The Hall Of Titles

[The Crusher]

Ich habe doch noch was zu Wolfe, Burke und Nell Stewart gefunden. Es sind drei Zeitungsartikel vom Oktober 1952:

Billy Wolfe
Mildred Burke
Nell Stewart

Stewart gehörte damals zu Wolfe's Kader. Der Artikel über Wolfe ist gut, was eigentlich eher selten vorkommt! Meistens wird über ihn nur Müll geschrieben. Ich glaube allerdings nicht, dass sie die Liste von wrestlingtitle hinreichend besser erläutern können. Über den Bereich des Women's Wrestlings gibt es eben, wie schon erwähnt, nicht sonderlich viele gute Quellen. Die Hauptlinie lässt sich aber dennoch gut recherchieren. Die ganzen anderen "Regentschaften" vor Cora Livingstone kann man eigentlich fallen lassen. Eine Verbindung aus den 1890er Jahren zu 1932 herzustellen ist unsinnig.

Interessieren dich diese Artikel?

[Adrian Adonis]

Brennend, jap. Würde mich sehr darüber freuen!

[The Crusher]

War dir die verlinkte Liste bereits bekannt?

[Adrian Adonis]

Grösstenteils ja, aber stehen auch einige Informationen mehr, die ich noch nicht kanne. Vielen Dank für die Links!

[The Crusher]

Der Artikel gibt mal so ein paar Eindrücke, wie wichtig Wolfe im Women's Wrestling gewesen ist.

Billy Wolfe
Oktober 1952

“Billy Wolfe, Impresario of Girl Wrestling is 55 years of age and was born on a farm in Davies County Missouri. Around the age of thirty, he was recognized in his home state of Missouri by the wrestling commission as the Missouri State Champion. While that is a small sounding title when compared to his fabulous booking business of today, Billy still cherishes fond memories of that title. At about this same period Billy was also Wrestling Coach for Amateur Wrestling at the YMCA in Kansas City, and had his own private gymnasium for training both men and women for professional wrestling. It was in this private gym that he trained and produced Mildred Burke, the present World Champion girl wrestler. Women wrestling is not a new thing as there are some islands in the Pacific, West of Panama, where for unkown centuries the native women settle certain disputies by wrestling each other. In the ruins of Tibet --- massive decaying walls of temples of another area --- have been found carvings on some of the walls near the top of buildings depicting women wrestling with each other. This proves for a certainty that women have wrestled for thousands of years, however, we do not know what the women of Tibet were wrestling for, whether it was for prizes or to settle disputies, but it proves without a doubt that they were interested in this athletic activity even at that early date.

When Billy Wolfe started training girls for professional wrestling, there were quite a number of girls throughout the United States who wrestled only in carnivals, circuses and on the stage in burlesque and vaudeville theaters. But no girls anywhere in the United States, or anywhere in the world where professional wrestling existed, were accepted or permitted to wrestle in the regular wrestling shows where men wrestlers performed. Billy Wolfe is one of the only man in the world who put girl wrestlers in the same auditoriums and on the same programs where men wrestlers were booked. Wolfe first convinced the Wrestling Commission of the State of Alabama that it was alright for girls to perform on regular wrestling shows. Then the State of Texas followed, with the Kentucky Commisson being the third state to okay girls. Most State Wrestling Commission were skeptical and in some instances it took several years to sell a State Commission on the idea. However, at the present time the Billy Wolfe Booking Office is booking girl wrestlers in 42 of the 48 states, in Western Canada, Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico and South America.

When Wolfe first started out he personally trained the girl wrestlers which he booked, but at the present time girls have are being trained for wrestling in many sections throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico --- that they can be accepted by the Billy Wolfe Booking Office for professional appearances. Throughout the United States, Wolfe will average having girl wrestlers in eight different cities every day of the week from Monday until Saturday, which is the largest wrestling booking business in the world owned and managed by one man. There are at present time some girl wrestlers in various parts of the country and other countries that are booked by other promoters, but it can safely be said that 95 percent of all booking of girl wrestlers in the United States and foreign countries is done by Billy Wolfe.”

[The Crusher]

Mildred Burke
Women’s Champion
Oktober 1952

“Mildred Burke, world wrestling champion, can best be described as the Pin-Up girl who pins ‘emdown - at $50,000 a year. In 15 years of wrestling, Mildred, born in Coffeyville, Kansas, birthplace of Walter Johnson, the Big Train of major league baseball, has never been thrown although she admits rugged matches in 43 of the 48 states, as well as in Cuba, Mexico and Canada.

The 33-year-old, 5 foot, 2 inch blue-eyed pioneer of girls wrestling says: “That while I started out to become an interior decorator.” She preferred to decorate her opponents with tough holds: “This sport got into my blood early. I wrestled men and women during the Great Depression and my first match was in Bethany, Missouri, before 300 persons. Times have changed since then”, says Mildred. “Gust Karras, the promoter then, would be amazed to see the crowds I draw today - averaging from 5,000 in smaller cities to 10,000 in the Coliseum in Mexico to 15,000 in the Boston Garden and the Philadelphia Convention Hall. I guess I wrestled some 200 men, all comers, in my time. It was rugged work, but my challengers today are just as spirited and even more tricky. There are about 100 girl wrestlers today, but I would say there are about 16 who can be classed as top notch wrestlers.”

Manager Billy Wolfe says Mildred wrestlers in the average of from 3 to 5 nights a week, 8 months a year. “She rests the other four,” says Billy. “Mildred has two homes in Los Angeles, both showplaces,” he says with pride. “One is for her and the other for her mother.” While the world knows of Mildred’s skill, few know her personal backround. Her mother, Mrs. Bertha E. Bliss, lives next door to her in Los Angeles. She is 75 years of age. “I own my success to her,” says Mildred. “She is a clear, sound thinker. When I told her I was going to drop interior decorating for wrestling she advised: “If you do that, put your heart into it.’ --- I guess I did. I’ve been champion for 13 years, a title I earned in a Columbus, Ohio tournament sponsored by the Mid-West Wrestling Association. There were 15 girls entered. In the finals, I defeated Edna Bancroft to win a belt that weights 15 pounds and is 24 karat gold, containing 7 diamonds, 4 sapphires and 6 amethysts. I always wear it before a match,” says Mildred.

While not athletes, Mildred is also proud of her three sisters. “All are ordained ministers in the Four Square Gospel in California. They are Mrs. Edna Newell, Mrs. Flora Bingham and Mrs. Marie Butcher. I am a Baptist, myself. My brother, Louis, used to be organist for Aimee Semple McPherson. He was Norma Shearer’s secretary at one time, too. Today, he is an engineer,” commented Mildred, who has a 14-years-old son, Joseph, who attends John Muir, Junior High School in Los Angeles. Although she has never appeared in England, Australia or South Africa, Mildred says “she gets a ton of mail a year. I average at least 1,000 letters from girls who want to wrestle.”

The Pin-Up girl who pins ‘emdown has a waist of a musical comedy star and build of a female Atlas. “Frankly, I was 150 pounds when I started to wrestle. Today I average 130, net. Wrestling is great for woman. It keeps one agile and one’s mind alert. Of course, the earnings are interesting, too. That’s why I hear from so many girls each year. Those who make the grade become sound businesswomen, in property, in investments, in clothes and jewelry. I know several competitors who own businesses. Now, what secretary can make those claims?” says Mildred Burke."

[Adrian Adonis]

Vielen Dank für beide Artikel, Ronald!

[The Crusher]

Nell Stewart
Oktober 1952

"Orginally attracted by the lure of big money in professional girl wrestling, Nell Stewart is collecting some of that lucre these days. The Betty Gable of girl wrestlers is not only one of the better looking performers, but she is one of busiest and one of the most sensational performers.

The only thing her detractors says of her is “Nell has the first dollar she ever made in girl wrestling.” That is a compliment to her consecutive qualities and her credit. After all, she is one of the Big Five of girl wrestlin today --- a sport approved of in 43 American states. Nell Stewart was an ordinary working girl eight years ago in Birmingham, Alabama, where she was a waitress, saving tips to help support her mother and two brothers. Altough Nell sacrificed her graduation pin and the ceremonial frills that go with it, the Alabama Assassin has gained her education today through travel, good books and drama, wherever she can see it on the stage. “Although I got enough drama in every match in the ring,” she added with a chuckle. Today, that drama has paid off. Her mother has her own home and her brothers are in good schools. “I’m really more proud of that achievement than anything I received in the ring against tough opposition,” she says. Hard work did all that.

“I saw my first wrestling match in 1942”, said the 24-year-old statuesque wrestler, owner of a pair of sprightly limbs. “I was always a good athlete in school,” says Nell, “but the first time I saw girls wrestle in Alabama I knew that I could fit into the picture. After all, Mildred Burke was earning $30,000 a year in 1942 and what Mildred Burke can do, I can do, too, in the ring. I always feld that way, anyway. Well here I am. I got my first taste of girl wrestling in Memphis, Tenn., under the promotional banner of Charley Rontrop. He had lots of patience with me, but it paid off and I am never so grateful to him. From Memphis, I went to California, when several friends advised me to go there. It was there that I met Gladys Gillem, a former star. Again I am thankful to her, too. Six or seven years ago, Gladys was a top notch wrestling star. What I have learned from Glayds stood me in good all over the country. She was a stern teacher and disciplinarian. She was in the sport 12 years and as you know, everything she did inside the ring, I had to follow. I trained with Gladys seven months before she would permit me to wrestle and when I did it was in Mexico City. I met all types, but I learned. I made my first star appearance in the Mexico City Bull Ring. Everyone attends girl wrestling there. I wrestled under the promotion of Salvadore Lutteroth.

He booked me in many matches there and I also have him to thank. When I came back to California with Gladys Gillem, I was ready to go on tour of America --- and did. I have been wrestling for years now and I’ve never really been badly hurt although I got my bumps and bruises. I’ve made close to $20,000 each year, and I have it invested in real estate, furs, clothes and diamonds. I’ve got to have something to show for my work, haven’t I?” And Nell Stewart has plenty of security for the day when she will be retired, thanks to Rontrop, Gillem, Lutteroth and Mr. and Mrs. Wrestling Fan throughout the country.”
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Ab wann Wolfe den Women's Title genau kontrollierte, kann ich jetzt noch nicht sagen. 1932 scheint aber gut möglich zu sein, da Wolfe dort schon in Kansas City arbeitete. Ursprünglich kam er aus Daviess County, Missouri. Wolfe war mehrfach verheiratet: In zweiter Ehe mit Women's Wrestler Barbara Ware. Er arbeitete seit Ende der 20er Jahre im Kansas City YMCA. Ich habe noch was über Mildred Burke. Soll ich das auch posten?

[The Crusher]

Auswertung zum Women’s Title

Nach dem Adrian nun gestern noch etliche Links von mir bekommen hat, sehe ich jetzt eine Auswertung als angebracht. Das wäre ja sonst nur die Hälfte! Unter der Berücksichtigung aller bisherigen Quellen, alt und neu, komme ich zu dem Ergebnis, dass es keine hinreichende sehr gute Quelle gibt, die Alles umfassend erklärt. Als Vorlage für die Erstellung einer Liste zum Women’s Title sind diese Listen empfehlenswert:

http://www.wrestling-titles.com/world/world-wm.html
http://www.wrestling-titles.com/japan/zenjo/wwwa-s.html

Die Seite wird regelmäßig aktualisiert und hat sich als Quelle, aus meiner Sicht, bisher sehr gut etabliert. Beim Women’s Title ist das Problem, dass leider viel Unsinn über Mildred Burke und Billy Wolfe geschrieben wurde und wird. Fakt ist, dass es ohne sie kein Women’s Wrestling in der professionellen Form auf weltweiter Ebene gegeben hätte. Ausgehend von der verlinkten Liste wird Josie Wahlford als erste Titelträgerin genannt. Cora Livingston war zu ihrer Zeit als Champion die Frau von Boston Promoter Paul Bowser. Dieser kontrollierte den Titel in den 20er Jahren auch. Livingston’s Ära, 10er und 20er Jahre, war die Zeit der Zersplitterung. Vermutlich wird man sie nie oder nur sehr schwer aufklären können. Als wichtig wäre das Jahr 1932 einzustufen: Clara Mortenson wird als Women’s Champion erstmals aufgeführt. Bereits dort stand Promoter Billy Wolfe aus Kansas City verstärkt hinter dem Titel. Wolfe bookte die größten Champions im Women’s Wrestling. Der Anfang seiner Zeit als Trainer und Manager fällt in die 20er Jahre. Eher Ende der 20er Jahre. Clara Mortenson war für Wolfe eines der ersten wichtigen Zugpferde.

Ab 1934 kam dann Mildred Burke dazu. Burke wurde jedoch 1935 noch nicht Champion. Als weiteres wichtiges Ereignis wäre hier der Titelwechsel vom 28. Januar 1937 zu betrachten. Mortenson verlor den Titel an Burke. Am stärksten war Wolfe so während seiner NWA Mitgliedschaft (1949-57). Nach den Angaben von Hornbaker hatte Wolfe 1949 rund 30 Frauen im Kader. Die Verbindung Wolfe-Burke brach 1952 auseinander. Ab diesem Zeitpunkt splittete sich auch der Titel wieder verstärkt und es kam zur Gründung von Burke’s WWWA 1954. Burke sanktionierte ihren eigenen Titel, der letztlich als Ausgangspunkt für das Women’s Wrestling in Japan wurde. Was ebenfalls verstärkt nach 1952 eintrat war die Situation von zwei Lagern: Wolfe gegen Burke. Als Wolfe 1957 die NWA verließ, war es die AWA der Doyle-Barnett Corporation, die diesen Titel zeitweise sanktionierte. Aber Wolfe hatte sich ein großes Netzwerk aus Kontakten gespannt. War praktisch dann bis zu seinem Tod 1963 der einflussreichste Promoter im Women’s Wrestling. Burke konnte sich gegen Wolfe nicht durchsetzten, da dieser, wie gesagt, die NWA Kontakte hatte. Und das war auch noch nach seinem Austritt so. Im Prinzip würde ich mich auf die verlinkten Listen konzentrieren. Dort wird eigentlich Alles gut erklärt. Wolfe war so ein Exzot unter den Promotern. Es gab nach ihm nie mehr die Situation, das ein Promoter so viel Einfluss im Women's Wrestling hatte.

[Adrian Adonis]

Es ist wirklich schade, aber wie du mir schon geschrieben hast, sind die fehlenden Informationen typisch für's Women's Wrestling. Ändern kann man daran leider nichts

[The Crusher]

Bei einer Anfrage kam es mal vor, dass ich nach Monaten noch was gefunden habe. Gezielt passiert das bei mir eher nicht. Aber es könnte sein, dass ich noch etwas habe. :winke:

[Adrian Adonis]

Ich hoffe sehr. Danke auf jeden Fall schon für die Buchempfehlung von Mildred Burke!