Japanese bowling pioneer Ritsuko Nakayama dies at age 84

Japanese professional bowler Ritsuko Nakayama died on Saturday at the age of 84, Fox News, Nippon.com, That Eric Alper, Mainichi Shimbun, Jiji Press, and Mezha.net reported. The Japan Professional Bowling Association announced her passing, stating that she had been receiving medical treatment for an unspecified health condition before her death, according to Fox News. [1][2][3][4][5][6]

Nakayama was a Japanese professional bowler, Wikipedia notes. Before entering the sport, she played volleyball for a corporate team and chose to switch to bowling after her volleyball team folded, Fox News reported. She then passed the first professional qualification test in 1969, according to Fox News. [1][7]

Nakayama became a pioneering figure in the sport by bowling the first perfect game in women's professional bowling, Fox News and Mezha.net reported. That Eric Alper also reported that she rolled television's first women's perfect game and inspired the song Sawayaka Ritsuko-san. [1][3][6]

Her success helped ignite a major bowling boom in Japan during the 1970s, Fox News and Mainichi Shimbun reported. Fox News described her as one of the most influential figures in the history of Japanese bowling. [1][4]