Ida Mae Martinez: Trailblazing Latina Star Of Women’s Wrestling History
Discover the inspiring life of Ida Mae Martinez, one of the first prominent Latina women in professional wrestling. Learn how she broke barriers and made history in the ring.
Jul 26, 2025525 Shares104.9K Views
Biography
Ida Mae Martinezwas born on September 9, 1931, in New London, Connecticut, and raised in North Stonington. Her mother left when she was young, and she never met her father. She was raised by relatives who treated her poorly, prompting her to move in with her cousin between the ages of 13 and 15. She attended Norwich Free Academy but dropped out of high school. When she was a teenager, she performed as a yodeler and singer in country and minstrel shows to support herself.
In her late teens, Martinez married an abusive husband and left that relationship soon after. Around that time, a wrestler attending one of her yodeling shows suggested she try wrestling. She agreed, began wrestling training, and went on to break into professional wrestling by her late teens.
In August 1951, she made her wrestling debut under the ring name Ida Mae Martinez, trained by promoter Billy Wolfe in Ohio. Standing at approximately 5 ft 2 in and weighing around 125 lbs, she drew attention with her energetic and fast-paced style. She became known for her flying dropkick, a move she delivered with great force and precision, and often earned praise from peers for her stamina and athleticism.
Within about a year of her debut, she captured the Championship of Mexicoin 1952, holding that title until 1953. During the remainder of the 1950s, she fought prominent opponents such as Mildred Burke, Nell Stewart, Ella Waldek, and others. She developed a reputation as a small but highly energetic wrestler who was full of vigor and vitality.
In 1960, Martinez retired from wrestling to marry Baltimore businessman Herbert Selenkow. After retirement, she pursued education and had a successful second career. She earned her GED in 1971, an Associate’s Degree in nursing in 1975, a Bachelor’s Degree in 1980, and a Master’s Degree in nursing from the University of Maryland by 1990. She became one of the first nurses in Baltimore to care for AIDS patients and was active in her community, earning membership in the Nursing Honor Society and writing about her work in nursing care.
In later years, Martinez returned to performing arts as a yodeler, releasing a CD titled The Yodeling Lady Ms. Idain 2004. She appeared in the 2004 documentary Lipstick & Dynamite: The First Ladies of Wrestling, sharing her memories of early women’s wrestling alongside legends of the era. She was honored with the Senator Hugh Farley Award by the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2006 for her work in and out of the ring. She passed away on January 19, 2010, at age 78 from complications related to heart disease.
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