Dot Wilkinson

{{infobox sportsperson

| name= Dot Wilkinson

| birth_name = Dorothy Elsie Wilkinson

| birth_date = {{birth date|1921|10|9}}

| birth_place = South Phoenix, Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2023|3|18|1921|10|9}}

| death_place = Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.

| sport= Softball, ten-pin bowling

}}

Dorothy Elsie Wilkinson (October 9, 1921 – March 18, 2023) was an American softball player and bowler, who is a member of the halls of fame in both sports.

Life and career

Wilkinson played softball from 1933 to 1965, helping her team, the Phoenix Ramblers, to the national title in 1940,{{cite web|url=https://www.angelfire.com/sd/slopitch/fast.html|title=Fast Pitch Softball History|access-date=2009-10-02}} 1948,{{cite news|title=Phoenix Ramblers Softball Champions|work=Ellensburg Daily Record|date=September 21, 1948|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=860&dat=19480921&id=6UMKAAAAIBAJ&sjid=oEoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6958,4391271|accessdate=2009-10-02}} and 1949.{{cite web|url=http://www.stratfordbrakettes.com/national_tournaments.htm|title=Brakettes- National Tournaments|accessdate=2009-10-02|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080820100710/http://www.stratfordbrakettes.com/national_tournaments.htm|archivedate=2008-08-20}} She was an All-American nineteen seasons as an amateur softball player.{{cite news|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1071898/index.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025102238/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1071898/index.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 25, 2012|title=Dot Wilkinson A female Yogi Berra|work=Sports Illustrated|date=October 17, 1960|accessdate=2009-09-26}} Among her feats, she batted an average of .455 in 1954, .450 in 1955, and .387 on the Ramblers championship runner up year of 1957.

As a professional bowler, she won the Women's International Bowling Queen's Tournament (a bowling triple crown event) in 1962, and the WIBC singles in 1963.{{cite news|last=Tyers|first=Tim|url=http://www.azcentral.com/sports/azetc/articles/0703whatsup-ON.html|title=What's up with . . . Dottie Wilkinson|work=The Arizona Republic|date=July 3, 2007|accessdate=2009-10-02}}

Wilkinson was inducted into the National Softball Hall of Fame and Museum in 1970, her first year of eligibility.{{cite web | url=http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Softball/About/National-Softball-Hall-of-Fame/Members | title=Dot Wilkinson Bio | publisher=American Softball Association | accessdate=September 4, 2014 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140707052522/http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Softball/About/National-Softball-Hall-of-Fame/Members | archivedate=July 7, 2014}} She was inducted into the International Bowling Hall of Fame twenty years later, in 1990.{{cite web|url=http://www.bowlingmuseum.com/wibc.asp |title=Welcome to the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame: Women's International Bowling Congress Hall of Fame, Superior Performance |accessdate=2009-10-02 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206035326/http://bowlingmuseum.com/wibc.asp |archivedate=February 6, 2009 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.bowlingmuseum.com/NewsLetterSpring07.pdf |title=International Bowling Museum Hall of Fame |date=Spring 2007 |accessdate=2009-09-26 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070710004520/http://www.bowlingmuseum.com/NewsLetterSpring07.pdf |archivedate=July 10, 2007 }}

Wilkinson occasionally attended high school, college and tournament softball games in Arizona, where she and some of her former teammates were honored frequently. The Arizona Republic newspaper chose her at number eight among Arizona's all-time greatest athletes in 1999.{{cite news|last=Metcalfe|first=Jeff|title=Whatever it took to win: Dot Wilkinson not a good loser|work=The Arizona Republic|date=December 18, 1999|page=C 1|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/azcentral/access/1846119011.html?dids=1846119011:1846119011&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Dec+18%2C+1999&author=Jeff+Metcalfe&pub=Arizona+Republic&edition=&startpage=C.1&desc=CORR-WHATEVER+IT+TOOK+TO+WIN+DOT+WILKINSON+NOT+A+GOOD+LOSER|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023005807/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/azcentral/access/1846119011.html?dids=1846119011:1846119011&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Dec+18,+1999&author=Jeff+Metcalfe&pub=Arizona+Republic&edition=&startpage=C.1&desc=CORR-WHATEVER+IT+TOOK+TO+WIN+DOT+WILKINSON+NOT+A+GOOD+LOSER|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 23, 2012|accessdate=2009-10-02}}

As of April 2020, Wilkinson was the oldest living member of the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame.[https://eu.azcentral.com/story/sports/2020/04/13/fast-pitch-softball-legend-dot-wilkinson-staying-safe-during-coronavirus-pandemic/2980872001/ 98-year-old softball Hall of Famer Dot Wilkinson staying safe during pandemic] She turned 100 in October 2021,{{cite web|url=https://eu.azcentral.com/story/sports/2021/10/09/oldest-living-arizona-sports-hall-famer-dot-wilkinson-turns-100/6077006001/|title=Oldest living Arizona Sports Hall of Famer Dot Wilkinson turns 100|publisher=AZ Central|date=10 October 2021}} and died in Phoenix on March 18, 2023, at the age of 101.{{cite news |last1=McLeod |first1=Justin |title=Softball Legend Dot Wilkinson Passes Away |url=https://extrainningsoftball.com/softball-legend-dot-wilkinson-passes-away/ |access-date=21 March 2023 |publisher=Extra Inning Softball |date=20 March 2023}}{{cite news |last1=Sainty |first1=Lane |title=Arizona sporting legend and 'softball royalty' Dot Wilkinson dies at 101 |url=https://eu.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2023/03/20/dot-wilkinson-a-legend-in-softball-and-bowling-dies-at-101/70029477007/ |access-date=21 March 2023 |publisher=AZ Central |date=20 March 2023}}

Honours

class="wikitable"

! scope="col" | Association

! scope="col" | Year

! scope="col" | results

National Softball Hall of Fame and Museum

| 1970

| {{honoured}}

International Bowling Hall of Fame

| 1990

| {{honoured}}

Arizona Sports Hall of Fame

| 1975

| {{honoured}}

Dot Wilkinson

Life and career

Honours

References

Further reading