Joan Joyce - OT

[uconnfan68]

When I coached High School softball, I had the chance to take my pitcher to a clinic run by Joyce, so I got to see her up close. Her windmill style allowed her to rub the ball against her thigh during delivery, affecting the spin. Joyce was able to make the ball break four different ways, up or down, in or out. Given that you had to start your swing as soon as possible, you literally had no chance against her. But again, I would be curious to know how an experienced male softball hitter would do against her.

Serious question: how much faster do men throw? Same distance to the plate? She seems to be throwing like a Nolan Ryan.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

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.

Not only that but the underhand fast pitch motion with a softball enables the pitcher to put a tremendous amount of forward spin on the ball, and utilizes all of the pitchers fingers in imparting the forward spin. This underhand motion is next to impossible to do with the smaller hardball used in baseball.

 

[WillB4]

I read all the posts here but none mention the record that Joan holds in golf. In 18 holes she holds the record for least amount of putts, 17. Whether man or woman, nobody has come close.

Interested in reading more about Joan, My very good friend, Tony Renzoni, has written a bio of Joan, check it out on Amazon.

 

[asuwish]

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.

She is the greatest female athlete in American history period. BTW it's not just the LPGA record for fewest putts in a professional round of golf. No male has shot that low either and she took up golf in her mid 30's as kind of a side sport. Did someone mention the most points ever in an AAU woman's basketball tourney
game in a sport she just thought she'd try. Look up her bowling, and volleyball exploits. Its a shame people don't know about her.