In early 1955, Chicago wrestler Rose Roman won her suit against the Wrestling commission, which had banned women's wrestling in the city on the grounds that it was "unladylike behaviour." On June 12th, 1955, she opened an evening of wrestling with an all-female ticket. When only women were allowed into the Stadium, the men in the crowds lined up along Grace Street nearly turned to rioting.

The steel-slinging women of BABES WITH BLADES paid tribute to Rose Roman and her successful struggle by turning to wrestling for two nights only in a Benefit show honoring the ladies of the wrestling leagues of the 50's and 60's. With the help of Gentleman James Folger, a retired professional wrestler, The Babes staged wrestling in the style of the era, re-creating personas and techniques that have since been replaced by an emphasis on empty showmanship and jiggle shows.

In 1998, history repeated itself as The Babes were excluded from venue after venue when the subject of this Benefit was mentioned. The venues approached deemed the material "unsuitable" and refused to rent to Footsteps on those grounds. Finally a venue was secured, and the plans for this Tribute Benefit could move forward. Even 40 years later, women's presence in the wrestling world is a subject of much misunderstanding and debate.

All proceeds benefited the Babes With Blades effort to attend the 1998 Edinburgh International Festival Fringe in Scotland.

Click **here** to purchase Wrestling Photos

The Matches

1^st Match: Tanya Hyde vs. Helga the Horrible

Tanya Hyde Born of a Sunday on the hood of a Ford Fairlane while Big Daddy Hyde passed the snakes and the collection plate, Tanya Hyde boasts a 350 hog under her hood and a grip that gives new meaning to the phrase "Born Again". New to the circuit, Tanya comes to us fresh from the road where she traveled most of her young life bustin' souls for Jesus with preacher Hyde's Dunk 'Em Deep Revivalist Church, Bait and Tackle. Years of sucking the poison out of snake-bit sinners has given Miss Hyde a deadly accurate set of incisors. Everything she is wearing she killed herself.

Helga the Horrible Helga is the Women's Wrestling Champion of Norway, but very little is known about her life before appearing on the wrestling scene. Some say she is actually a Norse Goddess, one of the fabled Valkyries, exiled from Asgard for putting the thunder god Thor in a head lock and giving him noogies. Other rumors tell of her childhood, that she was raised by a herd of caribou in the Norwegian wilderness. Helga boasts two secret weapons and some unique Norwegian holds.

2^nd Match: Immaculate Mary vs. Svetlana Baikova

"Immaculate" Mary Steinberg is the proud mother of 15, soon to be 16, children. After a tragic meat packing accident, Mary became a single mother and fell into the world of professional wrestling. She works very hard to be a part of all her children's lives and tries not to bring her work home with her. Mary hopes to one day wrestle Great White Sharks and watch her children grow up to be upstanding citizens.

Svetlana Baikova was born and raised in Siberia in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. At the age of 7, she wrestled bulls to the ground and held them still while they were branded by her father. When her father died in a massive stampede, Svetlana was urged by her mother to pursue wrestling to help her keep the remaining 26 family members from being a burden on the state. She was discovered by an American wrestling promoter on her 15^th tour through the USSR. She is not permitted to return to Siberia.

3^rd Match: Saucy Kincaide vs. Ginger Paprika

Saucy Kincaide knew she was destined for the ring when she won Junior Champion of the Sweet Corn Trailer Park Wrestling League. Big Buford Bacon, world-class promoter, saw her early bouts and has been her agent, manager, mentor and companion ever since. Under Buford's expert guidance, she has won over 150 matches and 12 titles, all without a hair out of place on her pretty, little head. This match is dedicated to Big B - with love and kisses to my juicy piggy baby!

Ginger Paprika was born in Italy. She and her mother left that place and swam to a better life. Her mother introduced Ginger to wrestling at the tender age of nine. She has been known to take down opponents with both her strength and her garlic breath.

Tag Team Challenge: Tanya Hyde & Svetlana Baikova vs. Helga the Horrible & Molly McMuscles

Molly McMuscles has worked so hard on getting rid of her Irish accent that you can barely hear her at all. Molly has been in wrestling for five years and has never won any titles, matches or heavy weight belts. She has however won the lotto and received five dollars from it. Molly would like to say hi to all her friends at McDougel's Diner.

TITLE BOUT: Shirley Armstrong vs. Contortia

Shirley "The Earthquake" Armstrong When L.A. is laid to waste, it will be beneath this strawberry blonde's earth-shattering heel. Forget the rest, this one RUMBLES. Shirley is wrestling's hottest ticket - born Shirlencia Valencia de Boom Boom while her mother ran with the bulls in Spain, our reigning champion shimmies fault lines deep into the joints of her opponents. Big or small, our champ shakes 'em down. But this earth mover ain't no bull in a china shop, no sir, this champion is the vibrating vixen that gave Elvis his twitch. You think his lip was born that way?

Contortia No one knows this mysterious spitfire's childhood history and she ain't telling. It is rumored that she was raised in the circus and taught to wrestle tigers. She will tell us that she worked as a crash test dummy for Uncle Sam during the Big One, and that she plans to use her earnings in the ring to pay for a gill-removal operation for her husband "The Human Shark." Thanks to Whitey.

Our Staff:

"Gentleman" James Folger (Referee) Fighting out of Saddle River, NJ, Folger was Tri-State Wrestling Association "Rookie of the Year," held both the TSWA and the Appalachian Mountain Region tag belts with "Charming" Chuck Lewis. Folger had the pleasure of wrestling such greats as the "Russian Bear" Ivan Kolof, Chief Jewel Strongbow, "The Sicilian Beast" and Sy Youngblood, and was managed by "the Sadistic" Dr. Sam Segel as well as "The Master of Disaster" Mark Curtis. Curtis later became an official for WCW, and would no longer return his calls.

Amy Jo "Without Me There Is No Show" Rupp (Event Coordinator) also known as "Mom," is the person responsible for cleaning up the blood when the show is done. She's already paid her dues outside the ring and doesn't need to prove anything to anyone or any BODY!

Women in Wrestling Links

The Combative Women's Website - titled "By a women, for women about women wrestling women" and features a chat group about women's wrestling for both participants and audience, and a women-only chat group for networking women in the business.

Wrestling Lady's Homepage - a 55 year old teacher by profession, wrestling is one of her "unusual hobbies."

Women's Wrestling Illustrated Homepage, with articles and photos of the women on the current wrestling scene, plus some great articles on the women who started it all.