Doris Coburn

Doris Coburn

Bowling Champion

The winner of three professional women’s bowling titles during her illustrious career, Doris Coburn followed 1991 inaugural inductee Allie Brandt in representing Buffalo bowlers in the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame.

In addition to these titles, Coburn has also won two Women’s International Bowling Congress (WIBC) Team Championships and several state and local titles.

Coburn was also the first woman in the history of women’s bowling to average a score of over 200 for eight straight years. In 1977, her 208 average was the third highest in the nation.

In 1975, she bowled a perfect 300 game and was inducted into the New York State Women’s Bowling Association Hall of Fame. A year later, she became a member of the WIBC Hall of Fame.

Nationally, Coburn has received numerous honors, including being named to the Bowlers Journal All-American Team in 1969 and 1975, the Woman Bowler Magazine All America Team in 1975 and the 1972 Marion Ladewig “Lady of the Lane” Award for image and sportsmanship.

Locally, Coburn is a member of the Buffalo Women’s Bowling Association Hall of Fame. She has also received numerous awards, including the Buffalo Evening News Outstanding Citizen Award in 1975, the Erie County Recreation Dept. Mother of the Year Award that same year and the Buffalo Athletic Club Professional Athlete of the Year in 1977.

Doris Coburn’s induction into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame creates an interesting possibility for the future of the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame. Her daughter, Cindy, also a professional bowler, has made her mark on the bowling scene and has been nominated for induction to the hall. Only time will tell.

The biographies contained on this website were written at the time of the honoree's induction into the Hall of Fame. No attempt has been made to update these narratives to reflect more recent events, activities, or statistics.