Floretta McCutcheon

Superior Performance

Floretta McCutcheon
City: Los Angeles
State: CA
Inducted: 1956

The most widely known woman bowler of the pre-1940s, she made tours, bowled exhibitions and held instruction clinics throughout the U.S. She averaged 201, bowled more than 200 series of 700, five 800 series and 10 perfect games in 10 years of exhibition play. It is estimated she taught more than 250,000 people how to bowl. In one of her most memorable matches, she opposed USBC Hall of Famer Jimmy Smith, after whom she had modeled her game when learning to bowl at age 35. The year was 1927, and Mrs. McCutcheon won the first game 246 to 224, lost 256 to 234, won the third game 224 to 217 for a 704-to-697 victory. The win was recognized by 'Ripley's Believe It or Not.' Mrs. McCutcheon averaged 206 in league play in 1938-39, a record that stood until 1952-53. She wrote bowling booklets, organized leagues and served a term as a Chicago WBA director.