Tokyo, Nov. 7 (Jiji Press)–Ritsuko Nakayama, a legendary Japanese professional bowler who helped spark Japan’s bowling boom in the 1970s, died Saturday at the age of 84. According to the Japan Professional Bowling Association, Nakayama had been receiving medical treatment for an illness. She had been a volleyball player for a corporate team before switching to bowling after the team was disbanded. Nakayama passed the first women’s professional bowling qualification test in 1969, finishing second behind the late Kayoko Suda, and attracted attention by achieving the first perfect game in women’s professional bowling the following year. She became affectionately known as “Sawayaka Ritsuko-san,” a nickname derived from the catchphrase of a television commercial for a shampoo product in which she appeared in 1971. In her post-competitive career, Nakayama served as chairperson of the Japan Ladies Bowling Club and the Japan Professional Bowling Association. Inducted into the Japanese professional bowling hall of fame in 2017, she worked to promote the sport by organizing bowling classes for girls and junior players. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
