Thursday, November 08, 2007

Backbreaking Famous Woman in Sports


Fabulous Moolah, born Mary Lillian Ellison in 1923. 1Ellison grew up in Tookiedoo, South Carolina, the youngest of 13 children, and the only girl. She was 8 when her mom died of cancer. 2Ellison was dubbed the Fabulous Moolah after saying she wrestled "for the money ... for the moolah." 3"Ellison was trained in the ring in the 1940s by then-women's champion Mildred Burke -- the sport's biggest star at the time, according to the WWE. Moolah held the world championship for 28 years, from 1956 to 1984. The next year, she won it again for two more years. In 1999, at age 76, she reclaimed the title for a final time. Moolah’s signature move? The “Backbreaker,” according to WWE." Fabulous Moolah has the longest ever WWF Title Reign.

In 1995 Fabulous Moolah was the first woman to be inducted into the World Wrestling Entertainment Hall of Fame. 4Click here to listen to her acceptance speech.

"One of the greatest achievements of this period came in 1972, when she and Vincent J. McMahon successfully beat the ban against women’s wrestling at Madison Square Garden." WWE: Superstars Hall of Fame

Unfortunately Fabulous Moolah died last Friday on November 2 at age 84 presumably 5a heart attack or blood clot related to recent shoulder replacement surgery.

She wrote her autobiography, "The Fabulous Moolah: First Goddess of the Squared Circle" that was published in 2003.

In my research, I found an excellent article for you all to enjoy about Fabulous Moolah:

THE AMAZING STORY OF THE FABULOUS MOOLAH
TV's First Woman Wrestling Star

By Sam Boykin (Posted on OCTOBER 16, 2002):

I drive through a big open gate and pull in next to a monstrous blue Cadillac. Beyond the main residence is a pond with small rental properties dotting the shoreline, along with milling clusters of geese and ducks. A tire swing drifts back and forth in the warm breeze. The expansive, 40-acre estate in a Columbia, SC, suburb off I-77 has a pleasant, even serene feel to it.

I'm greeted at the door by a vision in white slacks and a leopard skin silk top. Her hair is dyed reddish blond and styled just so; her make-up is of the old-fashioned, Southern Belle variety -- lots of base, eye shadow and lipstick.

"Hi, sweetie," she says, and clasps my outstretched hand warmly but firmly in both of hers. Her hands are adorned by several big, flashy rings, one of which is a diamond-studded dollar sign; it matches the emblem hanging from her gold necklace -- she'd look right at home working the slot machines in Vegas. She exudes a youthful energy and, considering that her career started during Harry S. Truman's presidency, she looks amazingly fit and healthy. She is none other than the one, the only, The Fabulous Moolah, the most famous professional female wrestler of all time.Read More

1. Charlotte Creative Loafing
2. Charleston Post and Courier
3. The State
4. FabulousMoolah.com
5. Wikipedia

Moral: Women are never 2 old 2 Succeed

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

ha, ha,

I kind of got lost reading about her frm the links and had to find my way back. I knew nothing about her before this. That was interesting. Thanks.

ndpthepoetress Jean Michelle Culp said...

rofl my Monkey butt off! Glad we weren’t playing a game of Scavenger Hunt – lol. Thankfully you found your way back cause Cooper I wouldn’t want to wrestle with the idea of having to try find you, especially as busy as you stay - lol

Eastcoastdweller said...

Thank You for sharing this fascinating Woman with us!

ndpthepoetress Jean Michelle Culp said...

Thank You eastcoastdweller :) And an early Good Morning to you! (At least early here for me :)

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