Women's World Championship
| Women's World Championship |
|---|
The Women's World Championship was the first women's professional wrestling singles title.[1] It is an older championship than the male equivalent, beginning in the 19th century rather than the 20th.
History
Recognized as the first original Women's World Championship created in the 1890s with its first champion being Josie Wahlford. When the title was won by Mildred Burke in 1938, her title reign came to an end when Burke had a bitter falling-out with husband Billy Wolfe and departed the promotion, leaving the world title vacant. On June 14, 1953, June Byers won a 13-woman tournament in Baltimore to claim the belt. She quickly became a popular fan favorite champion.[2] Byers and Burke wrestled a two out of three falls match in 1954 it went to a no contest. Subsequently, Byers was recognized as the NWA World Women's Champion, and Burke went on to create the WWWA World Championship and was recognized as its first champion.[3]
Title history
| Wrestler: | Times: | Date: | Location: | Notes: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josie Wahlford | 1 | 1890s | Recognized as the first ever World Women's champion. | |
| Alice Williams | 1 | 1890s | ||
| Laura Bennett | 1 | 1900s | ||
| Hazel Parker | 1 | 1906 | Chicago, Illinois | |
| Mary Harris | 1 | 1907 | ||
| Laura Bennett | 2 | 1909 | ||
| Masha Poddubnaya | 6 | 1909 | Russia | In Russia, Poddubnaya won the title six times before 1910. |
| Cora Livingstone | 1 | October 1910 | Kansas City, Missouri | |
| Title vacated on 1925 due to Livingstone's retirement. | ||||
| Clara Mortenson | 1 | 1932 | Defeated Barbara Ware to win vacant title. | |
| Mildred Burke | 1 | January 28, 1937 | Chattanooga, Tennessee | |
| Clara Mortenson | 2 | February 11, 1937 | Chattanooga, Tennessee | |
| Mildred Burke | 2 | April, 1937 | ||
| Betty Nichols | 1 | November 18, 1938 | Columbus, Ohio | |
| Mildred Burke | 3 | December 1, 1938 | Columbus, Ohio | |
| Vacated | 1952 | Mildred Burke had a bitter falling-out with husband Wolfe and departed the promotion, leaving the world title vacant. | ||
| June Byers | 1 | June 14, 1953 | Baltimore, Maryland | Byers won a 13-woman tournament to win the vacant title. |
| Byers and Burke wrestled a two out of three falls match in 1954 it went to a no contest. Subsequently, Byers was recognized as the NWA World Women's Champion, and Burke went on to create the WWWA World Championship and was recognized as its first champion, While the Women's World Championship was retired in 1954. | ||||
See also
- List of early world heavyweight champions in professional wrestling
- Women's World Tag Team Championship
References
- ↑ "World Women's Title". Puroresu Dojo. Retrieved 2012-01-17.
- ↑ June Byers at imdb.com. Retrieved on 2007-11-11.
- ↑ Malnoske, Andrew. "Mildred Burke". Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum. Retrieved 2009-02-20.