the Virginia Slims Circuit, a tennis tour consisting of a group of originally nine female professional players. Formed in 1970, the Virginia Slims Circuit eventually became the basis for the later WTA Tour. The players, dubbed the Original 9, rebelled against the United States Lawn Tennis Association (USLTA) because of the wide inequality between the prize money paid to male and female tennis players. Magazine publisher and former tennis pro Gladys Heldman, with the assistance of Joe Cullman of Philip Morris, paid $5,000 out of her own pocket to allow the "Original 9" to sign token $1 contracts and set up their own tour of eight professional tournaments in 1970, sponsored by Virginia Slims. This independent women's professional tennis circuit provided more prize money than had been provided previously by the USLTA and other organizations. Despite the USLTA's suspension of the "Original 9" from its tournaments, by the end of the year, the Virginia Slims Circuit was able to boost its numbers from nine to 40 members, which helped pave the way for the first full year season of the circuit in 1971. In the aftermath of the creation of the WTA in 1973, the Virginia Slims Circuit would eventually absorb the ILTF's Women's Grand Prix circuit and become the WTA Tour. In popular culture Music You've Come a Long Way, Baby is the name of the second album of the electronic musician Fatboy Slim, released in 1998. The Black Lips' song "Dog Years" references Virginia Slims Ultra Lights. Greyson Chance references Virginia Slims as his mother's favorite brand and mentions it multiple times on his 'Portraits' album. Outkast’s “Elevators (Me and You)” makes specific references to the cigarette and its famous tag line in the last verse, when André 3000 raps, “ Yes, we done come a long way like them slim-ass cigarettes. From Virginia...” Television Episode 66 of the animated television show Duckman is titled "You've Come a Wrong Way, Baby" and its plot involves the tobacco industry. References External links Philip Morris brands Products introduced in 1968