Ella Waldek
Encyclopedia
Elsie Schevchenko better known as Ella Waldek, is a former American
professional wrestler
. She is one of the subjects of the 2005 documentary film
Lipstick & Dynamite: The First Ladies of Wrestling
.
and grew up as a self-described "farm girl". Originally a roller derby
performer, Waldek's professional wrestling career began in 1952 after a male friend took her to a professional wrestling event. “I didn’t even know there was such a thing” she claimed years later. She was trained by The Fabulous Moolah
.
Despite her limited knowledge of professional wrestling at the time, Waldek began a career in Chicago, Illinois. She adopted the name "Ella Waldek" because, in her words, “who could stand in a ring and autograph an eleven letter last name?” Waldek earned the nickname "The Policeman" and also worked under the names "Jackie Lee" and "Charming Carmen". She adopted the short arm scissor
lift as one her signature maneuvers. Over the course of her career, Waldek worked matches with other female wrestlers, including Mae Young
.
Janet Boyer Wolfe died after a body slam she had received from Waldek during a tag team
match, though she was not injured by the move. Wolfe rolled out of the ring and collapsed at ringside. Waldek called for the timekeeper to assist her and get her away from the ring. Though Wolfe's death was eventually ruled to be an accident
, police initially arrest
ed Waldek and the other participants in the match—Mae Young and Eva Lee. The police reportedly considered charging the three with manslaughter
, but all three women were eventually released. Ironically, as a result of the incident, people attended wrestling events to see Waldek, who had to endure crowd chants of "murderer" directed at her.
Over the course of her wrestling career, Waldek held several titles including the NWA
Florida Women's Championship, the NWA World Women's Tag Team Championship with Mae Young and two reigns with the NWA Southern Women's Championship, Florida version.
and subsequently founded her own security firm, before taking up gardening
part-time. Her professional career had apparently taken its toll though, as she had been rendered unable to have children
due to a kick she had taken to the solar plexus
.
Waldek recounted her experiences as a professional wrestler for the documentary film Lipstick & Dynamite, reuniting with some of her fellow female wrestlers in the process. Through her involvement in the film, Waldek found out that singer-songwriter
Neko Case
, who had been working on music for the film, is her great-niece
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
. She is one of the subjects of the 2005 documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
Lipstick & Dynamite: The First Ladies of Wrestling
Lipstick and Dynamite, Piss and Vinegar: The First Ladies of Wrestling
Lipstick and Dynamite, Piss and Vinegar: The First Ladies of Wrestling is a 2005 documentary film about the early days of women's professional wrestling in North America...
.
Professional wrestling career
Ella Waldek was born as Elsie Schevchenko in Custer, WashingtonCuster, Washington
Custer is a census-designated place in Whatcom County, Washington, United States. The population was 366 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Custer is located at ....
and grew up as a self-described "farm girl". Originally a roller derby
Roller derby
Roller derby is a contact sport played by two teams of five members roller skating in the same direction around a track. Game play consists of a series of short matchups in which both teams designate a scoring player who scores points by lapping members of the opposing team...
performer, Waldek's professional wrestling career began in 1952 after a male friend took her to a professional wrestling event. “I didn’t even know there was such a thing” she claimed years later. She was trained by The Fabulous Moolah
The Fabulous Moolah
Mary Lillian Ellison , better known by her ring name The Fabulous Moolah, was an American female professional wrestler. She began her career working with promoter Billy Wolfe and his wife, wrestler and trainer Mildred Burke, as well as working alongside professional wrestler "Nature Boy" Buddy...
.
Despite her limited knowledge of professional wrestling at the time, Waldek began a career in Chicago, Illinois. She adopted the name "Ella Waldek" because, in her words, “who could stand in a ring and autograph an eleven letter last name?” Waldek earned the nickname "The Policeman" and also worked under the names "Jackie Lee" and "Charming Carmen". She adopted the short arm scissor
Armlock
An armlock in grappling is a single or double joint lock that hyperextends, hyperflexes or hyperrotates the elbow joint and/or shoulder joint. An armlock that hyperflexes or hyperrotates the shoulder joint is referred to as a shoulder lock, and an armlock that hyperextends the elbow joint is called...
lift as one her signature maneuvers. Over the course of her career, Waldek worked matches with other female wrestlers, including Mae Young
Mae Young
Johnnie Mae Young is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler and currently a WWE Ambassador.Young was an influential pioneer in women's wrestling, helping to increase its popularity during World War II and training many generations of wrestlers...
.
Janet Boyer Wolfe died after a body slam she had received from Waldek during a tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
match, though she was not injured by the move. Wolfe rolled out of the ring and collapsed at ringside. Waldek called for the timekeeper to assist her and get her away from the ring. Though Wolfe's death was eventually ruled to be an accident
Accident
An accident or mishap is an unforeseen and unplanned event or circumstance, often with lack of intention or necessity. It implies a generally negative outcome which may have been avoided or prevented had circumstances leading up to the accident been recognized, and acted upon, prior to its...
, police initially arrest
Arrest
An arrest is the act of depriving a person of his or her liberty usually in relation to the purported investigation and prevention of crime and presenting into the criminal justice system or harm to oneself or others...
ed Waldek and the other participants in the match—Mae Young and Eva Lee. The police reportedly considered charging the three with manslaughter
Manslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
, but all three women were eventually released. Ironically, as a result of the incident, people attended wrestling events to see Waldek, who had to endure crowd chants of "murderer" directed at her.
Over the course of her wrestling career, Waldek held several titles including the NWA
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
Florida Women's Championship, the NWA World Women's Tag Team Championship with Mae Young and two reigns with the NWA Southern Women's Championship, Florida version.
Post-wrestling career
After almost twenty years of wrestling, Waldek ended her career in 1971. She then became a private investigatorPrivate investigator
A private investigator , private detective or inquiry agent, is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. Private detectives/investigators often work for attorneys in civil cases. Many work for insurance companies to investigate suspicious claims...
and subsequently founded her own security firm, before taking up gardening
Gardening
Gardening is the practice of growing and cultivating plants. Ornamental plants are normally grown for their flowers, foliage, or overall appearance; useful plants are grown for consumption , for their dyes, or for medicinal or cosmetic use...
part-time. Her professional career had apparently taken its toll though, as she had been rendered unable to have children
Infertility
Infertility primarily refers to the biological inability of a person to contribute to conception. Infertility may also refer to the state of a woman who is unable to carry a pregnancy to full term...
due to a kick she had taken to the solar plexus
Celiac plexus
The celiac plexus or coeliac plexus, also known as the solar plexus, is a complex network of nerves located in the abdomen, where the celiac trunk, superior mesenteric artery, and renal arteries branch from the abdominal aorta...
.
Waldek recounted her experiences as a professional wrestler for the documentary film Lipstick & Dynamite, reuniting with some of her fellow female wrestlers in the process. Through her involvement in the film, Waldek found out that singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Neko Case
Neko Case
Neko Case is an American singer-songwriter, best known for her solo career and her contributions as a member of the Canadian indie rock group The New Pornographers....
, who had been working on music for the film, is her great-niece
Cousin chart
In kinship terminology, a cousin is a relative with whom one shares one or more common ancestors. The term is rarely used when referring to a relative in one's immediate family where there is a more specific term . The term "blood relative" can be used synonymously and establishes the existence of...
.
Championships and accomplishments
- Championship Wrestling from Florida
- NWA Florida Women's ChampionshipNWA Florida Women's ChampionshipThe NWA Florida Women's Championship was a female-exclusive professional wrestling title in Championship Wrestling from Florida, which lasted originally from 1951 to at least 1971. The title was shortly revived by NWA Florida in 2003.-Title history:...
(1 time) - NWA Southern Women's Championship (Florida version) (2 times)
- National Wrestling AllianceNational Wrestling AllianceThe National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
- NWA Women's World Tag Team ChampionshipNWA Women's World Tag Team ChampionshipThe NWA Women's World Tag Team Championship was a women's professional wrestling tag team title sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance from the early 1950s through 1983...
(1 time) - with Mae YoungMae YoungJohnnie Mae Young is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler and currently a WWE Ambassador.Young was an influential pioneer in women's wrestling, helping to increase its popularity during World War II and training many generations of wrestlers...