Penny Banner was of the top female performers in wrestling history, but it was the toughness she exhibited outside the ring that makes her self-published autobiography an interesting read.

"Banner Days'' not only chronicles her 24-year wrestling career but also the obstacles Banner had to overcome in her personal life to achieve such success. Banner recounts the sexism she experienced in the industry as well as the physical and emotional abuses she claims to have suffered during a long marriage to ex-wrestler Johnny Weaver. The two were together for 35 years before divorcing in 1994.

"During my marriage, I did have to find constant pleasures to keep my sanity," said Banner, who referred to Weaver as "Johnny Spade" throughout the 320-page book. "I visited my ex-(tag-team) partner Betty Jo Hawkins almost every night and we talked of the fun times we had on the road and laughed so hard at all of the happenings."

Banner did have plenty to smile about from her memories of crisscrossing the country by car while working a full-time schedule immediately after her 1954 debut. Banner, who was born Mary Ann Kostecki, became the American Wrestling Association's first women's champion in 1961 and later worked on a regular basis in the Carolinas until her retirement in 1977.

Banner even had a brief fling with Elvis Presley while wrestling in Tennessee during the late 1950s. At the time, Banner said she had no idea how big a star Presley would become.

"He would always come see me wrestle when I appeared in Memphis and he was in town," said Banner, who now lives in Charlotte, N.C. "I do not think either of us were serious about having any kind of relationship. Hell, I never even thought of having a picture taken with him. To me, he was just a guy and I was just a girl."

In her prime, Banner had the looks and athletic ability that would rival any of today's World Wrestling Entertainment female performers. Banner, though, said she wouldn't have had interest in becoming a wrestler if promotions in her heyday pushed heavy sexual content ahead of athletic ability.

"I think it is very degrading," said Banner, who turned 70 on Wednesday. "I'm always happy to hear so many of the fans tell me they wish wrestling would go back to how it used to be and get back to basics instead of all the b.s. going on."

Banner, who is insistent the outcomes of her matches weren't predetermined, has shifted her athletic focus to competing in Senior Olympics events such as swimming and throwing the discus. But Banner wanted to follow through on plans to write her autobiography, which was originally suggested by Ric Flair's late mother Kay decades earlier.

"The story was unbelievable that someone who had never heard of girl wrestling or ever watched would go so far," said Banner, who was courted by legendary St. Louis promoter Sam Muchnick after hearing she did 200 sit-ups to win a bar bet.

"Banner Days,'' which was co-written with Gerry Hostetler, is available for $25 plus $5.95 shipping and handling at www.bannerdays.com.

_ X-RATED: Rena "Sable" Mero was released by WWE on Tuesday, just days after slamming the promotion in an interview with the Fort Wayne (Ind.) Journal Gazette. Mero said wrestling was a sexist industry where women were held to different standards than men.

Although Mero admitted she benefited from her looks more than limited athletic ability, WWE has little defense for its cheap presentation of women in its current "Divas" contest on Monday Night Raw.

Participants smeared ice cream on their chests as part of this week's competition, which aired on the lowest-rated non-holiday Raw telecast since November 2002.

Such antics make WWE producer Kevin Dunn look even more foolish for giving this quote about the divas search last month to the Associated Press: "It's easy to go lowbrow. That's not where we're going with our product in general or this search."

Ironically, such smut isn't the most tasteless thing to air on WWE programming this month. That distinction would go to last week's episode of UPN's Smackdown, where new "general manager" Teddy Long tried to draw comparisons between Martin Luther King and WWE owner Vince McMahon.

As for Mero, she will now have more time to spend with boyfriend Brock Lesnar, who is trying to win a roster spot with the Minnesota Vikings as a defensive lineman.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q: Whatever happened to Sean O'Haire? _ Nanette and Brad Smith, Longmont, Colo.

A: Considered one of the industry's rising young stars in 2001, O'Haire was released from his WWE contract in late March after several failed attempts to push his wrestling character. O'Haire, 33, is now negotiating to begin mixed martial arts fighting.

O'Haire did make headlines last month when charged with assault and battery on two women stemming from an incident at a South Carolina nightclub.

More of the Penny Banner interview can be found at www.wrestlingobserver.com. Questions can be sent to Alex Marvez c/o the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 200 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 33301, or e-mailed to amarvez@sun-sentinel.com. Please include your full name and city of residence. Because of volume, no phone calls will be accepted and letters will not receive a written reply.

(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.)