June Byers Women's World Champion Wrestler

June Byers came into female wrestling in the late 1940s and ended her career in the early 1960s. An aggressive wrestler with a fine build for her sport, she was an all-around athlete originally from Houston, Texas. Her uncle trained her to wrestle and she soon made the necessary contacts to enter the pro ranks. At this time there were not high numbers of women involved in this violent and stigmatized sport. June wrestled regularly and began to accumulate tag team titles and awards that she won in various regions of the United States. She had a slow steady ascent to the top of women's wrestling. Always in her sights was the women's world title that was held by Mildred Burke, whose husband Billy Wolfe, was a famous promoter with the National Wrestling Alliance. Some years into her wrestling career June Byers married Wolfe's son, Bill Jr.