OT - Joan Joyce

[HistoryMajor]

I was in Boca Raton, Florida Atlantic U campus a couple of days ago and saw a banner congratulating Joan Joyce on her 800th (!!) softball coaching victory. I guessed correctly that all 800 did not come at FAU. Some were from other schools. I met her a couple of years ago and she was cordial, approachable and personable. Congratulations to Joan Joyce!

 

[Biff]

Whew. I was afraid of clicking on your post. Haven't heard anything on Joan in so long I was afraid it was not good news. Yes congratulations to Joan. Always a winner.

 

[MilfordHusky]

One of the greatest female athletes ever. The best softball pitcher of her time AND a pro golfer.

She had 150 no-hitters, 50 perfect games, and a microscopic lifetime ERA of 0.09. That's not a misprint.

She was a 4-time WBA All-American and scored 67 points in a tournament game.

 

[DobbsRover2]

Used to see her a lot in the mid 70s when the Connecticut Falcons were dominating the women's softball league and playing in Meriden. Saw her lose a no-hitter when the CF dropped an easy fly and the runner later scored on an out. Not many hits in those games because all of the pitchers were good, but Joan was still a couple levels above, and I never saw her give up an earned run.

 

[Etienne]

I was in Boca Raton, Florida Atlantic U campus a couple of days ago and saw a banner congratulating Joan Joyce on her 800th (!!) softball coaching victory. I guessed correctly that all 800 did not come at FAU. Some were from other schools. I met her a couple of years ago and she was cordial, approachable and personable. Congratulations to Joan Joyce!

My wife and I had the pleasure of meeting when we attended a tounament FAU ran which attracted two players that I coached in high school.

 

[connboy77]

Joan was the best women's soft ball player ever! Congratulations Joan.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

After looking her up - one of the greatest athletes that few have ever heard of, including me. Well, I had heard the name.

 

[Fiftyish]

Like Biff, I thought the worst when I saw the title of this thread. Glad to hear she's still active and still winning.
Can't forget how she smoked Teddy Baseball/The Splendid Splinter in an exhibition game at Municipal Stadium in her hometown of Waterbury in 1961.
LINK

 

[seeya27]

I grew up in Stratford and regularly watched Joan with the Raybestos Brakettes. She was virtually unhittable. An amazing athlete and ungodly polished softball pitcher. Maybe the best ever.

 

[cohenzone]

Like Biff, I thought the worst when I saw the title of this thread. Glad to hear she's still active and still winning.
Can't forget how she smoked Teddy Baseball/The Splendid Splinter in an exhibition game at Municipal Stadium in her hometown of Waterbury in 1961.
LINK

Williams said something to the effect that he wouldn't have batted .100 if he had to face her every day. Was she pitching softball distance (I think so)? My guess is Ted would have learned to adjust. I never saw her play. My college roommate lived very close to Raybestos field. One 4th of July we went to some sort of an all-star game there, but Joyce was not involved. Still saw some impressive players. I remember a woman playing 3rd made some great plays and hit a HR.

 

[Shenandoah]

My sister used to play for the Milford Hi-Hats, a level down from Raybestos, but we used to go to a lot of games there, especially whenever they hosted the World Tournament. Joan Joyce was THE best fast pitch softball pitcher that I've ever seen (sorry Cat Osterman!)

 

[MilfordHusky]

My sister used to play for the Milford Hi-Hats, a level down from Raybestos, but we used to go to a lot of games there, especially whenever they hosted the World Tournament. Joan Joyce was THE best fast pitch softball pitcher that I've ever seen (sorry Cat Osterman!)

I recall the Hi-Hats and saw the Brakettes a few times. I could walk to their stadium.

Milford

 

[Aluminny69]

Williams said something to the effect that he wouldn't have batted .100 if he had to face her every day. Was she pitching softball distance (I think so)? My guess is Ted would have learned to adjust. I never saw her play. My college roommate lived very close to Raybestos field. One 4th of July we went to some sort of an all-star game there, but Joyce was not involved. Still saw some impressive players. I remember a woman playing 3rd made some great plays and hit a HR.

Here's the thing. I didn't actually see the event, but Joyce pitched from softball distance, which is basically right on top of the hitter. I doubt if Williams took the time to practice his timing. Yes, Joyce was great, but I don't remember her pitching against any of the Raybestos Cardinals, who were a top Men's Fast Pitch softball team. Tommy Penders played for them.

 

[uconnfan68]

Like Biff, I thought the worst when I saw the title of this thread. Glad to hear she's still active and still winning.
Can't forget how she smoked Teddy Baseball/The Splendid Splinter in an exhibition game at Municipal Stadium in her hometown of Waterbury in 1961.
LINK

Loved that article... good stuff.

 

[Icebear]

Saw Joanie Joyce many times for the Brakettes. She was simply the best, hands down. She also played volleyball at a national level and bowled. She was a superior athlete all the way around.

 

[Fiftyish]

Saw Joanie Joyce many times for the Brakettes. She was simply the best, hands down. She also played volleyball at a national level and bowled. She was a superior athlete all the way around.

Can't forget she also was on LPGA tour for more than 10 years and if I remember correctly she also played basketball at a high level. As a former Waterbury resident I remember reading about her many athletic accomplishments in the local newspaper. Multi sport female athlete extraordinaire.

 

[hoopingcrane]

Can't forget she also was on LPGA tour for more than 10 years and if I remember correctly she also played basketball at a high level. As a former Waterbury resident I remember reading about her many athletic accomplishments in the local newspaper. Multi sport female athlete extraordinaire.

Saw her hit a 330 yard drive on the first hole at the Wallingford Country Club. She was playing with Jane Blalock.

 

[thatguyed]

I worked the scoreboard at Raybestos Field from roughly 1964 through 1972 and she was one of many, many world class athletes of that era. Between them and the Cardinals, and all of the all day regional and national tournaments hosted, it was many a (bad) pizza from the Frog Pond.

 

[Aluminny69]

 

[pinotbear]

Here's the thing. I didn't actually see the event, but Joyce pitched from softball distance, which is basically right on top of the hitter. I doubt if Williams took the time to practice his timing. Yes, Joyce was great, but I don't remember her pitching against any of the Raybestos Cardinals, who were a top Men's Fast Pitch softball team. Tommy Penders played for them.

Eh, probably not "basically right on top of the hitter", Aluminny69. I don't know what the rules were "back in the day", but current rules are 43', as opposed to baseball's 60' 6". Both pitchers will shorten that distance by release point, because of the length of their stride - bear in mind, in softball, pitchers are required to maintain contact with the rubber.

There has been discussion about lengthening the distance to help introduce more offense into the game, but, I honestly don't know where those discussions are currently.

 

[Aluminny69]

Eh, probably not "basically right on top of the hitter", Aluminny69. I don't know what the rules were "back in the day", but current rules are 43', as opposed to baseball's 60' 6". Both pitchers will shorten that distance by release point, because of the length of their stride - bear in mind, in softball, pitchers are required to maintain contact with the rubber.

There has been discussion about lengthening the distance to help introduce more offense into the game, but, I honestly don't know where those discussions are currently.

Thanks for the specifics, Pinot. I was using "poetic license." But you bring up a good point, Joan Joyce was tall, and had a long stride. It was questionable to me whether she maintained contact with the rubber. She also used a slingshot release, and most certainly appeared to be right on top of you." Certainly Ted Williams, Hank Aaron, or any other hitter would need a lot of practice to get the timing down. Perhaps Rod Carew, Tony Gwynn, or Pete Rose would have the best chance against her, as they were contact hitters.

Joan Joyce also used "brushing" her release against her leg, causing the ball to curve in one of four different directions: up, down, in or out. Her final win-loss record, 753 - 43 was Genoesque.

 

[pinotbear]

Distance is certainly a factor - a 65 mph softball from "our" distance and a 95 mph baseball from "their" distance provides about the same (very small) reaction time from a hitter. But, perhaps more importantly, a pitcher can do so many more things with a softball than a baseball.

Ursusminor was (and is) primarily a third baseman by trade, a good first baseman, but, she did a little pitching too. "Bear" in mind, she was never accomplished enough to pitch in a high school game, but, middle school, some summer ball, yeah - plus, she would do batting practice in high school if needed. But, even at her fairly remedial level, she could throw fastballs at different speeds, changes, drops (I HATE catching drop pitches during winter indoor practice), curve/screwball, and a rise. Yeah, a rise - softball pitchers can make the ball go up.

I'm not sure of all the reasons you can do so many things with a softball - I think the big seams have something to do with it, along with the fact that the ball is so big, that there's more surface area for you to move your hand into slightly different positions. Releasing the ball near the bottom of an underhand arc may help too. But, for whatever reason, a super pitcher like Joyce can make the ball sit up and beg, fetch your slippers, and do your taxes.

The other factor is, baseball is based, largely, on a descending pitch, released well above the strike zone - so, a hitter generally has a bit of an "uppercut" aspect to the swing, so that the force of the swing is in 180 degree opposition to the force of the pitch. In softball, the pitcher releases the ball down by her knee, at the bottom of the strike zone, and often with a slight ascending aspect. An optimal swing will be much flatter than a baseball swing, sometimes even descending. This would be a very, very tough adjustment for a baseball hitter who has refined their swing so precisely - like a Williams or an Aaron.

 

[Aluminny69]

PinotBear,

That is why I speculated that the top Male Fast Pitch hitters of the day should have had better success against Joan than Williams or Aaron. I don't really give the Joyce-Williams exhibition any more status than Billy Jean King beating Bobby Riggs. ( And there is speculation that Riggs "threw" that match.)

 

[seeya27]

I worked the scoreboard at Raybestos Field from roughly 1964 through 1972 and she was one of many, many world class athletes of that era. Between them and the Cardinals, and all of the all day regional and national tournaments hosted, it was many a (bad) pizza from the Frog Pond.

Thatguy -- I started attending those games in 1968, when we moved to Stratford. Probably ran into you at the games; we were regulars for the men, women and at the Frogpond. The Brakettes gave me my first real appreciation for women's sports -- and for me to be a sportswriter (which I was in college and early in my career).

 

[Aluminny69]

Thatguy -- I started attending those games in 1968, when we moved to Stratford. Probably ran into you at the games; we were regulars for the men, women and at the Frogpond. The Brakettes gave me my first real appreciation for women's sports -- and for me to be a sportswriter (which I was in college and early in my career).

Did you ever run into Burgess Meridith aka The Penguin? He was a big softball fan. BTW, I went to High School with Peggy Kellers, who used to catch for Joan, and is also in the Softball Hall of Fame.