16 Facts About Penny Banner

Mary Ann Kostecki, better known by her ring name Penny Banner, was an American professional wrestler.

Penny Banner idolized Hank Williams, a musician, when she was young.

Penny Banner came up with the name Penny Banner because she admired Charlton Heston, who used the surname Banner in a movie, and the first name Penny was significant to her.

Penny Banner was known for her "dirty" wrestling style, saying "boos are better than no audience reaction at all".

Penny Banner held many titles in her career, including the NWA Women's World Tag Team Championship three times between 1956 and 1960 and the AWA World Women's Championship in 1961.

Penny Banner was then booked into a match with Byers in Indiana for the newly formed American Wrestling Alliance in August 1961, but Byers no-showed.

Penny Banner vacated the title when she moved to North Carolina with her husband and child.

Penny Banner claimed that she retired in 1977 after June Byers, who owned the NWA World Women's Championship, retired because of a car accident, and that The Fabulous Moolah had cornered much of the national women's professional wrestling scene with her trainees and herself, which left Penny Banner with nobody to wrestle in the Carolinas.

Penny Banner competed in the Senior Olympics doing swimming and winning the bronze medal in the 50m Backstroke.

Penny Banner served as the Commissioner of the Professional Girl Wrestling Association from 1992 until her death.

Penny Banner appeared for WCW at Slamboree 1994 with other wrestling legends.

Penny Banner went on five dates with Elvis Presley between 1956 and late 1958.

Penny Banner was married to Johnny Weaver for thirty-five years before divorcing him in 1994.

Penny Banner became pregnant in 1959, giving birth to a daughter named Wendi.

In late 2007, Penny Banner suffered several health crises, including pneumonia, resulting in severe weight loss.

Penny Banner died in her sleep at the home of her daughter, Wendi, in Charlotte, North Carolina on May 12,2008.