Hall of Fame - Athletes

1990

WILLIAM LEROY CHRISTIAN

Virginia

Duckpin Bowling - Nat’l Ranked, Virginia, Gallaudet, DCCD

Christian’s outstanding duckpin achievements convinced the National Duckpin Bowling Association board of directors to create a separate “Special Recognition Award” to deaf bowlers outside of tenpins and also to eligible deaf foreign bowlers. Christian was its first recipient.

William Leroy Christian inherited deafness from his father's family with 85 percent deaf in one ear and 75 percent in the other. He was a born athlete, starring in football, basketball and baseball at the Virginia School for the Deaf and in basketball, baseball, cross country, and track (one-miler). Later, as a player for District Columbia Club of the Deaf, he played basketball for seven years, assisting in wins of 6 Southeast Athletic Association of the Deaf (SEAAD) championships and participating in American Athletic Association of the Deaf tournaments. He also helped that club to a Metro Washington fast-pitch softball championship.

His election to the Hall of Fame is due largely to his accomplishments as a duckpin bowler. He was a charter member of the national Duck Pin Bowlers professional association. He was highly recruited by teams in District Columbia and Northern Virginia. In 1971 he was ranked #1 in Greater Washington Duckpin Association and 6th in the nation. In Virginia in 1972, he was selected as Bowler of the Year. Over the years he set world records: 20 games block 2857 pins - average 142.85 per game; 25 games block 3533 pins - average 141.32 per game; 30 games block 4331 pins - average 144.37 per game; mixed doubles (with Jean Harris, 1971) combined average for the season 267.71; and five-man team – 3-game set 2330 pins.

In advanced years, Christian switched to golf and has participated in Midwest, National, Southeast and Canadian tournaments for deaf golfers. He won the Southeast Deaf Golf Association tournament in 1990. He has two holes-in-one to his credit and sports a handicap of 9.