Ritsuko Nakayama
Encyclopedia
is a former professional
bowler
. She was born in Kusatsu
, Gunma
, Japan
. She later moved to Kagoshima
which is her parents' hometown. Nakayama became a member of the Japan Professional Bowling Association
in 1969, representing Tokyo Tower Bowling Center.
During her professional bowling career, Nakayama accumulated 33 wins. She attained the number-one rank among JPBA female bowlers in 1969 (avg. 197.6) and 1970 (avg. 199.2), and was ranked among the top-three from 1969 to 1973.
On August 21, 1970, Nakayama rolled a perfect 300 game on Japanese national television, becoming the first woman ever to perform the feat in any television market. (It took nearly 27 years before Michelle Feldman
rolled the first American television 300-game in 1997.) She rolled the game during a tournament match, aired on the bowling show Ladies Challenge Bowl (October 1969 to March 1975,) at Fuchū Star Lanes. By the end of 1970, she earned the Japan Professional Sports Award for outstanding achievement.
Because of her 300-game, Nakayama became very famous in Japan, and would eventually boost the sport of bowling. In 1970, she appeared in a shampoo commercial, and also had a song written about her, titled Sawayaka Ritsuko-san (さわやか律子さん). She was a guest judge for the 20th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen
(1970), as well as a guest presenter for the 13th Japan Record Awards
(1971). In 1971, TBS
aired the Japanese television drama
Beautiful Challenger, the storyline covering a female professional bowler. Both Nakayama, as well as Rie Ishii appeared in the drama series as themselves.
Nakayama also held a female world's record for a three-game series of 824 (268, 257 and 299), setting the record on July 15, 1971.
Nakayama's arch rival was Kayoko Suda (須田開代子).
In 1990, Nakayama was forced to retire from bowling full-time, due to injury to her right shoulder and left knee (her sliding leg). Still, in 1994, she was able to place 4th in The Prince Cup. 1994 was also the year Nakayama celebrated her 25th anniversary as a professional.
Today, Nakayama no longer competes in JPBA tournaments. She is, however, very involved in the operations side of bowling in Japan. Nakayama is currently president of the JPBA. She is a co-founder and current president of the Japan Ladies Bowling Club (JLBC) - an organization she and Suda created. She is also vice-president of the Bowling Council of Japan (BCJ.) She is also a co-founder of P★League, along with the JPBA and JBC.
Professional
A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
bowler
Ten-pin bowling
Ten-pin bowling is a competitive sport in which a player rolls a bowling ball down a wooden or synthetic lane with the objective of scoring points by knocking down as many pins as possible.-Summary:The lane is bordered along its length by semicylindrical channels Ten-pin bowling (commonly just...
. She was born in Kusatsu
Kusatsu, Gunma
is a small town in Agatsuma District in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. Kusatsu is situated about 1,200 meters above sea level. The active volcano Kusatsu-Shirane and the inactive Mount Tengu and Mount Motoshirane are located west of Kusatsu.-Climate:Due to the altitude Kusatsu's annual average...
, Gunma
Gunma Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the northwest corner of the Kantō region on Honshu island. Its capital is Maebashi.- History :The remains of a Paleolithic man were found at Iwajuku, Gunma Prefecture, in the early 20th century and there is a public museum there.Japan was without horses until...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. She later moved to Kagoshima
Kagoshima Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. The capital is the city of Kagoshima.- Geography :Kagoshima Prefecture is located at the southwest tip of Kyushu and includes a chain of islands stretching further to the southwest for a few hundred kilometers...
which is her parents' hometown. Nakayama became a member of the Japan Professional Bowling Association
Japan Professional Bowling Association
The is the major sanctioning body for the sport of professional ten-pin bowling in Japan. The organization was founded by , and was established on January 27, 1967. The JPBA sanctions tournaments and other functions related to professional bowling for both men and women. Its headquarters are...
in 1969, representing Tokyo Tower Bowling Center.
During her professional bowling career, Nakayama accumulated 33 wins. She attained the number-one rank among JPBA female bowlers in 1969 (avg. 197.6) and 1970 (avg. 199.2), and was ranked among the top-three from 1969 to 1973.
On August 21, 1970, Nakayama rolled a perfect 300 game on Japanese national television, becoming the first woman ever to perform the feat in any television market. (It took nearly 27 years before Michelle Feldman
Michelle Feldman
Michelle Feldman is a right-handed female professional ten-pin bowler and former member of the now-defunct Professional Women's Bowling Association . She hails from Skaneateles, NY, and now resides in nearby Auburn, NY. In her career, she has won 14 professional titles: 12 on the PWBA Tour and...
rolled the first American television 300-game in 1997.) She rolled the game during a tournament match, aired on the bowling show Ladies Challenge Bowl (October 1969 to March 1975,) at Fuchū Star Lanes. By the end of 1970, she earned the Japan Professional Sports Award for outstanding achievement.
Because of her 300-game, Nakayama became very famous in Japan, and would eventually boost the sport of bowling. In 1970, she appeared in a shampoo commercial, and also had a song written about her, titled Sawayaka Ritsuko-san (さわやか律子さん). She was a guest judge for the 20th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen
Kohaku Uta Gassen
, more commonly known as simply Kōhaku, is an annual music show on New Year's Eve produced by Japanese public broadcaster NHK and broadcast on both television and radio, nationally and internationally by NHK's networks and some overseas broadcasters which bought the program...
(1970), as well as a guest presenter for the 13th Japan Record Awards
Japan Record Award
for outstanding achievements in the Japan Composer's Association, is major music awards show held annually in Japan.- Categories :The Japan Record Award are four awards which are not restricted by genre....
(1971). In 1971, TBS
Tokyo Broadcasting System
, TBS Holdings, Inc. or TBSHD, is a stockholding company in Tokyo, Japan. It is a parent company of a television network named and radio network named ....
aired the Japanese television drama
Japanese television drama
, also called , are a staple of Japanese television and are broadcast daily. All major TV networks in Japan produce a variety of drama series including murder romance, comedy, detective stories, horror, and many others...
Beautiful Challenger, the storyline covering a female professional bowler. Both Nakayama, as well as Rie Ishii appeared in the drama series as themselves.
Nakayama also held a female world's record for a three-game series of 824 (268, 257 and 299), setting the record on July 15, 1971.
Nakayama's arch rival was Kayoko Suda (須田開代子).
In 1990, Nakayama was forced to retire from bowling full-time, due to injury to her right shoulder and left knee (her sliding leg). Still, in 1994, she was able to place 4th in The Prince Cup. 1994 was also the year Nakayama celebrated her 25th anniversary as a professional.
Today, Nakayama no longer competes in JPBA tournaments. She is, however, very involved in the operations side of bowling in Japan. Nakayama is currently president of the JPBA. She is a co-founder and current president of the Japan Ladies Bowling Club (JLBC) - an organization she and Suda created. She is also vice-president of the Bowling Council of Japan (BCJ.) She is also a co-founder of P★League, along with the JPBA and JBC.