Dorothy Elsie Wilkinson (October 9, 1921 – March 18, 2023) was an American

softball Softball is a game similar to baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Softball is played competitively at club levels, the college level, and the professional level. The game was first created in 1887 in Chicago by George Hanc ...

player and bowler, who is a member of the halls of fame in both sports.

Life and career

Wilkinson played softball from 1933 to 1965, helping her team, the Phoenix Ramblers, to the national title in 1940, 1948, and 1949. She was an All-American nineteen seasons as an amateur softball player. Among her feats, she batted an average of .455 in 1954, .450 in 1955, and .387 on the ''Ramblers'' championship runner up year of 1957. As a professional bowler, she won the Women's International Bowling Queen's Tournament (a bowling triple crown event) in 1962, and the WIBC singles in 1963. Wilkinson was inducted into the

National Softball Hall of Fame and Museum National Softball Hall of Fame and Museum is a softball museum located in Oklahoma City's Adventure District. It includes the Don E. Porter Hall of Fame Stadium, home to the World Cup of Softball and the annual Women's College World Series. Ama ...

in 1970, her first year of eligibility. She was inducted into the

International Bowling Hall of Fame The World Bowling Writers (WBW) International Bowling Hall of Fame was established in 1993 and is located in the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame, on the International Bowling Campus in Arlington, Texas. History The International B ...

twenty years later, in 1990. Wilkinson occasionally attended high school, college and tournament softball games in

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

, where she and some of her former teammates were honored frequently.

The Arizona Republic ''The Arizona Republic'' is an American daily newspaper published in Phoenix. Circulated throughout Arizona, it is the state's largest newspaper. Since 2000, it has been owned by the Gannett newspaper chain. Copies are sold at $2 daily or at $3 ...

newspaper chose her at number eight among Arizona's all-time greatest athletes in 1999. As of April 2020, Wilkinson was the oldest living member of the

Arizona Sports Hall of Fame The Arizona Sports Hall of Fame is a sports hall of fame in the United States honoring any athlete who has "merited recognition and distinction in sports and who has brought fame and honor to the State of Arizona through outstanding sporting acco ...

. She turned 100 in October 2021, and died in Phoenix on March 18, 2023, at the age of 101.

Life and career

Honours

References

Further reading