Back to Hall of FameJoan Taylor, a native of Northern Virginia, began bowling "just for fun“ at the start of the 1973-74 season. Rolling a 12-pound back-up ball, she participated in two leagues at Fair Lanes Springfield and had a high average of 154. Since then she has established herself as one the best women bowlers ever in the Washington, D.C. area.
On the local level, Joan has been the top-ranked bowler in the Washington, D.C. Area Women’s Bowling Association five times, including three consecutive seasons (1984-85, 1985-86, and 1986-87). She won the prestigious Metropolitan Washington Bowling Proprietors’ Association Invitational tournament in 1982 — the last year it was conducted. In 1985, she was the Scratch All Events champion in the WDCAWBA City Tournament with a 1,757 total and also was a member of the best scratch team in that event in 1981 and 1985.
Among her state accomplishments, Joan held high average in the Virginia State Women’s Bowling Association two consecutive years (1984—85 and 1985-86). And on the national level, Joan placed seventh in the 1987 Women’s International Bowling Congress Queens Tournament held in Hartford, Connecticut. This was the highest finish ever for a WDCAWBA member in that competition.
Among her other achievements, Joan has won Virginia Bowling Queens tournaments in Lynchburg and Reston, and she was victorious in three consecutive Women’s Middle Atlantic All Star Bowling Association (MAASBA) tournaments in the early 1980s.
Her high game is a 288 and her best series is a 708. In the 1987-1988 season, Joan recorded her best single season average ever, a 201.5 for 135 games in the area’s best league, the Northern Virginia All Stars at Annandale Bowling Center.
For her outstanding performances on the lanes in the Washington, D.C. area, the Virginia State Women’s Bowling Association, and in national competition, Joan Taylor is a most welcome and truly worthy addition to the Washington, D.C. Area Women’s Bowling Association Hall of Fame.