Sandy Parker (born March 2, 1952) is a Canadian retired

professional wrestler Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...

. She debuted in 1969, wrestling in Canada, the United States, and Japan. In Japan, she worked for

All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling , nicknamed Zenjo (全女: 全 meaning "All", 女 meaning "Woman") was a '' joshi puroresu'' ( women's professional wrestling) promotion established in 1968 by Takashi Matsunaga and his brothers. The group held their first card on June 4 of tha ...

, holding numerous titles. She also had an unofficial NWA Women's World Tag Team Championship reign with partner

Sue Green Susan Tex Green (born August 13, 1953) is an American professional wrestler. She began wrestling at the age of 15 and was trained by The Fabulous Moolah. She was the frequent tag team partner of Sandy Parker, with whom she won the National Wre ...

Professional wrestling career

After attending a professional wrestling match, Parker became addicted to the sport. At first, she went to the matches several times every week. She then decided to try the profession at the suggestion of a friend. Although she lived in Ontario, she traveled to Michigan three times a week to train with Lou Klein, Mary Jane Mull, and Lucille Dupree. She officially debuted in the early 1970s at the age of 23. She later went to

The Fabulous Moolah Mary Lillian Ellison (July 22, 1923 – November 2, 2007) was an American professional wrestler better known by her ring name The Fabulous Moolah. She began her career working with promoter Billy Wolfe and his wife, wrestler and trainer Mildr ...

's training school in South Carolina for further training, but left when she began having problems with Moolah. After leaving the school, Parker worked for Mildred Burke. Parker worked under her real name instead of a

ring name A ring name is a type of stage name used by an athlete such as a professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, or boxer whose real name is considered unattractive, dull, difficult to pronounce or spell, amusing for the wrong reasons, or projectin ...

, because she was once unable to cash a check when it was written for her under the wrestling name; she could not provide identification for it, so she vowed never to use a ring name again. In the early 1970s, Parker formed a partnership with

, with whom she defeated

Donna Christanello Mary Alfonsi (May 23, 1942 – August 25, 2011), better known by her ring name Donna Christanello (also billed as Donna Christianello, Donna Christenello, Donna Christiantello, and Donna Christantello, the names which she went by on her offici ...

and Toni Rose in November 1971 for the NWA Women's World Tag Team Championship. They lost the title to Christanello and Rose in February 1972. The title change is unrecognized. In August of that year, Parker competed at the Superbowl of Wrestling, where she teamed with Debbie Johnson to take on Rose and Christanello, but they failed to defeat them for the championship. She began a tour of Japan also in the early 1970s. In 1973, she held

WWWA World Single Championship The was the top singles women's professional wrestling championship in All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling (AJW) from 1970 until it closed in 2005. It was also known in ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an Ame ...

for approximately two months. Between June of that year and July 1974, she also held the promotion's

WWWA World Tag Team Championship The World Women's Wrestling Association (WWWA) World Tag Team Championship was the top doubles championship in All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling , nicknamed Zenjo (全女: 全 meaning "All", 女 meaning "Woman") was a '' joshi puroresu'' ( wome ...

eight times, twice with Masked Lee, twice with Jean Antoine, and four times with Betty Niccoli. It is possible, however, that only six of the tag title reigns are officially recognized. Back in the United States in 1975, Parker wrestled against Antoine in the first women's wrestling match in the state of Oregon in 50 years. Parker retired in 1986. In 2004, she was honored by the

Cauliflower Alley Club The Cauliflower Alley Club is a non-profit fraternal organization, which includes a newsletter and website, comprising both retired and active professional wrestlers and boxers in North America. Established in 1965 by Mike Mazurki and Art Abra ...

, a society of retired professional wrestlers.

Personal life

Parker was raised by her grandmother, as her mom was unable to take care of her. As a child, she considered herself a "tomboy", participating in fights, baseball, and tree climbing. Parker is a lesbian. She, however, was once married to a man. After leaving the business, Parker worked as a bartender, store manager, and security guard.

Championships and accomplishments

(1 time) **

(8 times) - with Betty Niccoli (4), Jean Antoine (2) and Masked Lee (2) *

** Ladies Wrestling (2004) *

National Wrestling Alliance The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) is an American professional wrestling promotion and former professional wrestling governing body operated by its parent company Lightning One, Inc. Founded in 1948, the NWA began as a governing body for a ...

** NWA United States Women's Championship (1 time) ** NWA World Women's Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Susan Green * Other titles ** California Women's Championship (1 time)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Parker, Sandy 1952 births Living people Black Canadian sportspeople Black Canadian sportswomen Canadian female professional wrestlers Lesbian sportswomen Canadian LGBT sportspeople LGBT professional wrestlers Professional wrestlers from Vancouver Black Canadian LGBT people 20th-century female professional wrestlers