PGWA PRESENTS â~A BANNER NIGHTâ
An Evening of Womenâs Wrestling in Tribute to a Legend
Professional Girl Wrestling Association
North Carolina
October 31, 2008
Penny Banner was more than just another lady wrestler. During her 23 year career (1957-1977), which coincided with the so-called â~Golden Age of Womenâs Wrestlingâ, she set standards and achieved successes that made her a major figure in her day and an icon for the generations that followed.
Some fans know her as the first woman to hold the American Wrestling Associationâs Ladies Championship, others for her years of packing arenas across the United States and Canada; some even recall her having dated Elvis Presley in the 1950s (Elvis was a big wrestling fan, and whenever Penny would work in Memphis, he and his friends were always at ringside to cheer her on!). Outside of the ring, Penny was also an accomplished competitive horsewoman and businesswoman, and in her latter years she was a multi-medalist in the Senior Olympics.
Penny Banner was also the Commissioner of the PGWA, a position which she held since the organizationâs founding in 1992. Although no longer a wrestler herself, Penny took seriously her duty as a role model for newcomers to the sport. She was also disturbed by the growing trend in womenâs wrestling at the time to focus on what became known as âT&Aâ rather than actual athletic ability. In her estimation, the â~Evening Gown Catfightsâ and such gimmicks were killing the sport she loved. In her position as commissioner, she dedicated herself to the PGWAâs mission of preserving and promoting the â~Old Schoolâ style of pro wrestling. The means of doing so were to host all-ladies shows, to book individual womenâs matches on various independent promotionsâ cards, and to publicize the ladies in both print and, with the development of the internet, online.
And the PGWAâs success speaks for itself. At the time of its founding, womenâs pro wrestling was seemingly on the verge of extinction in the U.S., with few organizations even bothering to book female wrestlers on their shows any longer. But in 2008, women wrestlers are more popular than ever, and a number of other all-female promotions have joined the PGWA in presenting womenâs shows. And the PGWAâs official website, LadySports Online, has been visited nearly three million times since its relaunch in 2003.
Through it all, Penny Banner served as not only a symbol of the PGWAâs growth, but also a cornerstone of its success.
Sadly, after a valiant battle for several years, Penny succumbed to cancer early in 2008.
Now, in honor of both the woman and the legend, the PGWA is presenting âA Banner Nightâ, bringing together some of the most talented women in the sport of professional wrestling today, with each match on the card dedicated to Pennyâs memory.
Headlining the card will be a PGWA Title Match, featuring the champion, Nikki Roxx (aka TNA Knockout â~Roxxi Laveauxâ), against former WWE Diva, Tracy Taylor of Hawaii. Also slated to appear will be Mia Martinez, Scarlett Rose, XTC, Sassy Stephanie, Angel Dust, Sarah Lynn, Josianne Pussycat and Jamie D (both from Canada), and Tennesseeâs own Tasha Simone, Susan Morton and Su Yung.
Additionally, joining us will be Wendi Weaver, the daughter of both Penny Banner and another pro wrestling legend, Johnny Weaver. Wendi will present a Penny Banner Spirit of Excellence Award to one of the participants at the show.
The ultimate result will prove to be, we hope, a fitting way to honor our friend and idol.
This very special show will be held on Saturday, November 15 at the SAW Arena, 1214 B Louisville Hwy in Millersville, Tennessee (just north of Nashville). Bell time is 7:30 PM, and tickets are $10 at the door.
For further information about â~A Banner Nightâ, visit www.LadySports.com or contact our office at Spevent123@aol.com.
