Team Racketeering

Along with grotesque fashion trends and some of the worst creations in the history of music, the 1970s inspired a number of experimental sports leagues. Most of these leagues, such as the World Football League and the American Basketball Association, died in obscurity. World Team Tennis survived, despite the misfortune of having one of its franchises, Billie Jean King’s Philadelphia Freedom, inspire an Elton John song and the dissolution of the home of another franchise, the Soviet Union. WTT attempts to make tennis easier to understand for American sports fans attuned to team sports: Six-person teams compete in a series of five matches over the course of one night. One of WTT’s 10 teams, the Kansas City Explorers, continues its season at Barney Allis Plaza (12th Street and Central) with games today against the St. Louis Aces, Wednesday against the Boston Lobsters and Thursday against the Sacramento Capitals. The league’s rosters consist of obscure tennis players and famous participants may not appear in order to avoid injuries that could keep them from playing a more important tournament. Tickets cost $15 to $50. Call 816-513-5360 for details. Kansas City Explorers