Hall of Fame bowler Marion Ladewig, who dominated sport in 1950s, dies at age 95

Women’s bowling great Marion Ladewig dies at 95

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Marion Ladewig (LA’-da-wig), who dominated women’s bowling from the mid-1940s until her retirement in 1963, has died. She was 95.

Ladewig’s daughter, LaVonne Vicari, says her mother died of heart failure Friday in her hometown of Grand Rapids, Mich.

Ladewig was voted Bowler of the Year nine times between 1950 and 1963 by the Bowling Writers Association of America. She was inducted into the Women’s Sports and National Bowling halls of fame.

Ladewig won the first of four Women’s International Bowling Congress Championships titles in 1950. She won the inaugural Professional Women’s Bowling Association Championship in 1960.

She was part owner of a bowling alley in Grand Rapids after her retirement from competitive bowling.