| One of the more famous women wrestlers of the 1940s and 1950s, June Byers was no stranger to Georgia fans. She began making trips to our state in the mid 1940s, and was instantly popular and much sought after by local promoters. Byers’ most notable career highlight occurred in Atlanta on August 20, 1954, when she beat Mildred Burke to become recognized as the Women’s World Champion. It has long been said that the bout was a shoot, but it can be argued that the win happened by accident, as Burke was injured during the second fall. Since Byers had won the first fall, the referee had no choice but to declare her as the winner. Burke, upset with the outcome, went on to form the WWWWA, where she booked herself as champion. However, most promoters around the world recognized Byers, who returned to Georgia for about three more years afterward, defending her version of the title. |
