SPORTS in the 1960s

• Bowling was a national craze and bowling alleys provided a new nighttime hangout for kids and teenagers.
  
• Surfing was popular on the beaches of California and Hawaii. Surf fashions, surf music, and another sport, skateboarding grew out of the surf culture. Popular surf music groups included the Beach Boys, the Ventures, and Jan and Dean.
  
• Golfing remained a favorite sport. Arnold Palmer won the Masters title three times as well as the British and U.S. Open.
  
• Women’s tennis came a long way with the help of Billie Jean King who learned to play on public courts and fought her way to the top of the tennis world. She won three Wimbledon titles in succession from 1966 to 1968. She championed equality for women in sports and professionalism in tennis. Previously there was no money in tennis, but King lobbied for competition for cash prizes. The next hurdle involved equitable pay for men and women players. Prizes for men’s tournaments were much higher than for women’s. In protest, Billie Jean and eight other top women players quit the USLTA to form their own tour. It was a success, and today’s players continue to benefit from King’s work.
  
• Boxing had its own hero in Cassium Clay. After joining the Black Muslims, he changed his name to Muhammed Ali. When called by the draft in 1967,  he refused to do military service and was stripped of the heavyweight championship which he had held for three years. The former 1960 Olympic gold medalist became a hero to young African American radicals for his actions.
  
• The 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City proved to be controversial when two United States medalists raised fists in recognition of the black movement. Tommy Smith and John Carlos displayed the salute while the American national anthem was being played. They were both suspended from the games.

Back to Pop Culture