"Heart & Soul" Hannah Hope

"Heart & Soul" Hannah Hope wrestled in the Great Western Wrestling Alliance, the American territory promotion chronicled across this site. She worked the Great Plains and Pacific Coast territories from 1980 to 1993 and held the GWA Women's Championship twice.

AT A GLANCE

• Name: Joanna Calloway
• Ring name: "Heart & Soul" Hannah Hope
• Billed from: Hutchinson, Kansas
• Active: 1980 to 1993
• Territories: Great Plains, Pacific Coast, Television
• Era: Golden, Traditions
• Championships: GWA Women's Championship (twice)

CAREER

Great Plains (1980 to 1987)

Joanna Calloway came from Hutchinson, Kansas. She started wrestling as Hannah Hope on the Great Plains loop in 1980 and worked openers through 1981. She moved to the middle of the card in 1982 and started appearing on GWA television in 1984.

She reached main events in 1986. That year she beat Vivian Vanceworth for the GWA Women's Championship, and Candy Sparks took it from her in 1987.

Pacific Coast (1988 to 1993)

Hope moved west to the Pacific Coast in 1988. She beat Sparks that year for her second GWA Women's Championship and lost it to Tavi Brimstone a few months later.

She stayed in main events on the Pacific Coast through 1990, and she wrestled there and on television until the GWA closed at the end of 1993.

RIVALRIES

Demand Jen mocked Hope's everyman values in a hard hat and work boots. They met in a "Hostile Takeover" match.

Hope was everything Trash Candy mocked from the ring. They fought on Off The Grid and Saturday Steel from 1992 to 1993 and were still at it when the GWA closed.

IN THE RING

Hope was smaller than most of the women she faced. She wore plain red gear with dark blue and light blue trim.

She worked the aisle like a campaign stop, shaking hands the whole way and stopping for kids, and she waved to families by name.

Her opponents beat her down for most of a match until the crowd rallied her and she came back. She lost plenty, and after a loss she thanked the crowd first. After a win she gave the credit to the town and to "folks like you."

ON CAMERA

Hope talked to the camera like a neighbor at the door, warm and level. She said "we" and "us" and seldom said "I."

Her interviews were about the people watching: their town and their Saturday night. She learned one thing about every town on the loop and worked it into the interview there. Asked about an opponent, she said she felt sorry for her, or that she would pray for her.

LEGACY

Hope held the GWA Women's Championship twice and wrestled from 1980 until the GWA closed at the end of 1993.

More GWA wrestler profiles.