Betty Jo Hawkins

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Betty Jo Hawkins
Betty Jo Hawkins.jpeg
Birth nameElizabeth J. Floyd
Born(1930-10-22)October 22, 1930
Boyd, Kentucky, United States
DiedDecember 4, 1987(1987-12-04) (aged 57)
Spouse Brute Bernard
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s) Betty Hawkins
Betty Jo Hawkins
Trained by Ella Waldek
Debut1948
Retired1959

Elizabeth "Bettie" J. Floyd (October 22, 1930 to December 4, 1987), better known by her ring name Betty Jo Hawkins, was an American professional wrestler.

Contents

Professional wrestling career

As a child Floyd suffered from rheumatoid arthritis which caused her pain in her joints. It was misdiagnosed as polio. [1]

Hawkins was trained by Ella Waldek and made her professional wrestling debut in 1948. 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

Hawkins 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

References

General

Specific

  1. ↑ 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.
  2. ↑ Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). Wrestling Title Histories, 4th Edition. Archeus Communications. ISBN   0-9698161-5-4.
  3. ↑ Mooneyham, Mike (July 25, 2004). "Penny Banner Was Original Diva". The Wrestling Gospel According to Mike Mooneyham. Retrieved January 21, 2009.
  4. ↑ Geddes, Jon (December 7, 2007). "The gurus of grapple". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved January 21, 2009.
  5. ↑ "Johnny Weaver Interview: Part Two". Mid-Atlantic Gateway. Archived from the original on November 29, 2008. Retrieved January 21, 2009.
  6. ↑ "N.W.A. Florida Women's Title". Puroresu Dojo. Retrieved May 13, 2008.
  7. ↑ "World Women's Tag Team Title". wrestling-titles.com.


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