A friend of mine, Joe, sent me a link to an article about an amazing athlete I had never heard of before. Joan Joyce’s enormous list of accomplishments is impressive and names several famous pro athletes that she has competed against – and defeated. Events such as striking out pro baseball great Ted Williams or landing in the Guinness Book of World Records for only needing 17 putts. She also set a record by scoring a 66 on the LPGA tour. Joyce isn’t limited to just softball and golf. She also has a rich history in volleyball, basketball and coaching. The article featuring Joan Joyce is chock full of information about her career and quotes about her determination. Check it out – it’s a great inspiration to female athletes everywhere! Especially when you read great comments like this one:
The confidence has been a constant. It was evident when she was a 17-year-old facing down May, Rich and Contel, and three years later when she stood on the mound staring down Ted Williams in front of a crowd of about 17,000 at Waterbury’s municipal stadium.
Williams, the legendary Red Sox slugger who had retired a year earlier with a .344 lifetime average, earlier had asked Joyce how she threw her curveball.
Joyce said she showed him her grip and explained how she did it. “Girls aren’t supposed to know that,” Joyce recalled him saying. “Well, this girl does,” Joyce replied.
7 comments
Mary Lou
Joan Chandler – I am doing a website on the International Women’s Professional Softball league and was wondering if you had any photos that I could use for the site. The website is https://sites.google.com/site/iwpsoftball. My email address is iwps1976@gmail.com. Thanks!!!
Ellen Ladden Ranaudo
Dear Ms. Joyce,
I was a freshman at Catholic High when you were our PE Instructor. I was also a friend of your Aunt & Uncle – John & Mary Joyce, and attended school with your cousin Francis at St. Thomas.
Recently I was telling friends out here in Ohio about you, & decided to look up on line.
I did see you some years back on the cover of Sport’s Illustrated and knew that you had received many awards & commendations over the years. You are a fantastic athlete.
Ellen Ladden Ranaudo
thank u email
my email is foxy_roxy_cheerleader@yahoo.com
there is my email so you can email me and i would like to set up an online interview with her that we be so great this is so awsome if you can set up one with me!
thank you
krystina
Joan
Krystina send me your email address and I’ll send you some photos.
krystina
I am doing a hero thing on her does anyone have really good photos of her? if you do please send them to my email. thank you
Krissy
gretchen
Joan – any chance you could hook me up with an interview or possibly interview her yourself and post it here?
Joan Chandler
Joan is a friend of mine. It’s amazing how many people have never heard of one the greatest athletes of all times. I had the pleasure of taking several hundred pictures of her in her career. I guess she was a little befroe her time and before women were on tv.