Ever Wondered What This is on Sunset Boulevard?
Have you ever passed this little sidewalk placard with Billie Jean King's name on it on Sunset Boulevard just east of Echo Park Avenue and wondered what in the world it is? It's a remnant of the Avenue of Athletes, a project from the 1970's - brainchild of camera shop owner, L. Andrew Castle.
An article from the LA Times in 1985 explains, "at Castle's urging, the City of Los Angeles in 1974 declared the 10 blocks of Sunset Boulevard between Elysian Park Boulevard and Alvarado Street to be the Avenue of the Athletes, allowing sidewalks to be dotted with tablets bearing the names of superstar jocks."
Apparently in 1985 there were around 32 plaques, but most of them have been removed or covered today. It's always nice to see evidence of "city layering" from years and years of change - something that can be tough to find in LA, the city of constant-change.
