| Joyce Grable | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Grable in 2012 | |
| Birth name | Betty Wade |
| Born | (1952-11-09)November 9, 1952[1] LaGrange, Georgia, U.S.[2] |
| Died | September 29, 2023(2023-09-29) (aged 70) |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Joyce Grable |
| Billed height | 5"5 |
| Billed weight | 121–154 lb (55–70 kg) |
| Trained by | The Fabulous Moolah[3] |
| Debut | 1971[2] |
| Retired | 1991[2] |
Betty Wade-Murphy (November 9, 1952 – September 29, 2023), better known by her ring nameJoyce Grable, was an Americanprofessional wrestler. She was the long-termtag team partner ofWendi Richter. She held theNWA United States Women's Championship once and theNWA Women's World Tag Team Championship six times—three with Richter and three with her other tag team partnerVicki Williams.
Joyce Fowler (who also competed as Joyce Becker) was the first female wrestler to use thering name "Joyce Grable". Fowler was active from 1963–1974 and then retired from professional wrestling to focus on her family.[4] In the early 1970s, Betty Wade-Murphy was trained by professional wrestlerJudy Grable (who was her childhood idol) to become a female wrestler.[5] Upon her professional debut, she was given the ring name "Joyce Grable" both as a tribute to her idol and trainer, Judy Grable,[3] and becauseFabulous Moolah felt she bore a strong physical resemblance to the original Joyce Grable (portrayed by Fowler).[6]
The team of Grable andVicki Williams won theNWA Women's World Tag Team Championship fromDonna Christanello andToni Rose on October 15, 1973 inNew York City.[7] It was not until October 1975 that Rose and Christanello regained the title from Grable and Williams.[7]
In 1978 atSuperbowl of Wrestling II, she defeated seven other wrestlers in an eight-womanbattle royal. Later that year, she defeatedAnn Casey to win theNWA United States Women's Championship.[8] In 1979, she helped trainJudy Martin.[9] In August 1979, the team of Grable and Williams defeated The Glamour Girls (Leilani Kai and Martin) to begin their second reign as NWA Women's Tag Champions.[7] During the time period from 1973–1983, Grable frequently competed in theWorld Wrestling Federation, often in singles matches againstWWF Women's Champion Fabulous Moolah and in tag team matches with Williams.
In 1982,Wendi Richter became hertag team partner after Grable trained her for six months inAtlanta, Georgia.[2][10] She wrestled in a series of matches inStampede Wrestling with partner Richter againstVelvet McIntyre and Judy Martin. Joyce Grable also appeared in Puerto Rico for theWorld Wrestling Council.[11] The teams continued their rivalry into April 1983 inVerne Gagne'sAmerican Wrestling Association.[11] In May 1983, she returned to Stampede Wrestling, where she once again teamed with Richter against McIntyre and Penny Mitchell.[11]
In 1986, Grable participated in a 10-woman battle royal at theAmerican Wrestling Association'sWrestleRock 86 event, losing toSherri Martel. She continued to appear sporadically on the independent circuit and competed in theDelta Tiger Lilies promotion in 1988.
Grable retired in 1991 and had back surgery.[2] On January 29, 2005, Grable appeared atWrestleReunion managingSherri Martel,Peggy Lee Leather,Krissy Vaine, andAmber O'Neal in an eight-woman tag team match againstWendi Richter,Bambi,Malia Hosaka, and Jenny Taylor.[5] Grable continued to make appearances at wrestling reunions and conventions, as well as occasional independent shows. Grable appeared at aMagnificent Ladies Wrestling event on April 30, 2011, where she managedMelanie Cruise in a match against "Pryme Tyme" Amy Lee, and also managed Million Dollar Baby in a street fight against Robbie Rage. On May 20, 2011, she (along with several other retired professional wrestlers) was a guest at aTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling live event in Amsterdam, New York.[12]
Grable was originally fromColumbus, Georgia.[3] Grable had one biological son, Derek Murphy and a step daughter, Melissa Wade and stepson, Richard Wade from her second husband, Richard Wade's first marriage.[2] She worked as a trainer at the women's wrestling training facility run by Fabulous Moolah and was responsible for training several notable female wrestlers, including Wendi Richter and Sherri Martel. After retiring from wrestling, Grable worked as a receptionist at a center for mentally and physically disabled people.[2]
In 2013, Grable revealed she hadcancer, prompting abenefit show to be held in Florida.[13]
Joyce Grable died on September 29, 2023, at the age of 70. A few days earlier, her son had posted online that she was in hospice care.[14]
,Wrestlingdata.com,Internet Wrestling Database