.Sep 17, 2024, 09:18 PM ETWASHINGTON-- Billie Jean King will end up being the initial individual women's professional athlete to become rewarded the Legislative Gold Medal.Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania as well as Mikie Sherrill of New Shirt declared Tuesday that their bipartisan legislation had passed our home of Panels and also will be actually sent out to Head of state Joe Biden for his signature.The bill to recognize Master, the ping pong Hallway of Famer and also activist, had actually already passed all in the Senate.Sherrill, a Democrat, claimed in a statement that King's "life-time of campaigning for and hard work modified the yard for ladies and also gals on the court, in the class, as well as the work environment." The costs was actually launched in September 2023 on the 50th anniversary of Master's triumph over Bobby Riggs in the "Struggle of the Sexes," still the most-watched ping pong suit of perpetuity. The medal, granted by Congress for notable accomplishments and also contributions to culture, has actually previously been actually provided to athletes, featuring pitcher Jackie Robinson and also Roberto Clemente and also golf enthusiasts Jack Nicklaus, Byron Nelson as well as Arnold Palmer.King had presently been actually rewarded the Presidential Award of Liberty in 2009. Fitzpatrick, a Republican, says she possesses "faulty barricades, led unexplored pathways, and motivated a great number of individuals to stand proudly with tenacity as well as principle in the defend what corrects.".