Born: 1961
Biography:
Lisa Wagner (born May 19, 1961) is a retired professional ten-pin bowler who competed on the Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) Tour from 1980 through 2001. She is the all-time leader in officially recognized PWBA titles with 32. Among these titles are major championships at the 1988 U.S. Women’s Open and 1996 WIBC Queens. Wagner is a member of the PWBA Hall of Fame (inducted in 1996).
Professional career
Wagner, a right-handed bowler, began her professional career as an 18-year old in 1980. While she didn’t win any tournaments that season, she finished runner-up three times and was honored with the 1980 Rookie of the Year award. After two more second-place finishes in 1981 and 1982, Wagner’s first title came on her 22nd birthday (May 19, 1983) at the Robby’s Midwest Classic in Rockford, Illinois. She then won her second title the very next week at the Greater Milwaukee Open.
Wagner would string together eight consecutive seasons (1983 to 1990) with at least two titles per year, winning the Female Bowler of the Year award in 1983, 1986, and 1988. She won six titles in the 1988 season alone, including her first major championship at the Seagram’s Coolers U.S. Women’s Open. She also became the first female professional to cash over $100,000 in tournament earnings during a single season. She was named Female Bowler of the Decade (1980s) by both Bowling Magazine and Woman Bowler magazine.
After reaching 25 tour victories in 1990, Wagner won only five titles between 1991 and 1998, but the 1993 season saw her win her fourth PWBA Player of the Year award. In the 1996 season, she captured her second major title at the WIBC Queens (later named USBC Queens). Oddly, it was the only time in her storied career that Wagner made the final round of a WIBC Queens event, and she had to climb the stepladder from the #5 position to win, ultimately defeating Tammy Turner in the final match, 231–226.
She won her final two titles in the 1999 season and retired following the 2001 season. Wagner is recognized as the all-time leader in PWBA Tour titles with 32. (Hall of Famer Patty Costello had 39 professional titles, but some of her wins came in tournaments not officially recognized by the PWBA.) Lisa made the final match of a PWBA tournament 57 times, going 32–25 in those matches.
Wagner was also a five-time titlist in WIBC Open Championships, which included an all-events title in 1988, a singles title in 2001, and doubles titles in 1982, 1992, and 2001.
Awards:
– PWBA Hall of Fame (inducted in 1996)
– Female Bowler of the Year (1983, 1986, 1988)
– PWBA Player of the Year (1993)
– 1980 Rookie of the Year award.