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'''Sherri Russell Schrull''' (born [[February 8]], [[1958]] in [[Birmingham]]; died [[June 15]], [[2007]] in [[McCalla]]) was a professional wrestler and manager, better known by her ring names, '''Sherri Martel''' and '''Sensational Sherri'''.
'''Sherri Russell Schrull''' (born [[February 8]], [[1958]] in [[Birmingham]]; died [[June 15]], [[2007]] in [[McCalla]]) was a professional wrestler and manager, better known by her ring names, '''Sherri Martel''' and '''Sensational Sherri'''.


Martel was first introduced to professional wrestling as a child, when her mother took her and her sister to shows in Mississippi. In [[1974]], Martel approached Grizzly Smith for advice on becoming a wrestler, but he questioned her conviction and told her to come back to him in five years when she was an adult. She eventually married her second husband and gave birth to a son named Jared, but she soon divorced her husband. During this time, she again became interested in becoming a professional wrestler and sought training from "Mr. Personality" Butch Moore in Memphis, Tennessee. She started wrestling as Sherri Martine, but decided she needed more training. She continued to train at The Fabulous Moolah's school, where Moolah changed her name to Sherri Martel and sent her to wrestle in Japan in [[1981]]. Moolah claims that Martel frequented night clubs and liked to party, which resulted in Moolah kicking her out of the school.
Sherri and her sister were first introduced to professional wrestling as children, when their mother took them to shows in Mississippi. In [[1974]], when she was 14 years old, she approached Grizzly Smith for advice on becoming a wrestler. He told her to come back to him when she was older.


After leaving the school, she traveled back to Tennessee. In Memphis, she was managed by Jim Cornette. During a mixed battle royal, Martel suffered an injury that removed her from wrestling temporarily. She then worked as both a wrestler and manager to the Heavenly Bodies Pat Rose and Tom Prichard.
After having a son and a second divorce, she renewed her interest in professional wrestling and began training with "Mr. Personality" Butch Moore in Memphis, Tennessee. She appeared in a few bouts as '''Sherri Martine''', but decided she needed more training before she continued. She moved to Columbia, South Carolina to train with "The Fabulous Moolah" Mary Lillian Ellison. Ellison gave her the name "Sherri Martel" and booked her in matches in Japan in [[1981]]. She later threw Martel out of her program for excessive partying.


===American Wrestling Association (1985-1987)===
Martel returned to Tennessee and hired Jim Cornette to manage her career. She was knocked out of fighting by an injury and spent some time helping manage the "Heavenly Bodies", Pat Rose and Tom Prichard. After her recovery, she joined the American Wresting Association, debuting at a SuperClash event in Chicago on [[September 28]], [[1985]] where she was named AWA Women's World Champion by defeating Candi Devine. She successfully defended the title in two subsequent rematches.
====Women's Champion (1985–1986)====
After recovering, [[Larry Zbyszko]] helped her join the [[American Wrestling Association]] (AWA).<ref name=raw/> She eventually debuted in the AWA and, on September 28, 1985, at ''[[SuperClash#SuperClash|SuperClash]]'' in [[Chicago]], she defeated [[Candi Devine]] for the [[AWA World Women's Championship]].<ref name=shields136>Shields, Brian. ''Main Event: WWE in the Raging 80s'', 136–138.</ref><ref name=hof/> She traded the belt with Devine, and on June 28, 1986, at "Battle by the Bay," Martel defeated Devine to win the AWA World Women's Championship for a third and final time.<ref name=hof/> Martel, however, only held the title briefly before vacating it.<ref name=shields136/>


====Managerial roles (1986&ndash;1987)====
Beginning in [[1986]] Martel managed the tag-team of "Playboy" Buddy Rose and "Pretty Boy" Doug Somers who held the AWA World Tag Team title until [[1987]]. She also managed Kevin Kelly in the AWA before Jesse Ventura recruited her to the World Wrestling Federation.
During this time, in addition to wrestling, Martel acted as the [[manager (professional wrestling)|manager]] for the team of "Playboy" [[Buddy Rose]] and "Pretty Boy" [[Doug Somers]], whom she managed to win the [[AWA World Tag Team Championship]].<ref name=hof/> Rose and Somers then engaged in a lengthy feud with [[The Rockers#Midnight Rockers|The Midnight Rockers]] ([[Shawn Michaels]] and [[Marty Jannetty]]),<ref>Michaels, Shawn. ''Heartbreak and Triumph'', p. 97.</ref> who defeated Rose and Somers for the tag team title on January 27, 1987, in [[St. Paul, Minnesota]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Royal Duncan & Gary Will|title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|year=4th Edition 2006|chapter=AWA World Tag Team Championship|isbn=0-9698161-5-4}}</ref> She also managed Kevin Kelly, and suffered the first of what would be several in-ring embarrassments when she led Kelly into the ring against Tommy Rich for an arm wrestling match. Martel couldn't resist slapping Rich, who threw the table on Kelly. Rich cornered Martel and tore her dress off to reveal a skimpy pink teddy and black hose. Kelly covered a tearful Martel with his robe, and hustled her back to the locker room.


===World Wrestling Federation (1987&ndash;1993)===
Martel made her WWF debut on [[July 24]], [[1987]], defeating her former teacher, The Fabulous Moolah, to win the Women's Championship. She adopted the name "Sensational Sherri" during her 15-month reign, losing to Rockin' Robin in October [[1988]]. When the WWF phased out its women's division in 1990, Martel remained with the business managing male wrestlers. She also appeared at events as "Peggy Sue", girlfriend of The Honky Tonk Man.
====Debut & Women's Champion (1987&ndash;1988)====
After former AWA wrestler [[Jesse Ventura]] referred her to the [[World Wrestling Federation]] (WWF),<ref name=raw/> she debuted on July 24, 1987, defeating The Fabulous Moolah for the [[WWE Women's Championship|WWF Women's Championship]].<ref name=moo196>Ellison, Lillian. ''First Goddess of the Squared Circle'', p.196–197.</ref><ref name=hof/> Renaming herself Sensational Sherri, she reigned as WWF Women's Champion for fifteen months before losing it to [[Robin Smith (wrestler)|Rockin' Robin]].<ref name=shields136/><ref name=hof/> At the [[Survivor Series (1987)|Survivor Series]] in 1987, Martel's team consisting of Martel, The Glamour Girls ([[Leilani Kai]] and [[Judy Martin (wrestler)|Judy Martin]]), [[Dawn Marie Johnston|Dawn Marie]], and [[Donna Christanello]] lost to The Fabulous Moolah's team consisting of Moolah, [[Velvet McIntyre]], Rockin' Robin, and the [[Jumping Bomb Angels]] ([[Noriyo Tateno]] and [[Itsuki Yamazaki]]).<ref>Shields, Brian. ''Main Event: WWE in the Raging 80s'', 164.</ref> It was on October 8, 1988 that she was defeated for the title by Rockin' Robin.<ref name=moo196/><ref name=hof/> When the WWF phased out its women's division in 1990, Martel remained with the company and turned her attention to managing male wrestlers.<ref name=hof/>


During the late 1980s Sherri often donned a blonde wig and sunglasses and played the role of then [[WWE Intercontinental Championship|WWE Intercontinental Champion]] the [[The Honky Tonk Man|Honky Tonk Man]]'s girlfriend "Peggy Sue" and accompanied Honky and his manager [[Jimmy Hart|"The Mouth of the South" Jimmy Hart]] to the ring for his matches, including his match with [[Brutus Beefcake|Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake]] at [[WrestleMania IV]].
Martel became associated with Randy Savage in [[1989]] during his feud with Hulk Hogan. She joined him a mixed tag-team against Dusty Rhodes and Sapphire during WrestleMania VI in [[1990]] and appeared with him on an episode of "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous". She turned on Savage when he lost a "retirement match" to The Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania VII. She went on to manage "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase through [[1992]], and then took on Shawn Michaels until he used her as a shield when Marty Jannetty threw a full-length mirror at him. When she returned to the ring in [[1993]] she sided with Jannetty and stayed with him until he left the league later that year. She then aligned with Tatanka until her own release from the WWF that summer.


====Managing Randy Savage (1989&ndash;1991)====
Later in [[1993]] Martel began managing Shane Douglas of Extreme Championship Wrestling. In [[1994]] she returned to the ring herself as '''Sensuous Sherri''' in World Championship Wrestling. She also managed Ric Flair in the WCW. As '''Sister Sherri''' she managed  the "Harlem Heat" tag team of Booker T and Stevie Ray, helping them win seven WCW World Championships through July [[1997]]. During the same period she continued managing Douglas and Brian Pillman in the ECW.
At [[WrestleMania V]], Martel confronted Miss Elizabeth, which led to a brawl between Elizabeth's ally [[Hulk Hogan]] and her former ally [[Randy Savage]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/Wrestlemania20/WrestleMania5.html|title=WrestleMania 5: The Mega Powers Explode|author=Powell, John|publisher=SLAM! Wrestling|accessdate=2010-02-09}}</ref> Throughout the remainder of 1989, Martel and Savage [[Feud (professional wrestling)|feuded]] with Hogan and Elizabeth.<ref name=hof/> At [[SummerSlam (1989)|SummerSlam]], Hogan and Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake defeated the team of Savage and [[Tom Lister, Jr.|Zeus]].<ref>Shields, Brian. ''Main Event: WWE in the Raging 80s'', 192.</ref> After the match, Elizabeth knocked out Martel with Martel's purse, and she, Hogan, and Beefcake cut Martel's hair.<ref name=slam/>


At [[WrestleMania VI]] in 1990, Martel and Savage lost a mixed tag-team match against [[Sapphire (wrestler)|Sapphire]] and [[Dusty Rhodes (wrestler)|Dusty Rhodes]] after Elizabeth, who was in the corner of Sapphire and Rhodes, interfered and shoved Martel.<ref>{{cite book|title=WWE Encyclopedia|author=Shields, Brian and Kevin Sullivan|publisher=DK/BradyGAMES|year=2009|isbn=978-0-7566-4190-0|page=265}}</ref> During that same year, Martel and Savage appeared on ''[[Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous]]'' with [[Robin Leach]].<ref name=shields136/> Martel ran in the ring to aid Savage in a steel cage match in Memphis against [[Jerry Lawler|Jerry "The King" Lawler]], but after accidentally knocking Savage from the ring, she had her dress yanked off by Lawler as she climbed the cage to escape. During a steel cage match at [[Madison Square Garden]], Martel would suffer a similar embarrassment at the hands of The [[Warrior (wrestler)|Ultimate Warrior]], who pulled off an escaping Martel's miniskirt to reveal matching black garter belts and lace underpants. Practically in tears, Martel raced back to the locker room. At [[WrestleMania VII]], Savage lost a "retirement match" against  The Ultimate Warrior, where the loser would be forced ([[Kayfabe]]) to retire.<ref name=shields136/><ref name=spec>{{cite book|title=Professional wrestling: sport and spectacle|author=Mazer, Sharon|publisher=Univ. Press of Mississippi|year=1998|isbn=1-57806-021-4|page=137}}</ref> After Savage lost the match, an irate Martel attacked Savage but was thrown from the ring by Elizabeth, who had been watching from the audience.<ref name=shields136/><ref name=spec/> Later on the WM7 card after she and Savage parted ways following the career match, Martel came to the ring to help [[Ted DiBiase|"The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase]] in his assault on an injured [[Rowdy Roddy Piper]], following which she managed DiBiase until 1992.<ref name=raw/><ref name=hof/>
In early [[1999]] Martel competed in a mixed-tag team match for the Apocalypse Wrestling Federation's Heavyweight Championship. Missy Hyatt pinned herto win the title. She won an AWA Superstars Women's Championship, though, and also managed George Steele in a pay-per-view "Heroes of Wrestling" event that October. She made three televised appearances with the WCW in [[2000]], losing a matches to Madusa and Mona and thereafter appeared only sporadically. She and her husband, Robert, renovated houses in Tennessee.


====Pairing and feuding with Shawn Michaels and departure (1992&ndash;1993)====
Martel was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by Ted DiBiase in April [[2006]]. Her last wrestling-related appearance was a September [[2006]] Total Nonstop Action Wrestling special. She died of an overdose of oxycodone and other drugs at her mother's house in [[McCalla]] in June [[2007]].
Subsequently, Martel began managing [[Shawn Michaels]] after [[Pat Patterson (wrestler)|Pat Patterson]] convinced Michaels to participate in the storyline.<ref>Michaels, Shawn. ''Heartbreak and Triumph'', p. 159.</ref> She also sang Michaels theme song called "Sexy Boy".<ref name=hof>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/superstars/halloffame/inductees/sherrimartel/|title=Sherri Martel's bio|publisher=[[World Wrestling Entertainment]]|accessdate=2011-03-31}}</ref> As part of his gimmick, Michaels would admire himself in a full-length mirror before his matches.<ref name=hbk166>Michaels, Shawn. ''Heartbreak and Triumph'', p. 166–167.</ref> In 1992, before a match, his former partner [[Marty Jannetty]] grabbed the mirror and attempted to hit Michaels with it, but Michaels pulled Martel in front of him.<ref name=hbk166/> After being hit with the mirror, she was absent from television until the [[Royal Rumble (1993)|Royal Rumble]] in January 1993.<ref name=hbk166/> At the Rumble, she was in a neutral corner for the match between Michaels and Jannetty, but she turned on Michaels during the match.<ref name=hbk166/> Backstage, Michaels confronted her, and Jannetty came to her rescue.<ref name=hbk166/> The storyline, however, was cut short as Jannetty was released from the company in the midst of the feud.<ref name=hbk166/> Martel spent the remainder of the year aligned with [[Chris Chavis|Tatanka]], who aided her in her feud with [[Luna Vachon]] and [[Bam Bam Bigelow]]. She was released from the World Wrestling Federation during the summer.<ref name="onlineworldofwrestling.com"/>
 
===Extreme Championship Wrestling (1993)===
She began working in [[Extreme Championship Wrestling]] (ECW) in 1993, managing [[Shane Douglas]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.franchisefansite.com/bio.html|title=Biography|publisher=FranchiseFanSite.com|accessdate=2010-04-23}}</ref> At [[ECW November to Remember#1993|November to Remember]] on November 13, Martel faced [[Malia Hosaka]] in a match.<ref>{{Cite episode|title=November to Remember|series=Extreme Championship Wrestling|network=pay-per-view|airdate=November 13, 1993}}</ref>
 
===World Championship Wrestling (1994&ndash;1997)===
Martel appeared in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1994 under the name Sensuous Sherri.<ref name=hof/> In WCW, Martel managed [[Ric Flair]] in his feuds with [[Sting (wrestler)|Sting]] and Hulk Hogan.<ref name=shields136/> At [[Bash at the Beach#1994|Bash at the Beach]], she tried to help Flair to defeat Hogan in a match by giving him brass knuckles but failed.<ref>{{cite book|title=Ric Flair: To Be the Man|author=Flair, Ric|publisher=Simon and Schuster|year=2005|isbn=0-7434-9181-5|page=326}}</ref> At the feud's climactic battle, a steel cage match at Halloween Havoc, Martel climbed the cage to aid Flair and in the process had her dress pulled off by Jimmy Hart, Hogan's manager, leaving her dangling from the cage in black lingerie.
 
Next, Martel began managing Harlem Heat ([[Booker Huffman|Booker T]] and [[Lane Huffman|Stevie Ray]]) using the name Sister Sherri.<ref name=hof/> She managed the team to seven [[WCW World Tag Team Championship]] reigns.<ref name=demo/> In late 1994 (while still managing Harlem Heat in WCW), Martel made a return appearance in ECW managing Shane Douglas and [[Brian Pillman]] against [[Ron Simmons]] and [[2 Cold Scorpio]].<ref name=ecw>{{cite book|title=Hardcore History: The Extremely Unauthorized Story of the ECW|author=Williams, Scott E.|publisher=Sports Publishing LLC|year=2006|isbn=1-59670-021-1|page=42}}</ref> Back in WCW, Martel had a brief on-screen romance with [[Robert Fuller|Col. Robert Parker]] until October 1996 when Harlem Heat fired him and Martel had a match with him at World War 3 in November. She continued to manage Harlem Heat until she got fired from the group on the July 7, 1997 edition of ''Nitro''.<ref>Shields, Brian. ''Main Event: WWE in the Raging 80s'', 208.</ref>
 
===Later career===
Early in 1999, Martel competed in a mixed-tag team match for the Apocalypse Wrestling Federation's Heavyweight Championship, a title held predominately by men.<ref name=awf/> [[Missy Hyatt]] pinned Martel to win the title.<ref name=awf>{{cite web|url=http://www.awfaction.com/?mod=titles&pageid=7&title=AWF+Championship&note=3|title=AWF Championship: Missy Hyatt|publisher=Apocalypse Wrestling Federation|accessdate=2010-04-22}}</ref> In October 1999, she appeared on the ''[[Heroes of Wrestling]]'' pay-per-view managing [[George Steele]] in a match against [[Greg Valentine]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingArchive/oct11_her.html|title=Heroes PPV a disappointment |author=Oliver, Greg|publisher=SLAM! Wrestling|accessdate=2010-04-22|date=October 11, 1999}}</ref> Also in 1999, she was awarded the [[AWA Japan Women's Championship|AWA Superstars Women's Championship]].<ref name=demo/>
 
In 2000, she made three wrestling television appearances with World Championship Wrestling (WCW). The first was at the [[Souled Out|WCW Souled Out 2000]] pay-per-view event, watching at ringside along with other superstars, the Chris Benoit vs. Sid Vicious matchup for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. The second was on the January 19, 2000 edition of WCW Thunder where she had a match with [[Debra Miceli|Madusa]], which she lost. In her third and final appearance in World Championship Wrestling, she had a match with [[Nora Greenwald|Mona]], which she also lost.
 
In 2005, she took part in a World Wrestling Entertainment (formerly the WWF) storyline with [[Shawn Michaels]] and [[Kurt Angle]] shortly before [[WrestleMania 21]].<ref name=shields136/> She made a return to ''[[WWE Friday Night SmackDown|SmackDown!]]'', singing a [[parody]] of Michaels's [[Music in professional wrestling|theme song]] with Angle.<ref name=shields136/>
 
She was inducted into the [[WWE Hall of Fame]] by Ted DiBiase in April 2006.<ref name=slam/> Later that year, she worked for [[Total Nonstop Action Wrestling|TNA Wrestling]], taping a backstage [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Vignette|vignette]] trying to offer her managerial services to "free agent" [[Bobby Roode]] that aired on the September 21, 2006 ''[[TNA Impact!]]''; it was her last wrestling television appearance.<ref name=slam/>
 
(Martel began her professional wrestling career as a manager. She joined the [[American Wrestling Association]] (AWA) in the mid-1980s and held its [[AWA World Women's Championship]] three times. In the late 1980s, she joined the [[World Wrestling Federation]] (WWF), where she held the [[WWF Women's Championship]]. Also in the WWF, Martel continued to act as a manager to wrestlers such as [[Randy Savage]], [[Ted DiBiase]], and [[Shawn Michaels]]. She appeared in [[Extreme Championship Wrestling]] (ECW) and [[World Championship Wrestling]] (WCW) in the 1990s. In the latter, Martel acted as the manager for the [[tag team]] [[Harlem Heat]]. After leaving WCW, she made a few wrestling related appearances until her death in 2007.)
 
==Personal life==
By 2003, she and her husband Robert lived in Tennessee, where she helped him renovate homes.<ref name=raw/> She was married and divorced at least twice during her life,<ref name=slam/> and [[Booker T (wrestler)|Booker Huffman]] gave her away at one of her weddings.<ref name=raw/> She had one son.<ref name=slam/>
 
===Death===
On the morning of June 15, 2007, Martel died at her mother's residence in McCalla, Alabama, near [[Birmingham]].<ref name=slam/> She was 49 years old. On September 11, 2007, [[homicide]] investigators in [[Tuscaloosa, Alabama]] released the toxicology report stating that she died of an overdose with multiple drugs in her system, including high amounts of [[oxycodone]].<ref name=toxic>{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2007/09/11/4487321.html|title=Sherri Martel autopsy results reveal drugs|date=September 11, 2007|accessdate=2010-02-08|publisher=SLAM! Wrestling}}</ref>
 
==In wrestling==
*'''Finishing moves'''
**[[Professional wrestling holds#Sleeper hold|Sleeper hold]]<ref name=shields136/>
 
*'''Signature moves'''
**[[Professional wrestling aerial techniques#Splash|Diving splash]]<ref name="onlineworldofwrestling.com">http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/s/sherri-martel.html</ref>
**[[Professional wrestling throws#Scoop slam|Scoop slam]]<ref name="onlineworldofwrestling.com"/>
 
*'''Wrestlers managed'''
:*[[Bill Dannenhauser|Dave Sullivan]]
:*[[Ian Rotten]]
:*[[Jake Roberts|Jake "The Snake" Roberts]]
:*[[Kevin Sullivan (wrestler)|Kevin Sullivan]]
:*[[Randy Savage|"Macho Man" Randy Savage]]<ref>Ellison, Lillian. ''First Goddess of the Squared Circle'', p.198.</ref>
:*[[Ric Flair]]<ref name=hof/>
:*[[Shane Douglas]]
:*[[Lenny Lane]]
:*[[Shawn Michaels]]<ref name=hof/>
:*[[Marty Jannetty]]
:*[[Chris Chavis|Tatanka]]
:*[[Ted DiBiase]]<ref name=hof/>
:*[[Terry Funk]]
:*[[The Honky Tonk Man]]
:*[[Tracy Smothers]]
:*[[Tom Lister, Jr.|Zeus]]
 
*'''Tag teams managed'''
:*[[Harlem Heat]] ([[Booker Huffman|Booker T]] and [[Lane Huffman|Stevie Ray]])<ref name=demo/>
:*[[Heavenly Bodies]] ([[Tom Prichard]] and [[Pat Rose]])<ref name=slam/>
:*[[Doug Somers|"Pretty Boy" Doug Somers]] and [[Buddy Rose|"Playboy" Buddy Rose]]<ref name=hof/>
:*The Perfect Tag Team ([[Kevin Wacholz|Kevin Kelly]] and [[Nick Kiniski]])
 
*'''Managers'''
**[[Jim Cornette]]<ref name=slam/>
 
==Championships and accomplishments==
*'''[[American Wrestling Association]]'''
**[[AWA World Women's Championship]] ([[AWA World Women's Championship#Title history|3 times]])<ref name=demo/><ref name=hof/>
*'''[[AWA Superstars of Wrestling]]'''
**[[AWA Japan Women's Championship|AWA World Women's Championship]] ([[AWA World Women's Championship#Title history|1 time]])<ref name=demo/>
*'''[[Cauliflower Alley Club]]'''
**Other honoree ([[Cauliflower Alley Club#1994|1994]])
*'''International Wrestling Association'''
**IWA Women's Championship (1 time)<ref name="Titles">{{cite book | author=Royal Duncan & Gary Will | title=Wrestling Title Histories | publisher=Archeus Communications | year=4th Edition 2000 | isbn=0-9698161-5-4 }}</ref>
*'''[[Women Superstars Uncensored]]'''
**[[Women Superstars Uncensored#WSU Hall of Fame|WSU Hall of Fame]] (2009)
*'''[[World Wrestling Entertainment|World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment]]'''
**[[WWE Women's Championship|WWF Women's Championship]] ([[List of WWE Women's Champions|1 time]])<ref name=demo/>
**[[WWE Hall of Fame]] ([[WWE Hall of Fame#2006|Class of 2006]])<ref name=slam/>
*'''Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards'''
**[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards#Manager of the Year|Manager of the Year]] (1991)
 
==Footnotes==
*


==References==
==References==
*{{Cite book|author=Ellison, Lillian|title=The Fabulous Moolah: First Goddess of the Squared Circle|year=2003|isbn=978-0-06-001258-8|publisher=ReaganBooks}}
* Ellsion, Lillian (2003) ''The Fabulous Moolah: First Goddess of the Squared Circle''. ReaganBooks ISBN 9780060012588
*{{Cite book|author=Michaels, Shawn|title=Heartbreak & Triumph: The Shawn Michaels Story|publisher=Simon and Schuster|year=2005|isbn=0-7434-9380-X}}
* Michaels, Shawn (2005) ''Heartbreak & Triumph: The Shawn Michaels Story''. Simon & Schuster ISBN 074349380X
*{{Cite book|author=Shields, Brian|title=Main Event: WWE in the Raging 80s|publisher=Pocket Books|year=4th Edition 2006|isbn=978-1-4165-3257-6}}
* Shields, Brian (2006) ''Main Event: WWE in the Raging 80s.'' 4th edition. Pocket Books ISBN 9781416532576
 
==Further reading==
*{{Cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2007/03/24/3821586.html|title=Scary Sherri gets what she wants|author=Holliday, Bob|publisher=SLAM! Wrestling|date=March 24, 2007}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{Portal|Professional wrestling}}
* [http://www.facebook.com/thesensational1 Sherri Martel page]
* http://www.facebook.com/thesensational1 - Sherri Martel Appreciation Page
* [http://www.wwe.com/superstars/halloffame/inductees/sherrimartel/ Sherri Martel] at the WWE Hall of Fame
*[http://www.wwe.com/superstars/halloffame/inductees/sherrimartel/ WWE Hall of Fame Profile]
*{{IMDb name|0551528}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Martel, Sherri}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Martel, Sherri}}
[[Category:1958 births]]
[[Category:1958 births]]
[[Category:2007 deaths]]
[[Category:2007 deaths]]
[[Category:Professional wrestlers]]
[[Category:Wrestlers]]

Revision as of 17:02, 17 October 2013

Sherri Russell Schrull (born February 8, 1958 in Birmingham; died June 15, 2007 in McCalla) was a professional wrestler and manager, better known by her ring names, Sherri Martel and Sensational Sherri.

Sherri and her sister were first introduced to professional wrestling as children, when their mother took them to shows in Mississippi. In 1974, when she was 14 years old, she approached Grizzly Smith for advice on becoming a wrestler. He told her to come back to him when she was older.

After having a son and a second divorce, she renewed her interest in professional wrestling and began training with "Mr. Personality" Butch Moore in Memphis, Tennessee. She appeared in a few bouts as Sherri Martine, but decided she needed more training before she continued. She moved to Columbia, South Carolina to train with "The Fabulous Moolah" Mary Lillian Ellison. Ellison gave her the name "Sherri Martel" and booked her in matches in Japan in 1981. She later threw Martel out of her program for excessive partying.

Martel returned to Tennessee and hired Jim Cornette to manage her career. She was knocked out of fighting by an injury and spent some time helping manage the "Heavenly Bodies", Pat Rose and Tom Prichard. After her recovery, she joined the American Wresting Association, debuting at a SuperClash event in Chicago on September 28, 1985 where she was named AWA Women's World Champion by defeating Candi Devine. She successfully defended the title in two subsequent rematches.

Beginning in 1986 Martel managed the tag-team of "Playboy" Buddy Rose and "Pretty Boy" Doug Somers who held the AWA World Tag Team title until 1987. She also managed Kevin Kelly in the AWA before Jesse Ventura recruited her to the World Wrestling Federation.

Martel made her WWF debut on July 24, 1987, defeating her former teacher, The Fabulous Moolah, to win the Women's Championship. She adopted the name "Sensational Sherri" during her 15-month reign, losing to Rockin' Robin in October 1988. When the WWF phased out its women's division in 1990, Martel remained with the business managing male wrestlers. She also appeared at events as "Peggy Sue", girlfriend of The Honky Tonk Man.

Martel became associated with Randy Savage in 1989 during his feud with Hulk Hogan. She joined him a mixed tag-team against Dusty Rhodes and Sapphire during WrestleMania VI in 1990 and appeared with him on an episode of "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous". She turned on Savage when he lost a "retirement match" to The Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania VII. She went on to manage "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase through 1992, and then took on Shawn Michaels until he used her as a shield when Marty Jannetty threw a full-length mirror at him. When she returned to the ring in 1993 she sided with Jannetty and stayed with him until he left the league later that year. She then aligned with Tatanka until her own release from the WWF that summer.

Later in 1993 Martel began managing Shane Douglas of Extreme Championship Wrestling. In 1994 she returned to the ring herself as Sensuous Sherri in World Championship Wrestling. She also managed Ric Flair in the WCW. As Sister Sherri she managed the "Harlem Heat" tag team of Booker T and Stevie Ray, helping them win seven WCW World Championships through July 1997. During the same period she continued managing Douglas and Brian Pillman in the ECW.

In early 1999 Martel competed in a mixed-tag team match for the Apocalypse Wrestling Federation's Heavyweight Championship. Missy Hyatt pinned herto win the title. She won an AWA Superstars Women's Championship, though, and also managed George Steele in a pay-per-view "Heroes of Wrestling" event that October. She made three televised appearances with the WCW in 2000, losing a matches to Madusa and Mona and thereafter appeared only sporadically. She and her husband, Robert, renovated houses in Tennessee.

Martel was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by Ted DiBiase in April 2006. Her last wrestling-related appearance was a September 2006 Total Nonstop Action Wrestling special. She died of an overdose of oxycodone and other drugs at her mother's house in McCalla in June 2007.

References

  • Ellsion, Lillian (2003) The Fabulous Moolah: First Goddess of the Squared Circle. ReaganBooks ISBN 9780060012588
  • Michaels, Shawn (2005) Heartbreak & Triumph: The Shawn Michaels Story. Simon & Schuster ISBN 074349380X
  • Shields, Brian (2006) Main Event: WWE in the Raging 80s. 4th edition. Pocket Books ISBN 9781416532576

External links

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