USBC Hall of Famer Jean Havlish dies at age 89
September 08, 2025
ARLINGTON, Texas – United States Bowling Congress Hall of Famer and Professional Women’s Bowling Association champion Jean Havlish of Rockville, Minnesota, died Sept. 1 at the age of 89.
Havlish was inducted in the USBC (then Women’s International Bowling Congress) Hall of Fame in 1987 in the Superior Performance category.
Havlish, a right-hander originally from St. Paul, Minnesota, collected a pair of wins in the USBC Women’s Championships, earning both at the 1964 event in Minneapolis. She took home the singles title with a 690 total and went on to post a then-record 1,980 all-events score, earning the win in that event as well. In addition to those two wins, Havlish posted four other top-10 finishes at the Women’s Championships.
She also left her mark on the PWBA Tour, earning three titles. Her first came at the 1966 Indianapolis Open and was followed by a pair of wins in 1968 at the Park Lanes Open in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and the TWA Open in North Kansas City, Missouri.
Havlish also was a member of Team USA in 1981 where, during the American Zone event in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, she contributed to first-place team and third-place trio performances for the U.S. women’s team.
But Havlish’s athletic accomplishments were not limited to the sport of bowling. Prior to gaining fame as a bowler, she played three seasons as a shortstop in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League for the Fort Wayne Daisies.
Havlish is the only bowler inducted in the Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame. She was named one of the Top 100 Minnesotan Sports Figures of the 20th Century by the Minneapolis Star Tribune and Sports Illustrated ranked her 36th among the top 50 Minnesota athletes of the 20th century. She also is a member of the Minnesota State and Twin Cities USBC Halls of Fame.
Havlish was born on Nov. 23, 1935, to Howard and Mary Havlish and was the oldest of five children. Visitation and a private service have already taken place.
For more information on the USBC Hall of Fame, visit BOWL.com/HallofFame.
Havlish was inducted in the USBC (then Women’s International Bowling Congress) Hall of Fame in 1987 in the Superior Performance category.
Havlish, a right-hander originally from St. Paul, Minnesota, collected a pair of wins in the USBC Women’s Championships, earning both at the 1964 event in Minneapolis. She took home the singles title with a 690 total and went on to post a then-record 1,980 all-events score, earning the win in that event as well. In addition to those two wins, Havlish posted four other top-10 finishes at the Women’s Championships.
She also left her mark on the PWBA Tour, earning three titles. Her first came at the 1966 Indianapolis Open and was followed by a pair of wins in 1968 at the Park Lanes Open in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and the TWA Open in North Kansas City, Missouri.
Havlish also was a member of Team USA in 1981 where, during the American Zone event in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, she contributed to first-place team and third-place trio performances for the U.S. women’s team.
But Havlish’s athletic accomplishments were not limited to the sport of bowling. Prior to gaining fame as a bowler, she played three seasons as a shortstop in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League for the Fort Wayne Daisies.
Havlish is the only bowler inducted in the Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame. She was named one of the Top 100 Minnesotan Sports Figures of the 20th Century by the Minneapolis Star Tribune and Sports Illustrated ranked her 36th among the top 50 Minnesota athletes of the 20th century. She also is a member of the Minnesota State and Twin Cities USBC Halls of Fame.
Havlish was born on Nov. 23, 1935, to Howard and Mary Havlish and was the oldest of five children. Visitation and a private service have already taken place.
For more information on the USBC Hall of Fame, visit BOWL.com/HallofFame.