Billy Wolfe - Discrediting Mildred Burke

Discrediting Mildred Burke

Despite the fact that the NWA declined to recognize women’s wrestling, the Alliance was still at the center of many conflicts between Wolfe and Burke. In a letter to Alliance members on November 4, 1953, Burke refuted Wolfe’s claim that she would wrestle only one woman grappler.

Despite listing 12 grapplers that she would work with, Wolfe used his influence to get her frozen from NWA members. The result was that her run in the Southeast with Cowboy Luttrall and Paul Jones in 1954 fizzled. Adding insult to injury, Burke wrestled Wolfe’s daughter-in-law June Byers. The match took place on August 20, 1954 in Atlanta and the match was a shoot. By having the local commission in his corner, Wolfe slid a friendly referee into the match. Despite giving up the first fall with the intention of competing stronger in the second, Burke never had the opportunity. Officials called the match, and the second fall never had a finish.

Burke left the ring believing that her title was safe because she had not lost two falls. Many in the press stated that Byers had defeated her and the image of Burke’s championship was tarnishing. Wolfe had done everything possible to discredit Burke and the result was one of the nastiest rivalries in wrestling history.