Marva Scott (wrestler)
 | This article, Marva Scott (wrestler), has recently been created via the Articles for creation process. Please check to see if the reviewer has accidentally left this template after accepting the draft and take appropriate action as necessary.
Reviewer tools: Inform author |
Comment: Hi! Thank you so much for the submission and welcome to Wikipedia. This article is very interesting and I'm so glad you wrote it. The only reason I didn't accept it (yet) is that there are no in-line citations. Can you add sources throughout the article so that readers can see where each piece of info comes from? Thanks and please let me know if you have any questions. I'm looking forward to when you add in-line citations and re-submit the article! Crunchydillpickle🥒 (talk) 22:19, 14 April 2024 (UTC)
| Marva Scott | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Marva Aniece Wingo |
| Born | November 21, 1937 Decatur, Georgia, U.S.[1] |
| Died | August 15, 2003 (aged 65) Columbus, Ohio, U.S.[2] |
| Cause of death | Cancer |
| Spouse(s) | Clesson H. Goodwin[2] |
| Children | 4[2] |
| Relatives | Babs Wingo Ethel Johnson |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Marva Scott Marva Wingo Martha Scott Marva Johnson Mary Scott African Black Cat |
| Billed from | Detroit, Michigan[3] |
| Debut | 1954 |
| Retired | 1979 |
Marva Aniece Goodwin (née Wingo; November 21, 1937 - August 15, 2003), better known by the ring name Marva Scott, was among the first Black female professional wrestlers in the United States.[2] She began wrestling in the early 1950s and her first reported match happened in 1954.[4] With her older sisters, Babs Wingo and Ethel Johnson, she was part of the first Black trio sister team.[5] Marva Scott was posthumously inducted into the Women’s Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2023.[1]
Professional wrestling career
Scott began her career in the early 1950s at the age of 16. She was known as a villain (or “heel”) in the ring. She gained a reputation as a fierce wrestler and competitor, known for her strength and tenacity in the ring. Being a villain sometimes placed her in great danger, as crowds would become upset and threaten to physically harm her, especially when she wrestled in the Jim Crow South.
She was promoted as Babs Wingo's sister, often in tag team bouts against Ethel Johnson.[3]
Over the years, Scott constantly reinvented herself through her fashion and hairstyles. At one point, she became a bleach blonde while wrestling as "The African Black Cat".[3]
On July 19, 1955, Scott was ranked in Official Wrestling World ranking landing in the top 10, and she remained ranked for several years. Scott also tag-teamed with her sister Ethel. Together, they became tag team champions.[1] She also wrestled in mixed matches with male wrestlers.
Scott traveled the globe and was billed as the headliner when she wrestled in Japan and Australia. She was first African American to wrestle in Australia. She was the first Black female wrestler to grace cover of The Ring Magazine in March 1976. Wrestling historian Jim Melby called Scott one of the great "teenage sensations" during the "Golden Age of Wrestling" ranking her among the top six female wrestlers of the era.[3]
Scott retired in 1979. WWE named Marva 51 of the best wrestlers of all time in April 2021.[6]
Personal life
Scott was born Marva Aniece Wingo in Decatur, Georgia, to Gladys Chase and Clifford Wingo[2] on November 21, 1937. Scott’s sisters, Babs Wingo and Ethel Johnson, were also professional wrestlers.[1] Scott chose her ring name to distinguish herself from her sisters.
Scott was married to Clesson H. Goodwin. She had four children. Following her retirement, Scott was employed at the Training Institute of Central Ohio.[2]
Scott died of cancer on August 15, 2003, in Columbus, Ohio.[2]
Championships and accomplishments
- Clete Kaufman Promotions
- Ohio Women's Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Ethel Johnson[7]
- Women's Wrestling Hall of Fame
- Class of 2023[8]
References
General
- Bournea, Chris (director) (March 29, 2018). Lady Wrestler: The Amazing, Untold Story of African-American Women in the Ring (Documentary). United States: Amazon Prime Video.
- Jake Manning, Tyler Wood and Nick Alexander (February 7, 2019). "Episode 16: Ethel Johnson, Babs Wingo, & Marva Scott". Spotify.com (Podcast). 10 Bell Pod. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
Specific
- ^ a b c d Nash, Ebony (2022-09-27). "Babs Wingo, Marva Scott, and Ethel Johnson: Wrestling's Unsung". Pro Wrestling Stories. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Marva Goodwin". Columbus Dispatch. Columbus, Ohio. August 20, 2003. p. 06C.
- ^ a b c d Laparde, Pat; Murphy, Dan (2017). Sisterhood of the Squared Circle: The History and Rise of Women's Wrestling. Toronto: ECW Press. p. 56. ISBN 978-1773050140.
- ^ Erdman, Corey (2018-03-23). "The Forgotten Story of the First Black Female Wrestlers". Vice. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
- ^ Genzlinger, Neil (November 25, 2019). "Ethel Johnson, Early Black Wrestling Star, Is Dead at 83". The New York Times. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
- ^ Lindsey, Philip (February 12, 2019). "WWE's bewildering exclusion of first black women wrestlers". Diva Dirt. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
- ^ "Ohio Women's Tag Team Title". wrestling-titles.com.
- ^ "FIRST INDUCTEES ANNOUNCED FOR WOMEN'S WRESTLING HALL OF FAME | PWInsider.com". www.pwinsider.com. Retrieved 21 April 2023.