Sterling Terrell

smart ideas from books (mostly)

  • Home
  • About
    • My CV
    • Books
    • Series
  • Newsletter
  • Advertising
  • Tools
You are here: Home / Potpourri / The Tragedy Of Gina “Bronco” Bouza (1932-1957)

The Tragedy Of Gina “Bronco” Bouza (1932-1957)

The Tragedy Of Gina “Bronco” Bouza (1932-1957)

I posted this picture of Gina “Bronco” Bouza once before.

It hangs on the wall between the foyer and bar of Albuquerque’s Bucca De Beppo restaurant.

Every time we eat there it catches my eye and I have to stop and look at it.

(If you want more crazy stories like this, read WTF?! An Economic Tour Of The Wierd, By: Peter Leeson.)

It picture above reads:

Legendary promoter Billy Wolfe discovered Gina Bouza after the Kansas City Star ran a story about a 19-year-old female stockyard worker who could slaughter a cow by straddling its neck and clenching her thighs. “It started on a dare,” she explained, “but then I discovered it made the line go faster.”

Standing 5’5″ and weighing 205 pounds, “Bronco” Bouza defended her title as often as three times a week, taking on all comers, including the fearsome Mildred Burke, Susan “Angel of Death” Themelis, and Los Lunas, New Mexico’s Betty “The Yeti” Zoska.

But while she traded titles with her sisters in the ring, Gina reigned supreme as professional wrestling’s greatest crowd pleaser. The queen of cage matches, the mistress of mud bouts, and the most feared hurler of midgets in the history of the sport, she out-earned most male wrestlers, encouraged girls everywhere to take to the mat, and raised hundreds of dollars for charity. Gina reached her peak of popularity, perhaps, when Sal Mineo asked her out after she wrestled Quebec’s Giselle “Frog Legs” Boudreau in a vat of herring, live on Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts. 

Capitalizing on her increasing popularity, Gina embraced opportunities to raise money for charity, so when Buca di Beppo co-hosted a Knights of Columbus fund-raiser on Saturday, August 17, 1957, she graciously agreed to participate. The same week, the Rio Grande Zoo was planning to remove from public view its well-loved, now-toothless old baboon, Bungles, and wrestling promoter Joey DelCampo arranged a Battle Royal.

As a prelude, Gina posed for photographs and calf-roped Santa Fe Lincoln-Mercury’s mascot, “Squidgy, The Value Midget.” Then, with zookeeper in tow, Bungles rode his red tricycle up to the ring and took a seat in the corner where a banana had been left for him. gina entered next, the Martinez Town High School marching band struck up the National Anthem, and Bungles flung himself on his startled opponent.

Audiences heard her cry, “Foul!” the instant before the baboon snapped Gina’s neck, picked her up, and threw her out fo the ring. It was a tragic horrible miscalculation on the part of the promoter. “Who knew?” cried DelCampo as police took aim at Bungles, now furiously gumming the ropes, “Who knew?”

If we have anything to say about it, an entire nation will come to know – about Gina “Bronco” Bouza’s selfless devotion to charity. About her dedication to the sport of ladies’ professional wrestling. And about monkeys’ inherent advantages over people in speed, agility, reflexes, hammer locks and airplane spins.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: PotpourriTagged With: #Albuquerque, #Wrestling

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Privacy Policy

Connect

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Free Weekly Newsletter:

Search

Top Posts

  • The Tricky Lily Pad Riddle (You Probably Can't Solve)
    The Tricky Lily Pad Riddle (You Probably Can't Solve)
  • Hyatt Hill Country Sunday House
    Hyatt Hill Country Sunday House
  • Few Days And Full Of Trouble
    Few Days And Full Of Trouble
  • Ship More Projects
    Ship More Projects
  • Instabooks 317
    Instabooks 317
  • Economics 101: Rosy Scenario Policy
    Economics 101: Rosy Scenario Policy
  • This Is How To Draw A Simple Helicopter
    This Is How To Draw A Simple Helicopter
  • By Paying Your Own Way
    By Paying Your Own Way
  • The Big Miss, By: Hank Haney
    The Big Miss, By: Hank Haney
  • This Is What I Remember About My Grandfather
    This Is What I Remember About My Grandfather

Supporting = Loving

Recent Posts

  • Ship More Projects
  • Few Days And Full Of Trouble
  • Father’s Days Days Are Swim Days Swim
  • Random Thoughts – 344
  • Creative Forces Converged
  • When Laughing Is More Contagious
  • LubbockJobs.io
  • Instabooks 363
  • Random Thoughts – 343
  • From This Sun And A Cold Drink
  • The Psychology When Midlife Crisis Hits
  • Smoke Eaters
  • For The Elite See It And
  • Random Thoughts – 342
  • Austin Kleon, A Note To Graduates
  • Example Of Writing Material
  • The Rule Of I Before E
  • He Silently Sits And Sleeps
  • Random Thoughts – 341
  • Martin Mull
  • Early Retirement In One Lesson
  • On Being Consistently Good
  • And The Last Heart Will Weep When
  • Random Thoughts – 340
  • Fundamentally A Loner

Copyright © 2022 · Generate Pro On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in