Joan Joyce - OT

[Kurebeach50]

The greatest athlete Connecticut has produced in ANY ( m or f) sport died in Florida yesterday at the age of 81. DOMINATED softball through ‘60’s and ‘70’s and when she tired of that went on the LPGA tour for 18 years - try that.Also a tremendous basketball and volleyball player. From Waterbury. A loss for the world of sport.

 

[Stoneman]

My father took me to see her pitch for the bracketts back in the 70s. I think it was in Stratford? She was amazing. Rest in peace Joan

 

[uconnfan68]

The greatest athlete Connecticut has produced in ANY ( m or f) sport died in Florida yesterday at the age of 81. DOMINATED softball through ‘60’s and ‘70’s and when she tired of that went on the LPGA tour for 18 years - try that.Also a tremendous basketball and volleyball player. From Waterbury. A loss for the world of sport.

I think she still holds the LPGA record for fewest putts in a round.

 

[EdSaid]

Joan Joyce struck out Ted Williams in 1961. Said that was one of her notable achievements. She holds the record for US Women's National Basketball team with 67 points in a game in 1964. LPGA member for 17 years. Great volleyball player. She had been coaching softball in Florida at FAU for the last 30 years.

Her Hall of Fame Inductions:

• FAU Athletics Hall of Fame (2019)
• ASUN Hall of Fame (2018)
• National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame (2013)
• Florida Sports Hall of Fame (2012)
• Palm Beach Sports Hall of Fame (2008)
• New England Women's Sports Hall of Fame (1999)
• International Sports Federation Hall of Fame (1999)
• Connecticut High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame (1998)
• Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame (1995)
• National ASA Hall of Fame (1983)
• Connecticut ASA Hall of Fame
• Women's Hall of Fame of Connecticut
• Hank O'Donnell Hall of Fame
• Connecticut Basketball Hall of Fame
• Fairfield County Sports Hall of Fame
• Greater Waterbury Hall of Fame
• International Women's Sports Hall of Fame

 

[MainefanSC]

Saw her pitch many times. The wife & I took our 2 kids to watch her play as often as possible. The woman was a phenom! RIP

 

[CONN78SEJ]

The greatest athlete Connecticut has produced in ANY ( m or f) sport died in Florida yesterday at the age of 81. DOMINATED softball through ‘60’s and ‘70’s and when she tired of that went on the LPGA tour for 18 years - try that.Also a tremendous basketball and volleyball player. From Waterbury. A loss for the world of sport.

Certainly is the greatest woman athlete but she’s in tough company with people like Bob Valentine (baseball, football, track & field) or Walt Dropo (football, basketball, baseball). I saw her play softball several times when I was a kid, she was an awesome athlete.

 

[TheGOAT23]

 

[The deacon]

Well and truly said, Kurebeach50. As a kid, I read often about Joan's exploits with the Raybestos Brakettes, with Bertha Ragan Tickey forming a nearly unbeatable 1-2 pitching tandem.

I never did get to see her pitch in person, but I saw her play a few times on the LPGA tour. That wasn't Joan's best sport, but she was respectable considering it might have been her fourth sport.

I remember distinctly when I attended a local high school's year-end sports awards banquet at which Joan was the guest speaker. As one could imagine, she was idolized by all the girls, and seemingly a goodly share of the guys, too.

RIP, Joan.

 

[rt bb fan]

I attended the world softball tournament that was held in Stamford Ct in the late 70's. Joan Joyce pitched for the USA against Japan for the title.Amazing mechanics, speed and different assortment of pitches. Japan couldn't touch her. USA won. Watching her was thrilling. Joan during an exhibition pitched to Paul Blair of the orioles. He couldn't get a hit. I don't think he even fouled off any balls. She was one of a kind!

 

[Kurebeach50]

I attended the world softball tournament that was held in Stamford Ct in the late 70's. Joan Joyce pitched for the USA against Japan for the title.Amazing mechanics, speed and different assortment of pitches. Japan couldn't touch her. USA won. Watching her was thrilling. Joan during an exhibition pitched to Paul Blair of the orioles. He couldn't get a hit. I don't think he even fouled off any balls. She was one of a kind!

Stratford

 

[The deacon]

I'd probably still lean to Joan, but it occurred to me Calvin Murphy could be in the conversation about CT's best athlete.

 

[Petero]

Did any of the other CT best athletes strike out Ted Williams!!!! I was there that night. He couldn't even get a bat on the ball. The same story for for Hank Aaron 15 years or so later. She was a major factor in every sport she played and in 15 plus Hall of Fames. CLEARLY THE BEST.

 

[Ali-oop]

Sad to hear. What an amazing athlete and physical specimen.

 

[oldude]

As a kid growing up in Stratford, CT I probably watched a hundred Raybestos Brakettes games. Joan Joyce was the star pitcher of a team that included 2 other great pitchers, Donna Lopiano & Bertha Tickey. We used to go to Saturday night doubleheaders in the summertime. Five bucks would get you into the ballpark and buy you a hot dog, coke & an ice cream. Odds were, you would see at least one no-hitter, particularly if Joyce was pitching.

I actually had the opportunity to bat against Joyce as a member of my Little League all star team. It was part of a promotion to raise money for local LL baseball. Every all star got to hit against Joyce, with the player who hit the ball the farthest winning a new bat, ball and glove.

Like every other member of the team, I struck out against Joyce. I swung on all three pitches, but honestly, I barely saw the ball. One player foul tipped a pitch and he was awarded the prize.

R.I.P. to a remarkable lady.

 

[Tonyc]

Im from Norwalk and Calvin Murphy was just unbelievable. I remember in exhibition games he was shooting from half court all net. He averaged 40 pts a game at Norwalk High and there was no 3 pt line. He was special.

 

[Forego]

Superb athlete. Sorry to here of her passing. I was fortunate to see her and her teammate Bertha Regan Tickey split pitching responsibilities at a game at Blake Field in New Haven in the mid 60’s.

 

[Beemer]

Certainly is the greatest woman athlete but she’s in tough company with people like Bob Valentine (baseball, football, track & field) or Walt Dropo (football, basketball, baseball). I saw her play softball several times when I was a kid, she was an awesome athlete.

My parents knew the Dropo family and both said that Walt's elder brother Milton was actually better, however like many athletes of his time WWII ended his playing career. He later became a successful businessman. Their younger brother George became vice-principal of our local high school and served in that position for many years.

As for Joan Joyce what a legacy of athletic excellence she leaves behind. Growing up in the 70s she was one of the very few women athletes known outside of tennis & golf. I clearly remember seeing posters about the Brakettes playing in one kind of charity softball game or another and she was always the star attraction.

May she rest in peace.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

My parents knew the Dropo family and both said that Walt's elder brother Milton was actually better, however like many athletes of his time WWII ended his playing career. He later became a successful businessman. Their younger brother George became vice-principal of our local high school and served in that position for many years.

As for Joan Joyce what a legacy of athletic excellence she leaves behind. Growing up in the 70s she was one of the very few women athletes known outside of tennis & golf. I clearly remember seeing posters about the Brakettes playing in one kind of charity softball game or another and she was always the star attraction.

May she rest in peace.

Walt left UConn as it’s all time leading scorer in Basketball. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in football, and of course he excelled in baseball and made a huge splash in the majors as a rookie before his injuries.

Valentine, most would agree was the greatest football player the state ever produced. His football exploits are the stuff of legend. His record of the most interception returns for a touchdown still stands today, although many others were eclipsed when the spread offense came into being in the late 90’s. Legendary USC football coach John McKay told Valentine when he recruited him that he needed him to be the next OJ Simpson, who was graduating. In Track & Field, BV held the state record in the 60 yard dash for many years. He passed on a football career and opted for a splashy baseball career which was cut short in the majors, by a devastating injury.

When I, as a kid, saw Joan Joyce pitch, I can still remember the sound of the tremendous forward spin she put on the ball, how much it dipped as it crossed the plate. Just amazing.

 

[DefenseBB]

I attended the world softball tournament that was held in Stamford Ct in the late 70's. Joan Joyce pitched for the USA against Japan for the title.Amazing mechanics, speed and different assortment of pitches. Japan couldn't touch her. USA won. Watching her was thrilling. Joan during an exhibition pitched to Paul Blair of the orioles. He couldn't get a hit. I don't think he even fouled off any balls. She was one of a kind!

Um, it was held in Stratford, not Stamford. I worked it and saw Joan and Donna Lopiano pitch many, many times over the years as my father was good friends with Ralph Raymond the Brakettes Manager. Joan was also on the ABC television show Battle of the Network stars and despite being older than most, she showed how athletic and versatile she was.

To this day, I still follow college softball religiously due to my background with the Brakettes and is the reason I started following WCBB so feverishly as it seemed like a natural extension from College SB.

Rest in peace Joan Joyce knowing your contributions live on with all of us who remember you.

 

[oldude]

Um, it was held in Stratford, not Stamford. I worked it and saw Joan and Donna Lopiano pitch many, many times over the years as my father was good friends with Ralph Raymond the Brakettes Manager. Joan was also on the ABC television show Battle of the Network stars and despite being older than most, she showed how athletic and versatile she was.

To this day, I still follow college softball religiously due to my background with the Brakettes and is the reason I started following WCBB so feverishly as it seemed like a natural extension from College SB.

Rest in peace Joan Joyce knowing your contributions live on with all of us who remember you.

Most fans are well aware of Joyce’s ability as a phenomenal softball player, as well as her golfing exploits as an early member of the LPGA.

What many people don’t realize is that Joyce was also a member of the USA National Basketball team in 1964-65.

 

[Waquoit]

To paraphrase Bum Phillips, whatever class you put Joan Joyce in, it won't take long to call the roll.

 

[Blueconn]

Stratford

The Raybestis Brakettes ?

 

[fomalhaut]

I didn't know anything about her before, but her Wikipedia page is an eye-opener: apparently she was an athlete in the mold of Babe Didrikson in terms of being a top player in multiple sports (softball, basketball, volleyball, and golf), which to me is even more impressive than striking out Ted Williams and Hank Aaron. Golf seems to have been her weakest sport, but getting through a round with 17 putts is incredible.

 

[rt bb fan]

I didn't know anything about her before, but her Wikipedia page is an eye-opener: apparently she was an athlete in the mold of Babe Didrikson in terms of being a top player in multiple sports (softball, basketball, volleyball, and golf), which to me is even more impressive than striking out Ted Williams and Hank Aaron. Golf seems to have been her weakest sport, but getting through a round with 17 putts is incredible.

I think the reason golf was her weakest sport is because she only started playing when she was older. Softball didn't make any money for her and the women's golf tour was a way for her to make some money. I also know they tried to start professional women's softball league but it never took off.

 

[Aluminny69]

First, let me be clear, I have the highest respect for Joan Joyce and her accomplishments. But striking out major league baseball players is overblown, IMHO. There is a big difference between hitting a ball thrown from 60.5 feet away, versus 43 feet away, less given the height of the pitcher and her release point.

I always wondered if Joyce ever pitched against members of the Raybestos Cardinals, the men's fast pitch team. Those guys were really good at hitting fast pitch softballs.