PHYLLIS NEGAARD, St Joseph, Minnesota

Inducted 1989

Player: Phyllis Negaard was born in 1943 and was limited in her career as many states did not have a women’s division for their state tournaments. Minnesota was one of those states and in 1976, a women’s division was reestablished after a 50-year lapse. She won the Minnesota State Championship that year and went on to win 14 State Championships in total. In 1977 she entered the World Tournament and pitched in Women’s Class C at 45.2%. The next year she qualified for the Woman’s Championship Class, placing 5^th at 68.9% and in 1979, won her first World title. Phyllis won four more World Championships, 1982, 1983, 1986 and 1989. Her high average was in 1983, pitching 84.1% ringers. She had 235 wins in her 20-year career. She was stricken by a rare cancer and passed away in 2003.