can later be seen on youtube.com/@HwdWalkofFame.
The star is the 2,807th since the completion of the Walk of Fame in 1961 with the initial 1,558 stars.
King is a pioneer in the women’s rights and gender-equality movements. In 1970, she was part of the “Original Nine” women’s professional tennis players who broke away from the governing bodies of tennis to form their own professional tour, the Virginia Slims Circuit, which later evolved into the modern Women’s Tennis Association Tour.
King was also among the founders of World Team Tennis, the first co-ed professional sports league. She is a member of the Professional Women’s Hockey League Founding Advisory Board. The league’s Most Valuable Player award is named for her.
King won 39 Grand Slam titles — 12 in singles competition, 16 in women’s doubles and 11 in mixed doubles. In 1971, King became the first woman athlete to earn $100,000 in a year.
King was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1987. In 1990, Life magazine named her one of the “100 Most Important Americans of the 20th Century.” The other sports figures on the list were Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson and Muhammad Ali.
