WWE's Fabulous Moolah has died

[Raph's Girl]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...tion=si_latest

Lillian Ellison, professional wrestling's Fabulous Moolah, has died. She was 84.

Ellison died Friday, according to Dunbar Funeral Home in Columbia.

Born Mary Lillian Ellison in 1923, she was dubbed the Fabulous Moolah after saying she wrestled "for the money ... for the moolah."

She was a longtime champion and the first woman inducted into the World Wrestling Entertainment Hall of Fame. Her autobiography, "The Fabulous Moolah: First Goddess of the Squared Circle," was published in 2003.

"She was famous, but I never looked at her that way," daughter Mary Austin, 66, told The State. "She was just Mom, someone that was always there for me. Someone I could turn to."

Ellison grew up in the small Kershaw County community of Tookiedoo, the youngest of 13 children and the only girl. Austin said her mother had six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, loved her family and wrestling.

Her obituary from the funeral home lists 63-year-old Katie Glass of Columbia as Ellison's adopted daughter. Glass, known as "Diamond Lil," was a professional midget wrestler for 25 years. She said she was just 17 when she moved to Columbia to live with Ellison and learn to wrestle.

"She just taught me the basics, the holds, how to get somebody down, lock them down and everything," Glass told The State.

Glass said she will miss Ellison.

"It's going to be hard, I'll tell you," Glass said. "We're doing the best we can. She was there for me. She's a very nice lady. I'm going to miss her dearly and I love her very much."

And the world has lost another great.

[Jo Dawn]

Yeah, my brother told me this yesterday. A shame. I liked her.

Much condolences to her family, friends and fans.

[ZariusTwo]

Here's a match she had on her birthday in 2003

[Magneto]

RIP

Moolah was great. I was often amazed at the bumps that woman took at her age. Definately one of the greats in professional wrestling. Thanks for the memories, Moolah.

[VaughnMichael]

RIP one of the longest working lady wrestlers before it all became WWE playboy models.

[Drtooth]

[inside joke]She may be gone, but her action figure still sits on the shelves at my local Target. Quite a fitting tribute to her. [/inside joke]

Just kidding. This is pretty sad news.

[OA]

I wonder if steroids were involved at all...

[BubblyShell22]

Wow, this sucks. I remember seeing her come out with Mae Young a lot. I wish I could've seen her wrestle when she actually was a member of WWE. She will be dearly missed. I'm sure they'll say something on RAW tonight.

[VaughnMichael]

Originally Posted by Drtooth

[inside joke]She may be gone, but her action figure still sits on the shelves at my local Target. Quite a fitting tribute to her. [/inside joke]

Just kidding. This is pretty sad news.

I was gonna say that ssame exact thing but I thought it wrong since she just died.

[Mr._Mutant_Man]

Originally Posted by ZariusTwo

Here's a match she had on her birthday in 2003

That's impressive that she was still able and willing to take bumps at 80.

Is her last title win around anywhere (the one from 1999). It may have been on a Raw that I missed.

[ZariusTwo]

Originally Posted by Mr._Mutant_Man

That's impressive that she was still able and willing to take bumps at 80.

Is her last title win around anywhere (the one from 1999). It may have been on a Raw that I missed.

It was at No Mercy actually, but she lost the title the next night

[RAM BAM]

What a lady!