Ann Penelope Marston

Ann Penelope Marston (August 7, 1938 – March 6, 1971) was an American archery champion, beauty pageant contestant and rock band manager. She was the U.S.A. National Archery Champion from 1949 to 1960, and was the first woman professional archer.

Born in England, Marston won her first target archery title there when she was 9. In 1948, at age 10, she appeared in a short documentary film called Junior Toxopholist, practicing archery with her father Frank Marston.

One week after moving to Wyandotte, Michigan, with her parents in 1949, she won her Cadet archery title, breaking all records as a junior until 1953. She was hospitalized for a week in 1951 and that resulted in a diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes. She was insulin dependent until her death.

With her bow and arrow, Marston was pictured on the cover of the August 8, 1955, edition of Sports Illustrated. She appeared on many national TV shows, including The Ed Sullivan Show, Captain Kangaroo, Who Do You Trust?, The Linkletter Show, The Today Show, You Asked For It, The Ernie Kovacs Show, Truth or Consequences, and What's My Line?.

She was elected to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame, and was its youngest member.

Marston won the Miss Michigan title in 1959, and competed in the Miss America 1960 pageant, where her archery performance won the talent award.

In late 1963, like millions of American young people, she became an enthusiastic fan of The Beatles. She wrote a lengthy letter to George Harrison, bought all their albums, and compiled a scrap book with photos of each of them and details about their individual quirks and personal lives. The Beatles first performed in Detroit on September 6, 1964. Due to her local celebrity status, she had a half hour phone conversation with John Lennon, attended their press conference and saw the concert. That day represented a turning point in her life, and she shifted from professional archer to rock band promoter.

About two years before her death, she became almost completely blind because of complications of diabetes. She died from a stroke, caused by diabetes, at age 32.