Strong is Sexy Woman of the Past: Mabel Cody

Ya'll have heard of Buffalo Bill Cody and his Wild West Show...but did you know he had a niece? Her name was Mabel and she was a stunt woman! Considering she was hanging off airplanes in 1921, I'd say she was one of the first.

This photo is from Florida State Archives.
She's shaking a pilot's hand. The webpage
contains some great pictures, the only ones
I could find. Please go there.
I cannot take credit for it, but 
this should be shared.

She was a part of Mabel Cody's Flying Circus. One time, she stood in a moving automobile going 70 mph and grabbed a ladder hanging from a passing airplane. The ladder broke and she fell to the sand, sustaining a dislocated shoulder and a broken forearm.  But she got back up and even attended the premiere of the video.

She wing walked, parchuted, and changed planes midair. She was also pretty darn feisty judging by the quotes I dug up. I first came across her name in a history book, but it told me very little so I came online to find out more. There's a good page dedicated to her here and I have taken these quotes from it. 

"Every time I sit down to sew or to write a letter, some timid member of my sex wants to tell me what she thinks about me risking my own neck!

"For heaven's sake! It's my neck, and I guess I'll risk it any time I feel like taking a chance," she told the Times-Union.

And here's a video. How cool is this?