1973, Sport: “Battle of the Sexes”

On September 20, 1973, in the Astrodome, Houston, Texas, 55-year-old Bobby Riggs and 29-year-old Billie Jean King played the tennis match known as the “Battle of the Sexes”.

Bobby Riggs had been a top tennis player in the 1940s, he was ranked No. 1 three times in 1939 as an amateur and in 1946 and 1947 as a professional. He won three Grand Slam titles during his career. After he retired in 1959 he remained a promoter of tennis. In 1973 he stated that female tennis was inferior and that he could, at his current age (55), still beat any of the top female players. Earlier that year Riggs had won from 30-year-old Margaret Court.

Billie Jean King entering the court in Cleopatra style

Bobby Riggs entering the court in a rickshaw drawn by female models

Then 29-year-old Billie Jean King had earned her fifth No. 1 female player ranking in 1972 and would finish second in 1973. She won in her career 39 Grand Slam titles: 12 in singles, 16 in women's doubles, and 11 in mixed doubles.

The match was viewed by an estimated 90 million people around the world.

Billie Jean King won in three sets (6-4, 6-3 and 6-3)

Billie Jean King entered the court in Cleopatra style on a feather-adorned palanquin carried by four bare-chested muscle men. Bobby Riggs followed in a rickshaw drawn by female models. Riggs presented King with a giant Sugar Daddy lollipop, and she responded by giving him a squealing piglet, symbolic of male chauvinism. The match was viewed by an estimated 90 million people around the world. Billie Jean King's win in three sets (6-4, 6-3 and 6-3) is considered a milestone in public acceptance of women's tennis.

Video (1973)

1972, Designs: cars, furniture, electronics, clothes

Citroën Camargue concept

- Designed by Bertone Design, Milan, Italy, 1972.

- Based on the Citroën GS

- 1015 cc air-cooled B4 engine

- unveiled at the 1972 Geneva Motor Show

Citroën Camargue

Citroën Camargue

Citroën Camargue

Citroën Camargue

Buick Riviera Silver Arrow III concept

- Designed by Bill Mitchell, USA, 1972.

- Based on the Buick Riviera

- 7500 cc V8 engine

- unveiled at the 1972 Detroit Auto Show

Buick Riviera Silver Arrow III

Buick Riviera Silver Arrow III

Buick Riviera Silver Arrow III

Wega Studio 3220 HiFi

- Design by Wega

- Württembergische Radio-Ges. MbH, Stuttgart, Fellbach, West Germany, 1972-1975.

Wega Studio 3220 HiFi

Wega Studio 3220 HiFi

Zorro Children’s Chair

- Design by Meurop

- Manufactered by Meurop, Rijmenam, Belgium, 1972.

Zorro Children’s Chair

Zorro Children’s Chair

Palm Tree Lamp

- Design by Maison Jansen

- Manufactered by Maison Jansen, Paris, France, 1972.

Palm Tree Lamp

Palm Tree Lamp

Pierre Cardin, Paris, France, autumn 1972

Posters Munich, West Germany, Summer Olympics 1972

1971, Belgian comics: "Des gags de Boule et Bill"

In 1971 the seventh Bollie en Billie (original French title: Boule et Bille) album "Gags van Bollie en Billie" (original title: "Des gags de Boule et Bill") is published by Dupuis. The comic was created in 1959 by the Belgian writer-artist Jean Roba in collaboration with Maurice Rosy.

The stories center on a typical family: a man and his wife, their young son Bollie and Billie the cocker spaniel. The main character Bollie is based on the son of Jean Roba and the dog Billie is based on his own cocker spaniel.

The main characters are:

• Bollie, a young boy, always dressed in a blue overalls and a yellow T-shirt.
• Billie the Cocker Spaniel of the family. He can communicate with other animals.
• Bollie's mother.
• Bollie's father.
• Caroline the green family turtle, living in the garden.
• Pim (Pouf), Bollie's best friend.

No 7 "Gags van Bollie en Billie"

No 7 "Gags van Bollie en Billie"

• full-colour
• never published in English
• story and drawings by Jean Roba
• pre-publication in Spirou/Robbedoes

Bollie (Boule), Billie (Bill) and Caroline

Bollie (Boule), Billie (Bill) and Pim (Pouf)

Main characters in this album: Bollie (Boule), Billie (Bill), Bollie's father, Pim (Pouf), Billie's mother and Caroline the green family turtle.

Father and Billie (Bill)

Mother and Billie (Bill)

Cars

• Citroën Dyane
• Citroën DS
• Peugeot 204
• Unidentified truck

Citroën Dyane

Citroën DS

Peugeot 204

Unidentified truck

1970, Music: "The Beatles" Last Number One in the US

On June 13, 1970, "The Long and Winding Road" becomes "The Beatles" 20th and final single to reach number one on the "US Billboard Hot 100" chart.

The song was written by Paul McCartney and appeared on the 1970 album "Let it Be". When it was released as a single in May 1970, one month after the group broke up, the song was credited to Lennon-McCartney. "The Long and winding Road" was the last single by "The Beatles" as an existing group. It was recorded mainly in 1969 with extra orchestral and choral overdubs by American producer Phil Spector in 1970 without the consent of McCartney.

The song was covered by Chris De Burgh, Barbara Dickson, Will Young & Gareth Gates, Cher, Peter Frampton, Peter Hofmann, Billy Ocean, George Benson, Aretha Franklin, George Michael, Leo Sayer, Olivia Newton-John, Diana Ross, Barry Manilow, Roberta Flack, Sarah Vaughan, Andy Williams, The Corrs, Cilla Black, The Sandpipers, Donny Osmond, Ray Charles, Johnny Mathis, Kenny Rogers & The First Edition, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Tony Bennett; Matt Monro, and others.