Tombstone
Announced: May 22, 19731ASSOCIATED PRESS. “Pro Tennis League Formed”. The Democrat & Chronicle (Rochester, NY). May 23, 1973
Disbanded: March 1979
First Match: May 6, 1974
Last Match: September 21, 1978
Seasons: 5
States & Provinces:
(AZ, CA, CO, FL, HI, IN, LA, MA, MI, MN, IL, MD, NY, OH, Ontario, OR, TX, WA)
Leadership
Commissioners:
- May 1973 – September 1974: George MacCall (Commissioner)
- November 1974 – September 1976: Larry King (President)
- September 1976- January 1979: Butch Buchholz (Commissioner)
Attendance
Trophy Case
World Team Tennis Most Valuable Player
| YEAR | PLAYER | TEAM |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Billie Jean King | Philadelphia Freedoms |
| 1975 (Male) | Tom Okker | Golden Gaters |
| 1975 (Female) | Evonne Goolagong | Pittsburgh Triangles |
| 1976 (Male) | Sandy Mayer | New York Sets |
| 1976 (Female) | Chris Evert | Phoenix Racquets |
| 1977 (Male) | Frew McMillan | Golden Gaters |
| 1977 (Female) | Chris Evert | Phoenix Racquets |
| 1978 (Male) | ||
| 1978 (Female) | Martina Navratilova | Boston Lobsters |
WTT Wear
World Team Tennis
Logo T-Shirt
World Team Tennis has been around in one form or another for nearly fifty years now, but this chill logo tee from our partners at Old School Shirts pays tribute to the original league and its mid-70’s glory days when Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Bjorn Borg and Ilie Nastase suited up for their WTT clubs in between Grand Slam finals at Wimbledon and Flushing Meadows.
Also available in women’s scoop neck and women’s racerback tank styles!
When you make a purchase through an affiliate link like this one, Fun While It Lasted earns a commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!
Background
Billie Jean King was a co-founder and the face of the original World Team Tennis league (1974-1978), which launched just months after her historic exhibition win over Bobby Riggs in the “Battle of the Sexes” in 1973. King’s husband at the time, Larry King, was a co-founder and team owner (Golden Gaters), alongside Dennis Murphy who was involved in the launch of the American Basketball Association and the World Hockey Association.
The league attracted many of the top international touring pros of the 1970’s, including:
- Bjorn Borg (Cleveland Nets)
- Jimmy Connors (Baltimore Banners)
- Chris Evert (Phoenix Racquets & Los Angeles Strings)
- Vitas Gerulaitis (Pittsburgh Triangles)
- Evonne Goolagong (Pittsburgh Triangles)
- Billie Jean King (Philadelphia Freedoms & New York Sets/Apples)
- Rod Laver (San Diego Friars)
- Ilie Nastase (Hawaii Leis & Los Angeles Strings)
- Martina Navratilova (Boston Lobsters)
- John Newcombe (Houston E-Z Riders)
- Virginia Wade (New York Apples)
World Team Tennis also provided the first entry into professional sports ownership for future Los Angeles Lakers and Kings owner Dr. Jerry Buss (Los Angeles Strings) and future New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft (Boston Lobsters).
World Team Tennis Franchise List
| FRANCHISE | YEARS ACTIVE | WTT CHAMPIONS |
|---|---|---|
| Anaheim Oranges | 1978 | Never |
| Baltimore Banners | 1974 | Never |
| Boston Lobsters | 1974-1978 | Never |
| Chicago Aces | 1974 | Never |
| Cleveland Nets | 1974-1977 | Never |
| Denver Racquets | 1974 | 1974 |
| Detroit Loves | 1974 | Never |
| Florida Flamingos | 1974 | Never |
| Golden Gaters | 1974-1978 | Never |
| Hawaii Leis | 1974-1976 | Never |
| Houston E-Z Riders | 1974 | Never |
| Indiana Loves | 1975-1978 | Never |
| Los Angeles Strings | 1974-1978 | 1978 |
| Minnesota Buckskins | 1974 | Never |
| New Orleans Nets | 1978 | Never |
| New York Apples | 1977-1978 | 1977 |
| New York Sets | 1974-1976 | 1976 |
| Philadelphia Freedoms | 1974 | Never |
| Phoenix Racquets | 1975-1978 | Never |
| Pittsburgh Triangles | 1974-1976 | 1975 |
| San Diego Friars | 1975-1978 | Never |
| Seattle Cascades | 1978 | Never |
| Sea-Port Cascades | 1977 | Never |
| The Soviets | 1977 | Never |
| Sunbelt Nets | 1978 | Never |
| Toronto-Buffalo Royals | 1974 | Never |
World Team Tennis Shop
Editor's Pick
Bustin' Balls
World Team Tennis 1974-1978, Pro Sports, Pop Culture & Progressive Politics
by Steven Blush
Bustin’ Balls tells the strange but true story of World Team Tennis (1974-1978) that attempted to transform the prim and proper individual sport of tennis into a rowdy blue-collar league. Billie Jean King and her partners merged feminism and civil rights with queer lifestyle, pop culture and a progressive political agenda to create a dazzling platform for the finest tennis players of the day to become overnight stars.
When you make a purchase through an affiliate link like this one, Fun While It Lasted earns a commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!
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3 Responses
George MacCall was the first commissioner of World Team Tennis.
[Dead link removed]
Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame, George MacCall.
YOU SAID: “her historic exhibition win over Bobby Riggs in the “Battle of the Sexes” in 1973.”
Sorry, that was Battle of the Dezes II, the first one featured Riggs vs Margaret Court in the San Diego County community of Ramona to promote a new housing development, San Diego Country Estates.