1980 - Charlotte Kardas

Char Kardas, one of the most active bowlers of the Greater Grand Rapids WBA, retired from tournament competition in 1975 because of arthritic knees. Char was a member of 5 State Tournament team event winners from 1951 through 1965. Three times she and three different partners took over the doubles event and three times she captured the State All Events title. 

 

Char has been recognized for her work as an outstanding coach of junior bowlers; has been inducted into the Michigan Amateur Sports Hall of Fame; received the Grand Rapids Bowling Council’s Marion Ladewig Award for outstanding contributions to the game of bowling and with her husband, Butch, received the 1953 Sponsor of the Year Award. 

 

Ten times she was a member of the winning team in her local tournament as well as winning the doubles event twice and the singles event winner in 1953. During her bowling career her highest sanctioned game was 279, sanctioned series was 741 and her highest attained average was 197. 

 

Char participated in 32 MWBA tournaments before her health required that she slow down. She is a former president of the Greater Grand Rapids WBA and nine times she was selected as a member of the Greater Grand Rapids All City Team. 

 

She has been an inspiration and mentor to many of the present young starlets in her local association.