On the 35th anniversary of Title IX, SI.Com has identified some of the most influential people in the history of the landmark law, which requires athletic departments to offer programs in proportion to their gender population.

A year after Title IX's inception, King beat Bobby Riggs in the famous "battle of the sexes" tennis match in the Astrodome. Throughout her professional career, King has been an outspoken advocate of women's rights in sports, founding the Women's Tennis Association and the Women's Sports Foundation.