Celebrate Connecticut Trailblazer: Joan Joyce

By Denise George

This Trailblazer holds a special place in my heart. She was the most remarkable athlete I witnessed as a child. I was 13 or 14 years old when I first saw her play. She is the one and only, Joan Joyce. A multi-sport athlete, Joan never just dabbled in anything - she excelled. She played competitive AAU basketball and was an All-American three times in the early 1960s, once scoring 67 points in a single game. Joan also competed on the LPGA golf tour for 19 years and holds the record for the lowest number of putts in a single round (18 holes) with 17 putts.

Achievements in Softball

Her most significant successes were on the diamond with the World Championship Softball Team, the Raybestos Brakettes of Stratford, CT. Joan is celebrated as one of the greatest softball players ever. Her softball career began in 1953 at the age of 14, and she started pitching three years later, earning numerous awards and achieving remarkable statistics. For eighteen consecutive years, she was named an ASA All-American. Her pitching record was 753-42 with an ERA of 0.09, 150 no-hitters, and thirty-three perfect games! She also batted over .400, winning a title in 1971 with an impressive .467 average.

In addition to her softball prowess, she struck out Ted Williams, a professional baseball hitter with a .400 average, in 1961, and Hank Aaron in 1978. (This humble sportswriter also faced Joan Joyce at a clinic at URI in the early 1970s, managing to foul a ball down the right field line. I was a dead pull hitter, batting right-handed.)

Coaching Career and Legacy

Joyce was the first woman to receive the Connecticut Sports Writers’ Alliance Gold Key Award. Beyond her athletic achievements, she was also a dedicated coach. Joan co-founded the International Softball Association, providing professional-level competition for women. She "retired" to Florida and began an illustrious coaching career at Florida Atlantic University in 1994, leading the team for twenty-eight seasons until the start of the 2022 season. Her teams participated in eight consecutive NCAA tournaments from 1997 to 2004, and a total of eleven overall. Joan Joyce passed away in March 2022, leaving behind a legacy as FAU's only softball coach since the program began.

Joyce was a strong advocate for women's sports and equality, with much of her competitive career taking place before Title IX and her coaching career following the enactment of the Women's Sports Equality Act. Joan's career extended over more than seventy years and included receiving numerous coach-of-the-year honors and being inducted into the National Softball Hall of Fame, the International Softball Federation Hall of Fame, the Connecticut Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, and the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame.

Joan once stated, "I'm not an advocate of women's lib per se, I don't go out preaching it … I've done the things I wanted to do … and I didn't let anyone stop me … One thing, though—when I grew up my biggest idol was Mickey Mantle. Now kids can also look to the women who play."

Meeting her at the clinic was incredibly significant for me. Her subtle nod of acknowledgment has stayed memorable. Additionally, Joan was a guest speaker at what I believe was the last Women's Physical Education Majors banquet at the University of Rhode Island.

Joan Joyce's leadership, determination, professionalism, and commitment to women's equality have fueled my own passion to advocate for women's rights and the opportunity to play. I have traveled to universities to attend games and practices, demonstrating my support for the players and the sport. Without Joyce, the trailblazer, I wouldn't have pursued my true passion.

Gratitude goes to trailblazers like Joan Joyce who set the path for others. If Title IX has positively impacted you, it's important to remember your history. Connect with us at WSUSA and share the names of those who inspired you, those you admired, your heroes and idols, your own Joan Joyce. Keep the past in mind and keep empowering the next generation!

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