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Everyone has to make his own decisions during his lifetime. Where should I live? What job should I pursue? Will I find someone to love? These questions are universal.
Recently
I discovered a poster at a restaurant, Buca de Beppo. It is a boisterous Italian
place, with photos and décor that entertain the diner before and after the food
arrives. Even the bathrooms are
unexpected.
This
poster is about a young woman, Gina “Bronco” Bouza, 1932 – 1957. At one time before fame found her, Ms. Bouza
was a Kansas City stockyard worker. She
was strong, darn strong; she was 5’ 5” and 200 pounds.
Her
job was to kill the steer at the beginning of the meat processing. Her claim to fame was that she could jump
onto the steer, wrap her legs around its neck, and break it.
No, I
am not kidding you!
Someone
realized her talent and asked her to join the female wrestling
organization. She defeated Quebec’s
Giselle “Frog Legs” Boudreau.
After
such an event, Sal Mineo asked her out.
Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts were impressed with her.
At the
height of her fame, Ms. Bouza was asked to participate in a fundraiser by Joel
Del Campo. She would get to wrestle an
elderly orangutan (I think), “Bungles”. Tickets were
sold out, crowds gathered, spirits were high.
After
great hoopla, “Bungles” was brought into the ring by its handler. It is easy to imagine it wearily looking
about at the human monkeys, sighing at the noise, and longing to be back in the
quiet of its cage.
Ms.
Bouza leaped into the ring energetically, rousing the crowd. Bouncing around, Ms. Bouza approached “Bungles”,
ready to put her moves to work.
In
twenty seconds, “Bungles” reached out, grabbed Ms. Bouza, and broke her neck,
killing her instantly.
What
choices could Ms. Bouza have made? Were
the Kansas City Stockyards her ideal employment?
Choices
are all important.*
Note: In researching this story, details were mighty thin. Maybe it didn't happen? Maybe it did.
Note: In researching this story, details were mighty thin. Maybe it didn't happen? Maybe it did.
Wow how is that for karma. The choices we make define everything we do and can't say I'm all that broken up by it, if the story is true.
ReplyDeleteI would say that she was on the "Darwin's List", which declares that only the most intelligent, most evolved of the species live. Those who are not get culled out.
DeleteOne wonders sometimes, who is the most evolved?
ReplyDeleteSadly this one is pretty certain that it is not us. And stories like this confirm it.
DeleteI wonder if she had any responsibilities that suffered as a result of her choice. If not, kudos; she died exercising her powers. But if she left a wake of unmet responsibility, shame.
ReplyDeleteWho knows, who really knows? There was very little info on the matter. Just a name on a list of female wrestler of that time period.
DeleteKind of reminds me of many of these reality shows of today. Idiots are and always will be around, especially when they are looking for attention. So many want that 15 minutes of fame.
ReplyDeleteMy son told me about the "Jackass Show" in which young men try to the craziest stunts and hope to get their video accepted. 15 minutes indeed.
DeleteWOW. what a way to go though- if she had made different choices she might have lived longer, but would she have really lived-
ReplyDeleteWho can know? Maybe she saw this as an escape from the K.C. stockyards?
ReplyDeleteDear Susan, this story saddens me--for many reasons. For the woman who became a wrestler and for a culture that thinks we can control animals and make them into what we want them to be. Peace.
ReplyDelete