Elizabeth "Bettie" J. Floyd (October 22, 1930 – December 4, 1987), better known by her ring name Betty Jo Hawkins , was an American professional wrestler.
| Betty Jo Hawkins | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Birth name | Elizabeth J. Floyd |
| Born | October 22, 1930 Boyd, Kentucky, US |
| Died | December 4, 1987 (aged 57) |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Betty Jo Hawkins Betty Hawkins |
| Trained by | Ella Waldek |
| Debut | 1948 |
| Retired | 1959 |
Wrestling career
editAs a child Floyd suffered from rheumatoid arthritis which caused her pain in her joints. It was misdiagnosed as polio.[1] Hawkins began her wrestling debut in 1948 and trained by Ella Waldek. She won the NWA Florida Women's Championship in 1952 where she became a three-time champion.[2] She later worked in Calgary for Stampede Wrestling and other territories. Hawkins retired from wrestling in 1959 after the arthritis came back.
Personal life and death
editHawkins was married to professional wrestler Brute Bernard. Bernard died in 1984 of a self-inflicted gunshot; it was not determined if his death was a suicide or an accident.[3] One story states that Bernard was playing Russian roulette.[4][5]
Hawkins passed away from a heart attack on December 4, 1987. She was 57.
Championships and accomplishments
editReferences
editGeneral
- Nevada, Vance (2022). (Un)Controlled Chaos: Canada's Remarkable Professional Wrestling Legacy. FriesenPress. ISBN 9781039154797.
- Banner, Penny (2005). Banner Days: The Life of Pro Wrestling Legend Penny Banner. Flying Mare Productions. ISBN 9780975255704.
Specific
- ^ Laprade, Pat; Murphy, Dan (2017). "Betty Jo Hawkins". Sisterhood of the Squared Circle: The History and Rise of Women's Wrestling. ECW Press. ISBN 978-1-7730-5-014-0.
- ^ Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). Wrestling Title Histories, 4th Edition. Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ^ Mooneyham, Mike (July 25, 2004). "Penny Banner Was Original Diva". The Wrestling Gospel According to Mike Mooneyham. Retrieved January 21, 2009.
- ^ Geddes, Jon (December 7, 2007). "The gurus of grapple". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved January 21, 2009.
- ^ "Johnny Weaver Interview: Part Two". Mid-Atlantic Gateway. Archived from the original on November 29, 2008. Retrieved January 21, 2009.
- ^ "N.W.A. Florida Women's Title". Puroresu Dojo. Retrieved May 13, 2008.
- ^ "World Women's Tag Team Title". wrestling-titles.com.
External links
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