Tennis icon King, partner Kloss join Dodgers ownership group

International Tennis Hall of Famer Billie Jean King and partner Ilana Kloss

have become members of the Los Angeles Dodgers' ownership group, the team

announced Thursday.

The Dodgers plan to introduce the tennis icon King and Kloss during a press

conference at Dodger Stadium on Friday.

The 74-year-old King, who won 12 Grand Slam singles titles and 39 overall in a

legendary career on and off the court, grew up as a Dodgers fan in Long Beach,

Calif., and expressed her excitement to become minority owners along with her

partner Kloss.

"I'm totally going to pinch myself ... I'm pinching myself already,'" King

told the Los Angeles Times Thursday from her New York residence. "When you're

born and raised a Southern California kid, you dream your dreams of coming

back, but how could I have ever dreamed of something like this? Joining the

Dodgers is my life coming full circle.'"

In a statement released by the Dodgers, King praised the organization for

being a franchise that demonstrated inclusion, from breaking the color barrier

with Jackie Robinson and the team's many foreign player additions through the

years.

"[Dodger Owner & Chairman] Mark Walter and the entire Dodger organization

are a first-class operation that have proven to be leaders in sports on and

off the field of play," she said. "We share a commitment to equality and

inclusion, including the LGBTQ community, and we hope to further expand the

team's efforts in those areas as we move forward together."

"We're excited and proud to welcome two trailblazing athletes, social

advocates and businesswomen, Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss, to our

ownership group," said Walter. "Just like Billie Jean and Ilana, the Dodger

franchise has a history of and commitment to breaking barriers, inclusion and

winning, and we're looking forward to them continuing to promote these

attributes within our organization."

In addition to joining the Guggenheim Baseball Management Group headed by

Walter and including Lakers legend Magic Johnson, King and Kloss also hope to

become members of the LA Sparks' ownership group, pending WNBA approval.

King's younger brother, Randy Moffitt, pitched 12 major-league seasons, 10 of

them with the rival San Francisco Giants from 1972-81. He also pitched for the

Houston Astros and Toronto Blue Jays and went 43-52 with a 3.65 ERA and 96

saves.

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