Nell Stewart
Verdie Nell Stewart (born on September 20, 1927 in Birmingham; died on January 3, 2001 in Birmingham) was one of the top box office draw in women’s wrestling in the 1940s and 1950s. At various times, she was billed as the Alabama Assassin, the Alabama Bombshell, the Blonde Bombshell, and the Betty Grable of the Mat.
Stewart attended Mortimer Jordan High School, where one source says she played baseball on the boys baseball team. She left school at an early age. Her family was very poor, so she went to work full time to bring more money into the family home.
In 1943, Stewart was discovered by lady wrestler Johnny Mae Young in a Birmingham restaurant, where Stewart was working as a waitress. She was 15. Young introduced Stewart to Billy Wolfe, the top ladies wrestling promoter and manager at the time, and he took an immediate liking to her.
Stewart had her first match in Mexico City, Mexico, before she turned 16. In less than five minutes, she lost that one to a Mexican wrestler, but it wasn’t long before she was booked to win most of her matches, many against Gladys "Killem" Gillem, her main trainer.
Gillem detested Stewart because she had taken Gillem's place as number one mistress to Billy Wolfe, who was married to ladies champion, Mildred Burke. Gillem was quoted in Jeff Leen’s book The Queen of the Ring as saying "I was number one; when number two came along, I took off. I said, Bill you can have this. I’m going back to Birmingham.”
Stewart became Wolfe’s pet project. When she began wrestling, she was attractive, but she was five feet four inches tall and weighed 140 pounds. Wolfe put her on an intense exercise regimen and a rigid diet of steak, salad, fresh fruit, whole wheat bread, and honey, in place of sugar.
Wolfe molded her as close as possible to the pinups of 1943’s top movie box office queen Betty Grable. Stewart went from brunette to blonde and lost fat and gained muscle. Wolfe was so proud of the results that he sent “before and after” pictures to the newspapers.
Stewart played the role of villainous heel for most of her career. She was booked to win many titles, among them the National TV championship, the Texas Championship, and the Ohio Championship.
Stewart retired from wresting in the mid-1960s. She was a top tier lady wrestler almost until the end of her career.
She died in 2001 and is buried at Friendship United Methodist Church Cemetery in Gardendale.
Publications
- Leen, Jeff (July 2010) The Queen of the Ring: Sex, Muscles, Diamonds, and the Making of an American Legend." Grove Press. ISBN 0802144829
External links
- Nell Stewart at Findagrave.com
- Legacy of Wrestling website