Athletes - Juanita Wright

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	Athletes - Juanita Wright

Juanita Wright (1935 – 10 September, 1996) was a professional wrestling manager best known as "Sweet" Sapphire in the World Wrestling Federation, managing Dusty Rhodes from 1989 to 1990. She also wrestled in the independent circuit, known as Princess Dark Cloud. Prior to her involvement with the WWF, Wright was a long-time wrestling fan who often drove for wrestlers in the St. Louis area.

WWF

Sapphire was a valet for Dusty Rhodes, both adorned in black outfits with yellow polka dots. Sapphire appeared in the ring at only one WrestleMania, WrestleMania VI in Toronto in 1990, but it was the first mixed tag match in WrestleMania history. She teamed with Dusty Rhodes to defeat Randy Savage & Sensational Sherri (Martel) with Sapphire pinning Sherri. It was the storybook fairytale, with the common people beating the king and queen. During the Spring and Summer of 1990, Sapphire started receiving gifts at ringside during Rhodes' matches. At the 1990 SummerSlam, Sherri defeated Sapphire via forfeit. Sapphire never appeared for her match, since she was nowhere to be found. Minutes after Sherri celebrated her victory, Sapphire revealed that she was with Ted DiBiase all along. DiBiase purchased her and Rhodes never won her back. Sapphire left the WWF shortly after this feud that lasted over eight months.

Death

Not much is known about Juanita from the time she left the WWF and the time she passed away in St. Louis, at age 61, of a heart attack in 1996.

Trivia

Juanita Wright was the first black female to hold a wrestling referee's license in Missouri.
Juanita Wright was a huge wrestling fan, even before she was chosen as Dusty Rhodes' valet.

Reference

at the Internet Movie Database

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Juanita Wright ]

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