Shohei Ohtani honors Billie Jean King after her Walk of Fame induction

Los Angeles Dodgers Slugger Shohei Ohtani & Tennis Legend Billie Jean King

Billie Jean King has long admired Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Shohei Ohtani. The two met back in March, and they had a special moment. King's late brother, Randy Moffitt, was a professional baseball player in the 70s and 80s and wore the same number as Ohtani.

For those who may be unfamiliar, Billie Jean King is a former world No. 1 tennis player who brought many eyes to the game. She was recently inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Monday, becoming the 2,807th person to be given a star.

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King has now become the first woman to receive a star in the newly created sports entertainment category. The Dodgers star was quick to congratulate someone he respects a ton.

"Congratulations on winning a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Also, good luck in the Billie Jean King Cup this week. Good luck to the Japanese representatives!" said Ohtani.

Ohtani also wished the tennis legend and the Japanese representatives good luck on the upcoming Billie Jean King Cup. This is a tennis tournament between women's national teams.

During her time on the court, King was an absolute joy to watch. She had no trouble at Wimbledon, winning the tournament six different times. She also played well during the US Opens, winning four of those tournaments.

Shohei Ohtani and Billie Jean King have nothing but respect for each other

Los Angeles Dodgers - Shohei Ohtani (Photo via IMAGN)

Long before Shohei Ohtani took the world by storm, Billie Jean King was turning heads on the tennis court. She is regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, winning 39 Grand Slam titles throughout her career.

Not only was she a tremendous tennis player, but she also used her platform to fight for gender equality. One of her most famous matches was the "Battle of the Sexes" in 1973 when she beat Bobby Riggs.

She was a generational talent and understands the pressures that come with that. When Ohtani broke MLB history last year by becoming a sole member of the 50/50 club, King did not hesitate to congratulate him.

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Ohtani does not have a Hollywood star as of yet, despite being one of Hollywood's best athletes. However, it would be hard to deny him a star for much longer given what he has done for the sport as a whole.

About the author

Jared "Bloomy" Bloom is a journalist covering Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda and a former college baseball pitcher from Illinois, who just graduated with a Master's degree in Sport Psychology.

A writer with over 3 years of experience, Jared is consistently more concerned with quality than quantity, thoroughly checking multiple sources of information, and prides himself in being knowledgeable not just about MLB, but the game of baseball in general. He loves breaking down plays and game-changing moments, as well as looking closer into players' statistics.

Jared is a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan, and one of his earliest memories is seeing his great-grandfather, a huge Sox fan, in his rocking chair watching a game. Jared started playing from the age of 5 with his grandfather coaching him early on.

Jared loved Tim Lincecum for his quirky delivery and looked up to him as a role model when playing. His current favorite is Phillies star Bryce Harper, an exciting player who doesn't let injuries hold him back. Jared's favorite sports moment is Mark Buehrle's opening day between-the-legs glove flip to first base in 2010.

When he is not watching or writing about baseball, Jared can be found racing BMX at his local Rockford BMX track or coaching his local youth travel baseball team.

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Edited by Jared "Bloomy" Bloom