Betty Jo Hawkins

Betty Jo Hawkins
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

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

Wrestling career

As 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

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

Championship Wrestling from Florida
- NWA Florida Women's Championship (3 times)^[6]
National Wrestling Alliance
- NWA Women's World Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Penny Banner (2)^[7]

References

General

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

Betty Jo Hawkins on Cagematch.net (in German)
Betty Jo Hawkins on Wrestlingdata.com

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[LapradeMurphy2017-1] 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.

[Titles-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.

[NWAFloridaWomens-6] "N.W.A. Florida Women's Title". Puroresu Dojo. Retrieved May 13, 2008.

[wrestlingtitles-7] "World Women's Tag Team Title". wrestling-titles.com.

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