Shirley Garms, USBC Hall of Fame member, dies at age 94
January 26, 2018
ARLINGTON, Texas – Shirley Garms, a United States Bowling Congress Hall of Fame member from Island Lake, Illinois, died Wednesday. She was 94.
Inducted into the USBC Hall of Fame in 1971 for Superior Performance, Garms was one of the top bowlers in the nation during the 1960s. She was named the Bowling Writers Association of America (BWAA) Woman Bowler of the Year in 1961 and 1962.
In 1962, she captured the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America (BPAA) Women’s All-Star, which is now the U.S. Women’s Open, and also teamed with Dick Weber to win the World’s Mixed Doubles, a nationally televised event. Weber shot 254 and Garms had a 253 in the title match to beat Don Carter and Marge Merrick.
In addition to her BPAA Women’s All-Star title, Garms had three other professional titles during her career. She won the second event of the Professional Women’s Bowling Association, the 1961 PWBA Championships title, and the 1964 San Antonio Open. Her final pro title came at age 54, when she won the 1978 PWBA Coors Open.
Garms earned four USBC Women's Championships titles, the first in 1955 when she captained Chicago Falstaff to the team title. She teamed with Grace Werkmeister for the doubles title in 1964, won a second team title with Beaumont Bowl Pro Shop in 1965, and won the singles title in 1974.
A founding member of the PWBA, she was a charter member of the PWBA Hall of Fame in 1995. She also is a member of the World Bowling Hall of Fame (1971), the Illinois Bowling Hall of Fame (1975) and the Chicago Bowling Hall of Fame (1985). She was selected as Chicago's Bowler of the Decade for the 1960s.
Visitation will be Thursday, Feb. 1, from 4-8 p.m. at Friedrichs Funeral Home, 320 W. Central Rd., Mount Prospect, Illinois, with the funeral service at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 2, at the funeral home.
Inducted into the USBC Hall of Fame in 1971 for Superior Performance, Garms was one of the top bowlers in the nation during the 1960s. She was named the Bowling Writers Association of America (BWAA) Woman Bowler of the Year in 1961 and 1962.
In 1962, she captured the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America (BPAA) Women’s All-Star, which is now the U.S. Women’s Open, and also teamed with Dick Weber to win the World’s Mixed Doubles, a nationally televised event. Weber shot 254 and Garms had a 253 in the title match to beat Don Carter and Marge Merrick.
In addition to her BPAA Women’s All-Star title, Garms had three other professional titles during her career. She won the second event of the Professional Women’s Bowling Association, the 1961 PWBA Championships title, and the 1964 San Antonio Open. Her final pro title came at age 54, when she won the 1978 PWBA Coors Open.
Garms earned four USBC Women's Championships titles, the first in 1955 when she captained Chicago Falstaff to the team title. She teamed with Grace Werkmeister for the doubles title in 1964, won a second team title with Beaumont Bowl Pro Shop in 1965, and won the singles title in 1974.
A founding member of the PWBA, she was a charter member of the PWBA Hall of Fame in 1995. She also is a member of the World Bowling Hall of Fame (1971), the Illinois Bowling Hall of Fame (1975) and the Chicago Bowling Hall of Fame (1985). She was selected as Chicago's Bowler of the Decade for the 1960s.
Visitation will be Thursday, Feb. 1, from 4-8 p.m. at Friedrichs Funeral Home, 320 W. Central Rd., Mount Prospect, Illinois, with the funeral service at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 2, at the funeral home.