Billie Jean King

Billie Jean King is crusading, again. As a player she railed against under-the-table payments. Later, she risked even more by founding and supporting the upstart women's circuit, the Virginia Slims. For years, Billie Jean King was one of the few women whose names could be found in the sports pages. King loved to banter with sportswriters and she was never more comfortable than when she was expounding on issues. Not a thing has changed.

At age 41, Billie Jean King has drifted into semi-retirement, her competitive tennis now limited to an occasional exhibition. But she still is as quick with an opinion as she once was at rushing the net. Some samples: --Women's tennis is in trouble, with the only two players that really matter--Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert Lloyd--nearing the end of their careers and no heirs on the horizon. --Navratilova could beat the world's No.