Parker wrote to promoters all over the country trying to find somebody who’d be willing to train her. Finally she got the attention of Lou Klein in Detroit, who put her in the capable hands of veterans Mary Jane Mull and Lucille Dupree. Soon she was working on shows for local promoter Ed Farhat (The Sheik), and everything really took off from there. Sandy had a reputation all across country, known for being short in stature but long in talent. “It was the best time of my life,” said Parker. “All the people I met, all the places I went to – nothing else could have given that to me.”

CAC executive director Dean Silverstone, who worked with Parker on numerous occasions over the years on the west coast, said, “Her box office appeal came to be because of her ability to wrestle and work. As a fan, she never forgot an exciting move she saw, and as a trainee of Lou Klein, she never forgot how to do them in the ring. She was a rare promoter's asset, because she drew either as heel or babyface and she was a genuine pleasure to work with. Sincere! Dedicated! Understanding!”

Women’s wrestling in her day was certainly no picnic, so you had to be extra tough. “The Fabulous Moolah could really hit you! I saw her pull a guy into the ring and slug him,” said Parker. “A gal in Japan named Hiroko was kicking me so hard in the stomach I could barely stand, so I fought back with everything I had and the ref ended the match to protect her. They didn’t book me with Hiroko for the rest of the tour, even though she was one of their top stars.”

Parker never had trouble dealing with the men in the business. “I did what I needed to do to get along with everybody,” she said. “You just show respect for the others, just as you would yourself, and you get it.” Parker even noted that some of her best friends in the business were men, and having that level of acceptance always meant a great deal to her.