Madge Wells was a superb two-sport athlete during an era when very few women participated in competitive sports. Wells excelled in softball and was the pitching ace on championship softball teams in the 1930s and '40s.

 

When Wells was 15 years old, she traveled to Soldier Field in Chicago for the 1937 World Championships with the Eastwood Diner girls softball team, which lost in the final to a team from Texas. One of her most dominant seasons was in 1944 when she fired a no-hitter, three one-hitters and four two-hitters. Wells continued to pitch and play softball for more than 35 years. She was the first women elected into the New York State ASA Softball Hall of Fame in 1990.

 

Wells also was a standout on the bowling lanes. She shined for a number of local bowling teams and was a member of the highly-touted Ladies Classic League in the 1960s.

 

Besides her love of sports, Wells worked at the New York State Fair for 70 years as a ticket manager and in customer relations. She was also a former ticket manager for the Syracuse Nationals basketball team and was on the board of directors of the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame.

 

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

 

1933: McKinley Park Girls Team, pitched her first no-hitter at age 11

 

1935: Woodlawn Methodist Church, Journal American Softball League, started pitching for Alwell’s Eastwood Diner Team

 

1936-1942: Led Eastwood Diner Girls Softball Team to seven different championships

 

1936, 1937: Won the New York State Girls Softball State Titles

 

1937: Won the Journal American League city title with the Eastwood Diner. The team traveled to Chicago for the nationals and reached the final

 

1943-1945: Played for the Prosperity Company Girls team in YMCA league and led the team to 3 championships and won the Syracuse, CNY and New York State titles

 

1944: Pitched a no-hitter, 3 one-hitters and 4 two-hitters

 

1960: Placed second with Smoral’s Restaurant Team in NYS Bowling Tournament, Won 16 different Championships

 

1961-1962: Bowled in Ladies Classic League with a high three-game total of 657, high single game of 266

 

1962: Returned to the mound in ASA-Woman Fast Pitch Softball Tournament at Hopkins Road Field

 

1966: Pepsi Cola Bowling Association Traveling Classic, Ace Eastwood Taxi, Butler Market and WNDR Radio

 

1969-1970: Made the World of Ten Pins All-Star Team

 

1970: Lead the Dodge Demon and the Sam Dell Dodge teams to the ladies softball championships

 

1971: Chairwoman of Celebrity Bowling League

 

1990: First woman inducted into New York State ASA Softball Hall of Fame