Marva Scott (wrestler)

Marva Aniece Goodwin (née Wingo; November 21, 1937 - August 15, 2003), better known by the ring name Marva Scott,[4] was among the first Black female professional wrestlers in the United States.[2] She began wrestling in the early 1950s and her first reported match happened in 1954.[5] With her older sisters, Babs Wingo and Ethel Johnson, she was part of the first Black trio sister team.[6] Marva Scott was posthumously inducted into the Women’s Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2023.[1]

Marva Scott
Birth nameMarva Aniece Wingo
Born(1937-11-21)November 21, 1937
Decatur, Georgia, U.S.[1]
DiedAugust 15, 2003(2003-08-15) (aged 65)
Columbus, Ohio, U.S.[2]
Cause of deathCancer
Spouse(s)Clesson H. Goodwin[2]
Children4[2]
RelativesBabs Wingo
Ethel Johnson
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Marva Scott
Marva Wingo
Martha Scott
Marva Johnson
Mary Scott
African Black Cat
Billed fromDetroit, Michigan[3]
Debut1954
Retired1979

Professional wrestling career

Scott began her career in the early 1950s at the age of 16.[7] She was promoted as Babs Wingo's sister, often in tag team bouts against Ethel Johnson.[3]

At one point, Scott became a bleach blonde while wrestling as "The African Black Cat".[3] Scott also tag-teamed with her sister Ethel, and together, they became tag team champions.[1]

Wrestling historian Jim Melby called Scott one of the great "teenage sensations" during the "Golden Age of Wrestling" ranking her among the top six female wrestlers of the era.[3]

Scott retired in 1979.[8] WWE named Marva 51 of the best wrestlers of all time in April 2021.[9]

Personal life

Scott was born Marva Aniece Wingo in Decatur, Georgia, to Gladys Chase and Clifford Wingo[2] on November 21, 1937.[10] Scott’s sisters, Babs Wingo and Ethel Johnson, were also professional wrestlers.[1]

Scott was married to Clesson H. Goodwin and had four children.[11] Following her retirement, Scott was employed at the Training Institute of Central Ohio.[2]

Scott died of cancer on August 15, 2003, in Columbus, Ohio.[2]

Championships and accomplishments
  • Clete Kaufman Promotions

References

General

  • Bournea, Chris (director) (March 29, 2018). Lady Wrestler: The Amazing, Untold Story of African-American Women in the Ring (Documentary). United States: Amazon Prime Video.
  • Jake Manning, Tyler Wood and Nick Alexander (February 7, 2019). "Episode 16: Ethel Johnson, Babs Wingo, & Marva Scott". Spotify.com (Podcast). 10 Bell Pod. Retrieved 18 April 2024.

Specific

  1. Nash, Ebony (2022-09-27). "Babs Wingo, Marva Scott, and Ethel Johnson: Wrestling's Unsung". Pro Wrestling Stories. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
  2. "Marva Goodwin". Columbus Dispatch. Columbus, Ohio. August 20, 2003. p. 06C.
  3. Laparde, Pat; Murphy, Dan (2017). Sisterhood of the Squared Circle: The History and Rise of Women's Wrestling. Toronto: ECW Press. p. 56. ISBN 978-1773050140.
  4. CageMatch.net
  5. Erdman, Corey (2018-03-23). "The Forgotten Story of the First Black Female Wrestlers". Vice. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
  6. Genzlinger, Neil (November 25, 2019). "Ethel Johnson, Early Black Wrestling Star, Is Dead at 83". The New York Times. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
  7. CageMatch.net
  8. CageMatch.net
  9. Lindsey, Philip (February 12, 2019). "WWE's bewildering exclusion of first black women wrestlers". Diva Dirt. Archived from the original on August 17, 2019. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
  10. Internet Wrestling Database
  11. Columbus Dispatch. Columbus, Ohio. August 20, 2003. p. 06C.
  12. "Ohio Women's Tag Team Title". wrestling-titles.com.
  13. "FIRST INDUCTEES ANNOUNCED FOR WOMEN'S WRESTLING HALL OF FAME | PWInsider.com". www.pwinsider.com. Retrieved 21 April 2023.


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