Brian Damage
Grappling with Tragedy is a series of articles that deal with unfortunate, tragic incidents that have occurred throughout the history of professional wrestling. It is unlike the Wrestling with Sin series, which deals more with the seedier side of wrestling, like arrests, murders, and suicides. The Grappling with Tragedy series looks more at particular tragic incidents that have, in some instances, altered pro wrestling in a way.
Kim Tinker
Melba Ruth Tinker was born in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas in March of 1939. Her family eventually moved to Alton, Illinois. It was there that a young Melba Tinker met Beverly Kay Whitsett and the two became friends in high school. After graduation, both Tinker and Whitsett decided that they wanted to become professional wrestlers.
The two friends traveled down to Florida, where they were trained by the great Ella Waldek. Melba took the name Kim Tinker, while her friend Beverly Whitsett settled on the name Kay Dempsey…later changed to Beverly Shade. They made their pro debuts in March of 1957. Sadly, Kim Tinker’s brief career was cut short when she was involved in a car accident in August of ’57. Her injuries were serious enough that she was forced to retire.
Kim Tinker would eventually get married and have three children. The family would settle in the Las Vegas, Nevada area. On May 26, 1963…Kim and her husband were speeding in their sports car on a Nevada highway when they lost control of the vehicle and flipped over. The impact of the crash killed both her and her husband. Kim Tinker was just 24 years old at the time of her death.
To read other Grappling with Tragedy stories…click here.