Ida Mae Martinez
Ida Mae Martinez | |
---|---|
Birth name | Ida Mae Martinez |
Born | September 9, 1931[1] New London, Connecticut[1] |
Died | January 19, 2010[1] | (aged 78)
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) | Ida Mae Martinez Ida May Martinez |
Billed height | 5 ft 2 in (157 cm)[1] |
Billed weight | 125 lb (57 kg)[2] |
Debut | 1951[1] |
Retired | 1960[1] |
Ida Mae Martinez Selenkow (September 9, 1931 – January 19, 2010) was an American
Professional wrestling career
After watching a female professional wrestling match between Johnny Mae Young and Gloria Barattini, Martinez sought out promoter Billy Wolfe.[1] Wolfe invited her to train in Columbus, Ohio.[1] She debuted professionally in August 1951 in Ohio.[1] She won the Championship of Mexico in 1952.[1][3] She held the title until 1953.[2]
She retired in 1960 after remarrying.
Personal life
Martinez was born in New London, Connecticut and raised in North Stonington, where she lived with relatives after her mother abandoned her. She never knew her father.[4]
Her guardians were reportedly abusive [3] and she left home sometime between the ages of 13 and 15 to live with her cousin.[1][3] She attended Norwich Free Academy,[1] but eventually dropped out of high school.[3] In addition to school, she worked as a yodeler and singer at country and minstrel shows.[1] She married at age 17 and claimed that her husband was abusive.[1] Her wrestling career began in 1948, when a customer, who was a wrestler, asked her if she wanted to wrestle. She said yes.
She retired from the ring in 1960 to marry a Baltimore businessman, Herbert Selenkow. They later had two daughters, but later divorced.
She later converted to Judaism.[1] In 2004, she released a yodeling CD, The Yodeling Lady Ms. Ida.[1] She appeared on The Rosie O'Donnell Show as a yodeler in April 1999.[1][2][3] She was also a member of the Western Music Association.[2]
Championships and accomplishments
- Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
- Senator Hugh Farley Award (2006)[3]
- Other titles
See also
- List of Jewish professional wrestlers
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Oliver, Greg (January 19, 2010). "Ida Mae Martinez was wrestler, yodeler, nurse". SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on January 1, 2013. Retrieved January 20, 2010.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ a b c d e f g h i "Ida Mae Martinez". GLORY Wrestling. Retrieved January 20, 2010.
- ^ Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. Archived from the originalon April 4, 2009. Retrieved January 20, 2010.
- ^ Baltimore Sun obituary