Marion Ladewig dominated the early years of women's bowling, was widely regarded as the “Queen of Bowling and considered by many the greatest female bowler ever.
She topped the nation in high average for a woman four times between 1949 and 1963 and in 1951 even outscored the men. In ’51 she won the WIBC City, State and National All-Events titles, and is the only woman to ever achieve that feat.
She was a five-time World Invitational champion and an eight-time titlist in the All-Star series. She was named National Female Bowler-of-the-Year a record nine times and remains the all-time leader in U.S. Women's Open championships with eight. Ladewig also won the inaugural PWBA Championship in 1960.
The Grand Rapids native and policeman's daughter was born in 1914 and grew up a self-described tomboy. She was a high school sprinter and played first base on her brother's baseball team. She was a standout local softball player in her early 20s before bowling became her sport at the urging of local bowling center owner William T. Morrissey Sr. She was 23 and soon practicing daily.
She developed national celebrity status and appeared as a guest on the television show What's My Line on January 12, 1964.
After retiring from active competition, Ladewig co-hosted the locally produced WOTV Bowling Classic in Grand Rapids, alongside local sportscaster Warren Reynolds, during the 1970s and 1980s. She was one of three owners of Northfield Lanes and a member of Brunswick’s advisory staff for 29 years.
In 1983 Grand Rapids Press bowling writer Joe Antczak wrote in tribute to her role in advancing women in bowling: “(She) is recognized as the world's queen of her game, not only among top women and men bowlers, but to those who have chronicled the game's developments from the days when it was a backroom saloon attraction for men only."
She was the first woman named to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame, the first bowler inducted into the Women’s Sports Foundation Hall of Fame and in the December 1999 issue of Bowlers Journal International, Ladewig was rated the best woman bowler of the 20th century, number 7 overall, with Don Carter as number one.
From 1984 to 2008, a statue of her welcomed visitors to the Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame in St. Louis, Mo. The hall and statue have since been relocated to the International Bowling Museum in Arlington, Texas.
She died in 2010. She was 95.