1970 Houston Women's Invitation
Encyclopedia
The 1970 Houston Women's Invitation (also known as the Virginia Slims Invitation for sponsorship reasons) was a women's only tennis
tournament. The tournament was the first women only tournament and was created by Gladys Heldman
.
The tournament was held in protest to the unfair distribution of prize money at tennis events. The women objected to the Pacific Southwest Championships offering a 12:1 ratio split in prize money. Eight women, including Billie Jean King
, went with Heldman to play in this one-off tournament.
The Houston Women's invitation received sponsorship from Virginia Slims, making the total prize purse $7,500. The event was contested by eight players and took place at the same time as the Pacific Southwest Championships. The tournament was won by Rosie Casals when she beat Judy Dalton of Australia in the final.
in Bournemouth
in 1968. At the first Open Wimbledon, the prize-fund difference was 2.5:1 in favour of men. Billie Jean King
won £750 for taking the title, while Rod Laver
took £2,000. The total purses of the competitions were £14,800 for men and £5,680 for women. By the 1970s, the pay which had been 2.5:1 ratio between men and women increased. In 1969, ratios of 5:1 in terms of pay were common at smaller tournaments; by 1970, these figures increased to 8:1 and even 12:1.
Gladys Heldman
, who was a former player in the amateur era, had been making her mark in American tennis throughout the 1950s and 60s. When the United States Lawn Tennis Association
(USLTA) voted not to hold the National Indoor Championships
because they always lost money, Heldman stepped in to underwrite the losses, and turned in an $8,000 profit. In 1962, she raised $18,000 to charter a plane to take 85 foreign tennis players to New York to play in the US Open and underwrote their expenses as well. Heldman’s involvement in tennis went back ten years, to 1953, when she set up World Tennis magazine. It made a loss at first, but by the mid-1960s it sold 43,000 copies, maiking the highest-selling tennis magazine in the world. Heldman used her magazine to increase awareness of gender inequality in sports. In winter 1969, Heldman staged three women's only tournaments: a $5,000 tournament in Philadelphia; another $5,000 tournament at the Vanderblit Club in New York; and a tournament without prize money in Dallas.
The turning point in the struggle for acceptance of the women's game came before the US Open in 1970. The Pacific Southwest Championships, run by Jack Kramer, had announced a 12:1 ratio in the prize difference between what males and females would win. The tournament would not take place until after the Open. Players, including King and Rosie Casals, contacted Heldman and stated that they wanted to boycott the event. Heldman advised against the idea. She approched Krammer twice without success. Heldman then decided that if women were not going to be paid fairly, then she would set up a tournament to rival Krammer's. Houston was chosen as the venue as Heldman was about to move there. She contacted the Houston Racquet Club and the Texas Lawn Tennis Association about her idea and within days had created as $5,000 tournament for eight women.
In the locker rooms at Forest Hills
, the women tennis professionals argued about whether to boycott the Pacific Southwest Championship. The idealists in the group wanted to make a point before 12:1 ratios were the norm. Others wanted no part in a rebellion. When it looked as if the group would get nowhere, Heldman walked into the locker room and announced her plan for the Houston Women's Invitation.
or Fed Cup
competition. Their future at the Grand Slams
would also be in doubt. Before the tournament started, Stan Malless, chairman of the USLTA's scheduling committee, called the group planning to play in the tournament. Malless stated that they could have a sanctioned amateur tournament with no prize money. If they chose this option, they could play for $7,500 in "money under the table". If they played for the money honestly, they would be suspended. The women chose the latter. They signed one-week contracts with Heldman to protect the racquet club from sanctions. With the start of the tournament an hour away and the contracts not signed, King phoned Martin to give him one last chance. Martin offered no money deal and could only offer two tournaments for women: the US Indoor Championships
and the US Open. King put the phone down walked away, and with the other eight women signed Heldman's contact. The USLTA suspended the players the next day.
Two other players had to withdraw from the event: Patti Hogan withdrew because she did not want to take the risk and stand against the establishment. Margaret Court withdrew as she had just lost to Chris Evert, who was 15 at the time, after completing her Grand Slam.
added an additional $2,500 making the purse stand at £7,500. Cullman was the chairman of Philip Morris
and lent the company's Virginia Slims
brand to the event. The tournament was therefore called the Virginia Slims Invitation.
, chairman of the Pacific Coast Championships, called Heldman with an offer. Following all the publicity surrounding her event MacKay had decided to increase the women's prize fund for a draw of 32 players from $2,000 to $4,400. Heldman declined and stated that her players would play for a purse of $11,000. MacKay called the next day and agreed to the demands.
After the event, the women voted for Heldman to run a new women's only tour. This became the Virginia Slims Circuit, with Phillip Morris continuing their link and sponsoring 8 of the 16 tournaments on the schedule.
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
tournament. The tournament was the first women only tournament and was created by Gladys Heldman
Gladys Heldman
Gladys Medalie Heldman was the founder of World Tennis magazine; she supported Billie Jean King and other female tennis players who formed the Virginia Slims Tour in the early 1970s...
.
The tournament was held in protest to the unfair distribution of prize money at tennis events. The women objected to the Pacific Southwest Championships offering a 12:1 ratio split in prize money. Eight women, including Billie Jean King
Billie Jean King
Billie Jean King is a former professional tennis player from the United States. She won 12 Grand Slam singles titles, 16 Grand Slam women's doubles titles, and 11 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. King has been an advocate against sexism in sports and society...
, went with Heldman to play in this one-off tournament.
The Houston Women's invitation received sponsorship from Virginia Slims, making the total prize purse $7,500. The event was contested by eight players and took place at the same time as the Pacific Southwest Championships. The tournament was won by Rosie Casals when she beat Judy Dalton of Australia in the final.
Background
Until the Houston event, all women's tournaments were held alongside men's tennis events. These events were part of the Grand Prix series for women, but unlike the men's series, without a season-ending championship. The Open era began with the British Hard Court ChampionshipsBritish Hard Court Championships
The British Hard Court Championships is a defunct Grand Prix tennis and WTA Tour affiliated tennis tournament played from 1968 to 1983 and 1995 to 1996. It was held in Torquay before moving to the West Hants Tennis Club in Bournemouth in England in the United Kingdom from 1927 to 1983 and in 1995...
in Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
in 1968. At the first Open Wimbledon, the prize-fund difference was 2.5:1 in favour of men. Billie Jean King
Billie Jean King
Billie Jean King is a former professional tennis player from the United States. She won 12 Grand Slam singles titles, 16 Grand Slam women's doubles titles, and 11 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. King has been an advocate against sexism in sports and society...
won £750 for taking the title, while Rod Laver
Rod Laver
Rodney George "Rod" Laver MBE is an Australian former tennis player who holds the record for titles won in career, and was the World No. 1 player for seven consecutive years, from 1964 to 1970...
took £2,000. The total purses of the competitions were £14,800 for men and £5,680 for women. By the 1970s, the pay which had been 2.5:1 ratio between men and women increased. In 1969, ratios of 5:1 in terms of pay were common at smaller tournaments; by 1970, these figures increased to 8:1 and even 12:1.
Gladys Heldman
Gladys Heldman
Gladys Medalie Heldman was the founder of World Tennis magazine; she supported Billie Jean King and other female tennis players who formed the Virginia Slims Tour in the early 1970s...
, who was a former player in the amateur era, had been making her mark in American tennis throughout the 1950s and 60s. When the United States Lawn Tennis Association
United States Tennis Association
The United States Tennis Association is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the United States. A not-for-profit organization with more than 700,000 members, it invests 100% of its proceeds to promote and develop the growth of tennis, from the grass-roots to the professional levels...
(USLTA) voted not to hold the National Indoor Championships
US Indoors
The US Indoors, known formally as the U.S. Indoor Championships, was a national tennis championship for women that was sanctioned by the United States Tennis Association and held 79 times from 1907 through 2001 at various locations and on various surfaces. The event was affiliated with the WTA...
because they always lost money, Heldman stepped in to underwrite the losses, and turned in an $8,000 profit. In 1962, she raised $18,000 to charter a plane to take 85 foreign tennis players to New York to play in the US Open and underwrote their expenses as well. Heldman’s involvement in tennis went back ten years, to 1953, when she set up World Tennis magazine. It made a loss at first, but by the mid-1960s it sold 43,000 copies, maiking the highest-selling tennis magazine in the world. Heldman used her magazine to increase awareness of gender inequality in sports. In winter 1969, Heldman staged three women's only tournaments: a $5,000 tournament in Philadelphia; another $5,000 tournament at the Vanderblit Club in New York; and a tournament without prize money in Dallas.
The turning point in the struggle for acceptance of the women's game came before the US Open in 1970. The Pacific Southwest Championships, run by Jack Kramer, had announced a 12:1 ratio in the prize difference between what males and females would win. The tournament would not take place until after the Open. Players, including King and Rosie Casals, contacted Heldman and stated that they wanted to boycott the event. Heldman advised against the idea. She approched Krammer twice without success. Heldman then decided that if women were not going to be paid fairly, then she would set up a tournament to rival Krammer's. Houston was chosen as the venue as Heldman was about to move there. She contacted the Houston Racquet Club and the Texas Lawn Tennis Association about her idea and within days had created as $5,000 tournament for eight women.
In the locker rooms at Forest Hills
West Side Tennis Club
The West Side Tennis Club is a private tennis club located in Forest Hills, a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. It is currently an oasis within the City with 38 courts in all four surfaces , a junior Olympic swimming pool and many other amenities.It is most notable for hosting...
, the women tennis professionals argued about whether to boycott the Pacific Southwest Championship. The idealists in the group wanted to make a point before 12:1 ratios were the norm. Others wanted no part in a rebellion. When it looked as if the group would get nowhere, Heldman walked into the locker room and announced her plan for the Houston Women's Invitation.
Opposition
When Heldman first told Kramer of her tournament, he stated that he would not oppose the tournament. Once Kramer spoke with his friends at the USLTA, he changed his mind and decided that he would object to the tournament taking place since the women needed USLTA sanctioning for the tournament to take place. The USLTA, according to King, tried to pin the blame on Perry Jones, the president of Southern California Tennis Association, who at the time was in a coma. The USLTA sent a telegram to Heldman allegedly signed by him. Jones died the next day.Sanctions
Two days before the tournament, Alaster Martin, president of the USLTA, sent an ultimatum to the players planning to take part in the tournament. His message stated that the USLTA would suspend any player involved, meaning that could not play in WightmanWightman Cup
The Wightman Cup was a team tennis competition for women contested from 1923 through 1989 between teams from the United States and Great Britain. U.S. player Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman wanted to generate international interest in women's tennis the way Davis Cup did for men's...
or Fed Cup
Fed Cup
Fed Cup is the premier team competition in women's tennis, launched in 1963 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the International Tennis Federation...
competition. Their future at the Grand Slams
Grand Slam (tennis)
The four Major tennis tournaments, also called the Slams, are the most important tennis events of the year in terms of world tour ranking points, tradition, prize-money awarded, strength and size of player field, and public attention. They are the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and...
would also be in doubt. Before the tournament started, Stan Malless, chairman of the USLTA's scheduling committee, called the group planning to play in the tournament. Malless stated that they could have a sanctioned amateur tournament with no prize money. If they chose this option, they could play for $7,500 in "money under the table". If they played for the money honestly, they would be suspended. The women chose the latter. They signed one-week contracts with Heldman to protect the racquet club from sanctions. With the start of the tournament an hour away and the contracts not signed, King phoned Martin to give him one last chance. Martin offered no money deal and could only offer two tournaments for women: the US Indoor Championships
US Indoors
The US Indoors, known formally as the U.S. Indoor Championships, was a national tennis championship for women that was sanctioned by the United States Tennis Association and held 79 times from 1907 through 2001 at various locations and on various surfaces. The event was affiliated with the WTA...
and the US Open. King put the phone down walked away, and with the other eight women signed Heldman's contact. The USLTA suspended the players the next day.
Players
- Peaches Bartkowicz: Winner of the Girls under-18 national title three times in a row, equalling Sarah Palfrey's record. Bartkowicz had won Junior Wimbledon and had won medals at the 1968 Olympic Games exhibitionsTennis at the 1968 Summer OlympicsTennis returned to the Summer Olympic program as a demonstration event in 1968. Men's and women's singles and doubles and mixed doubles were held in both a Demonstration tournament and an Exhibition tournament. Both tournaments were held in Guadalajara, Mexico.-Demonstration:-Exhibition:-External...
. - Rosie CasalsRosemary CasalsRosemary "Rosie" Casals is a former American professional tennis player.Rosemary Casals earned her reputation as a rebel in the staid tennis world when she began competing in the early 1960s. During a tennis career that spanned more than two decades, she won more than 90 tournaments and worked for...
: The reigning Wimbledon Doubles and Mixed Doubles Champions in 1970. She had finished as the runner up in the Australian and French Opens in the doubles, and in the mixed doubles at the US Open. Also, Casals won the US Open doubles title, and in 1970 reached the final of the singles competition. Casals states "I got $3,750 when I lost the 1970 US Open final to Court, the last victim in her Grand Slam." When Casals was 18, Harry HopmanHarry HopmanHenry Christian Hopman, CBE was a world-acclaimed Australian-American tennis player and coach, born in Glebe, Sydney, New South Wales, and soon moving to Parramatta, a city adjoining Sydney and now effectively a suburb of the metropolis.Hopman was a student at Rosehill Public Primary school...
labeled her the best junior prospect in the world. She stated 40 years later, "Jeopardizing the chance to play Grand Slams was probably the riskiest part of going against the old establishment. What else were we risking? We were really second class citizens when we played at the sanctioned tournaments alongside the men, and that meant all tournaments. In that sense we didn't have a lot to lose. On the other hand, the Grand Slams were everything to us at that time." - Judy Dalton: Had just completed a career Grand Slam in Women's doubles as she had won the US Open, the only title missing from her collection at that point. Dalton was part of Australia'sAustralia Fed Cup teamThe Australia Fed Cup team represents Australia in Fed Cup tennis competition and are governed by Tennis Australia. They currently compete in the World Group I.-History:...
winning Federation Cup team in 1970. "Before there was a Tour, I actually worked as an accountant when I wasn't playing tennis. In those days, the Lawn Tennis Association of AustraliaTennis AustraliaTennis Australia is the governing body for the sport of Tennis in Australia. The organisation exists to promote tennis and conduct domestic and international tournaments on behalf of Australia, including the Australian Open and the Davis Cup for the Australian Davis Cup Team...
wouldn't let any of us—men or women—play more than six months of the year. These days that would be called restraint of trade!" On the money Dalton said, "I know exactly what I did with my prize money from Houston. My husband, David, and I had just bought a house in Melbourne, and I sent most of it home to help pay it off." With regard to the personal sanctions against her, she said, "I couldn't play with my SlazengerSlazengerSlazenger is a British sports equipment brand name sold throughout the world, involving a variety of sporting categories namely cricket, tennis and hockey...
racquet, we couldn't play in tournaments. In fairness, WilsonWilson Sporting GoodsThe Wilson Sporting Goods Company is a sports equipment manufacturer based in Chicago, Illinois, and currently is a foreign subsidiary of the Finnish company Amer Sports....
was fantastic—they gave us all the stuff that we wanted and did what they could to help. From memory, I used Wilson racquets for two years." - Julie HeldmanJulie HeldmanJulie Heldman is a retired American tennis player who won 22 professional tennis titles.In 1969 she was World No. 5, her highest career world ranking, and was ranked No. 2 in the U.S.-Tennis career:...
: The daughter of the leader Gladys. Heldman was a three-time Canadian Junior Champion and a US junior champion. Heldman was a runner-up at one of the Olympic exhibitions to Bartkowicz. Heldman had won the prestigious Canadian and Italian Opens in the 1960s. Heldman in 1970 had her best run at a Grand Slam to date as she reached the semifinals of the French Open. Heldman, however, was injured and therefore did not participate in the competition. "That's my abiding memory of that time: the sense of solidarity and a step forward. I couldn't play because I had an elbow injury. My parents had just moved from New York to Houston, and I was in the new house manning the phones the night before the tournament was due to start. The women were calling and saying the USTA was threatening to suspend everybody. The morning the tournament was due to start, I didn't go to the site because I wasn't playing. But when I heard everyone had stood in solidarity I decided I would do the same, even if it meant being suspended too."
- Billie Jean KingBillie Jean KingBillie Jean King is a former professional tennis player from the United States. She won 12 Grand Slam singles titles, 16 Grand Slam women's doubles titles, and 11 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. King has been an advocate against sexism in sports and society...
: Former Australian and US Open champion and three time Wimbledon champion. King was also the reigning Wimbledon doubles champion and the reigning French Open mixed doubles champion. At this stage in her career, King already had a career Grand Slam in mixed doubles and only needed the French Open to repeat the feat in singles play. King was considered the ring leader amongst the players. - Kerry Melville: At just 23, had just broken into the world's top ten when she joined King and Heldman. In 1970, she also managed to reach the final of her home Slam, her first final, but lost to Margaret Court. Forty years later she stated, "Houston felt like the start of something, and I remember being excited. I was just a little ol' Aussie... I wanted a better deal, of course, but I wouldn't put myself in the feminist category. I went a lot by what Judy (Dalton) did; it was good having her around. I think my parents were a little concerned, but I felt that with Billie Jean we had a strong leader."
- Kristy Pigeon: Winner of the Junior US Open and Wimbledon titles in her career. Pigeon reached the fourth round at Wimbledon in 1968 and 1969. She was 20 years old when she took a stand against the establishment. She later stated, "I think a lot of those original true feminists were missing the point by burning bras. In a way, they didn't make nearly as many waves as we tennis players did. We demonstrated that as sportspeople we were as interesting as the men. Our competition was stimulating to watch and we could pull the people in. For me, that's a more powerful way of establishing equality."
- Nancy RicheyNancy RicheyNancy Richey is a former tennis player from the United States.Richey won two Grand Slam singles titles and four Grand Slam women's doubles titles . She was ranked World No...
: Two time singles Grand Slam champion and multiple doubles champ; she was 28 in 1970. Richey said 40 years later of the events, "I still feel the same way as I did then about the inequities. It was so unfair, we were so discriminated against. Some of the men players were upset that we were getting any of the prize money at the tournaments that were being held jointly. If the purse was $10,000, they were getting $8,500. It was that kind of ratio. And they were pretty vocal about it. They'd say, 'Well go out and get your own circuit and stop taking the money from us." - Valerie ZiegenfussValerie ZiegenfussValerie Bradshaw is an American former female professional tennis player. She started off as an amateur player at the beginning of the 1970s before turning professional....
: Reached the fourth round of the US Open in 1969 and the third round at Wimbledon in 1970. She won $300 for her loss to Casels.
Two other players had to withdraw from the event: Patti Hogan withdrew because she did not want to take the risk and stand against the establishment. Margaret Court withdrew as she had just lost to Chris Evert, who was 15 at the time, after completing her Grand Slam.
Tournament
Joseph CullmanJoseph Cullman
Joseph Cullman was an American businessman, Tennis aficionado and CEO of Philip Morris Company from 1957-1978. During his tenure as CEO, Philip Morris brand Marlboro became the most popular brand of cigarette in the United States...
added an additional $2,500 making the purse stand at £7,500. Cullman was the chairman of Philip Morris
Philip Morris USA
Philip Morris USA is the United States tobacco division of Altria Group, Inc. Philip Morris USA brands include Marlboro, Virginia Slims, Benson and Hedges, Merit, Parliament, Alpine, Basic, Cambridge, Bucks, Dave's, Chesterfield, Collector's Choice, Commander, English Ovals, Lark, L&M, Players and...
and lent the company's Virginia Slims
Virginia Slims
Virginia Slims is a brand of cigarette manufactured by Altria Group . The brand was introduced in 1968 and marketed to young professional women using the slogan "You've come a long way, baby." Some media watch groups considered this campaign to be responsible for a rapid increase in smoking among...
brand to the event. The tournament was therefore called the Virginia Slims Invitation.
Aftermarth
During the tournament, Barry MacKayBarry MacKay
Barry MacKay is a former American tennis player and tournament director and a current tennis broadcaster. While competing in college for the University of Michigan, he won the singles title at the 1957 NCAA Men's Tennis Championship to clinch the team title for Michigan. He was also a finalist...
, chairman of the Pacific Coast Championships, called Heldman with an offer. Following all the publicity surrounding her event MacKay had decided to increase the women's prize fund for a draw of 32 players from $2,000 to $4,400. Heldman declined and stated that her players would play for a purse of $11,000. MacKay called the next day and agreed to the demands.
After the event, the women voted for Heldman to run a new women's only tour. This became the Virginia Slims Circuit, with Phillip Morris continuing their link and sponsoring 8 of the 16 tournaments on the schedule.