Wrestler: Judy Grable
Real Name: Nellya Burres-Baughman
Hometown: Bremerton, Washington
Marital Status: Married
Favorite Moves: Dropkicks
September 18, 1956: Slave Girl Moolah defeated Judy Grable in a Tournament final for the vacant World Women's Championship.
Notable feuds: Ann Casey, Fran Gravette, Peggy Allen
Nellya Burres-Baughman (August 21, 1935–May 11, 2008) was an American professional wrestler who was best known as Judy Grable.
Nellya was born on August 21, 1925 in the city of Bremerton, Washington. At a very young age, when she was 13, she entered the world of professional wrestling as Judy Grable.
Judy Grable started wrestling in 1938. She wrestled in women's independent promotions which were early promotions of women. She won the AWW Women's Championship on May 14, 1947 which was her first and early success as a professional wrestler. Judy Grable was very beautiful and this attracted people. She was mainly a heel.
Through her heelitic works, Judy Grable was not liked by fans. She challenged Mildred Burke for the World Women's Championship on several occassions. She wrestled in the National Wrestling Alliance territories through the 1940s and the 1950s. She defeated The Fabulous Moolah on July 21, 1952 and feuded with Moolah.
In 1956, a tournament was held to determine the new NWA World Women's Champion. She showed a wonderful performance and advanced to the final round of the tournament on September 18, 1956 when she lost to long-time rival The Fabulous Moolah which made Moolah, the first-ever NWA World Women's Champion. She tried a face turn but due to illness, she couldn't wrestle anymore.
On April 14, 1954, she married Arthur Howard and had four children through Howard. They divorced on June 11, 1959.
Judy died on May 11th, 2008 after living with diabetes, strokes, and Alzheimer's.
Judy was one of the famous barefoot female wrestlers.
She was even called "The Barefoot Contessa" and was also known as "the acrobatic blonde with the educated flying feet".
