1984: Martina Navratilova, Wimbledon and the summer that transformed America forever

Wimbledon 1984 found John McEnroe at the absolute peak of his powers, yet he was only the second most dominant force in the sport

On its face, it was a benign American summer. Big budget movies filled the theaters. Sugary pop songs wafted from the radio. An elderly woman asking Where's the Beef?" was a national laugh line. Ronald Reagan Era was in full free-market, take-cutting bloom, a few months before his resounding re-election.