.Sep 17, 2024, 09:18 PM ETWASHINGTON-- Billie Jean King will certainly come to be the first private ladies's athlete to be rewarded the Legislative Gold Medal.Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and also Mikie Sherrill of New Jacket revealed Tuesday that their bipartisan regulations had passed your home of Panels and would certainly be actually sent to President Joe Biden for his signature.The bill to honor King, the ping pong Hallway of Famer and also protestor, had actually actually passed all in the Senate.Sherrill, a Democrat, said in a statement that Master's "lifetime of campaigning for and effort transformed the yard for women and also ladies on the court, in the classroom, as well as the place of work." The expense was launched in September 2023 on the 50th anniversary of Master's success over Bobby Riggs in the "Fight of the Sexual activities," still the most-watched ping pong match of all time. The medal, rewarded through Congress for notable accomplishments and contributions to community, has actually formerly been offered to professional athletes, featuring baseball players Jackie Robinson and also Roberto Clemente and golfers Port Nicklaus, Byron Nelson and also Arnold Palmer.King had already been actually granted the Governmental Medal of Flexibility in 2009. Fitzpatrick, a Republican, claims she has "broken barriers, led undiscovered pathways, as well as influenced a great number of individuals to stand up happily along with courage and view in the defend what corrects.".