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A Little Bowling Bragging

Timeshare Von

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60355479_10214603307617387_3420957634700771328_o.jpg

Hi Timeshare Friends! I know some of you know of my love of the game of bowling . . . and the work I do for the bowling industry. I grew up in it and have be fortunate to establish a successful career in bowling, even in the twilight of my working life.

Earlier this spring I was informed I would be inducted into the Nation's Capital Area USBC Association's Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2019 this fall! I'm tremendously honored that my performance on the lanes in my home area of NoVA along with my service to the industry (especially here in Wisconsin) has earned me a spot with a rather illustrious group of bowling people back home.

Here is the bio that was submitted to the NCAUSBCA Hall of Fame Committee and Board of Directors:
60473123_10214605999244676_6374824579390504960_n.jpg

60865796_10214606000604710_2855026789292441600_n.jpg


I hope my career on and off the lanes will provide inspiration to others who love the game of bowling. I know most here are well into their career path and many are retired. But my story of "just a kid who loved to bowl" should show others there are ways to earn a living at what you love. Professional bowlers don't make the sort of money other pro athletes make (like golf or tennis) . . . but there are honest livings to be made off the lanes as well.
 

OldGuy

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Congrats.

My bowling career peaked when I was 12, when I got beat by an 8-year-old on TV.

Bowled two leagues every Saturday morning, first bantam, then junior.

I can still remember the volunteer who headed it all up, Peggy Crum.

High sanctioned game was 257. Got a box full of trophies and patches.

My brother and I were the junior doubles champs in our home city.

As my Dad used to tell me, "That and a quarter will get you a cup of coffee."

:D
 
Last edited:

klpca

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Congratulations! What an accomplishment!
 

slip

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Congratulations!!! That is a very high honor with a lot of hard work and dedication behind it.
 

jackio

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Congratulations!
One of my colleagues has a 12 year old daughter who is an excellent bowler and bowls in travel leagues and tournaments all over. She is hoping her daughter will receive scholarships to college and she has already been scouted.
I am sure those opportunities were not open to women bowlers in your time.
Kudos for all your great accomplishments!
 

Jan M.

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Timeshare Von

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Thanks everyone!

P.S. I love hearing bowling stories from others too.
 

OldGuy

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Thanks everyone!

P.S. I love hearing bowling stories from others too.

Well, okey dokey.

1. Like I said before, I bowled in two bantam, and then junior, leagues on Saturday mornings in Des Moines, IA. One morning there was a freezing blizzard, and Mom could not get the car started. It is four miles to the bowling alley, so I set out on foot, carrying my bowling bag with ball and shoes.

My Dad and stepmother lived at about the half-way point, and I was pretty much a mess when I got there, and knocked on their door, asking for a ride the rest of the way.

:eek:

2. People worry about kids nowadays, but, when I was 8 and my brother was 10, we would walk to the corner (carrying our bowling bags, of course), get on a bus, go downtown, and get a transfer to whatever bus went to whatever bowling alley we wanted to go to that day. Normally Sunday afternoons.

No one gave it a second thought.
 

Big Matt

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That's really cool. I also am happy to see that you spent a lot of time in Northern VA where I live. I'm about 10 minutes to Langley High School as we speak. Bowling is one of those sports like golf where anyone can play, but to be one of the best it takes thousands of hours of practice. Glad you posted this.
 

Timeshare Von

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Well, okey dokey.

1. Like I said before, I bowled in two bantam, and then junior, leagues on Saturday mornings in Des Moines, IA. One morning there was a freezing blizzard, and Mom could not get the car started. It is four miles to the bowling alley, so I set out on foot, carrying my bowling bag with ball and shoes.

My Dad and stepmother lived at about the half-way point, and I was pretty much a mess when I got there, and knocked on their door, asking for a ride the rest of the way.

:eek:

2. People worry about kids nowadays, but, when I was 8 and my brother was 10, we would walk to the corner (carrying our bowling bags, of course), get on a bus, go downtown, and get a transfer to whatever bus went to whatever bowling alley we wanted to go to that day. Normally Sunday afternoons.

No one gave it a second thought.

Thanks for sharing!

Yes I too walked about 3 miles with my one-ball bowling bag across town to my Saturday morning league at the age of 11. My Dad worked 3rd shift at the Pentagon, and Mom as a trendsetter working mom who wanted to sleep in on Saturdays . . . so I walked! Not a biggee for me or them.

I loved the pureness of the game when I was a kid. It is part of the attraction today, and why I host Wisconsin Vintage Alleys Tours featuring old school, vintage era bowling on wood lanes. But bring your mad math skills, because you'll be keeping score with a pencil! We've done four of them over the past two years . . . with media cover picked up by NPR and the AP.
 

Timeshare Von

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That's really cool. I also am happy to see that you spent a lot of time in Northern VA where I live. I'm about 10 minutes to Langley High School as we speak. Bowling is one of those sports like golf where anyone can play, but to be one of the best it takes thousands of hours of practice. Glad you posted this.

Glad you enjoyed Matt. It's a shame a big high rise sits at 1320 Old Chain Bridge Road, where McLean Bowling Center once was. VERY SAD for me and all who grew up there.

A very rough photo of McLean Bowling Center from BITD (circa 1980).
15138497_10207897252450199_463930971235971717_o.jpg
 

OldGuy

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Two or three years ago our cousins were in town and Jeannie wanted to go bowling.

I figured, hey, sure, it's just like riding a bike, right, and will come right back?

No.
 

DaveNV

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Very cool, Von! Good job!!

Dave
 

Brett

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Glad you enjoyed Matt. It's a shame a big high rise sits at 1320 Old Chain Bridge Road, where McLean Bowling Center once was. VERY SAD for me and all who grew up there.

A very rough photo of McLean Bowling Center from BITD (circa 1980).

I grew up in McLean and bowled at the McLean Bowling Center. I'm not surprised that it's now office and retail space but I am shocked seeing Tysons Corner. I remember when it was all farmland and a place to ride dirt bikes --- now it's 40 story hotels and commercial and apartment buildings and has three metro subway stops.
 

OldGuy

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I grew up in McLean and bowled at the McLean Bowling Center. I'm not surprised that it's now office and retail space but I am shocked seeing Tysons Corner. I remember when it was all farmland and a place to ride dirt bikes --- now it's 40 story hotels and commercial and apartment buildings and has three metro subway stops.

Where I grew up, a block to the west was a monastery and fields. If I heard their bell ring, I was late for supper.

Now the city goes out another 15 miles, at least, all developed and filled in with houses.
 

Brett

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Where I grew up, a block to the west was a monastery and fields. If I heard their bell ring, I was late for supper.

Now the city goes out another 15 miles, at least, all developed and filled in with houses.

if you're talking about the Dominican Retreat for Catholic nuns off Old Dominion Rd. it's now luxury apartments called ......... The Dominican Retreat !
 

OldGuy

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if you're talking about the Dominican Retreat for Catholic nuns off Old Dominion Rd. it's now luxury apartments called ......... The Dominican Retreat !

Another place.

Back then the city ended at 58th Street. Now it's past 170th Street.

:eek:
 

RX8

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As a youth I used to walk during the winter to my league games. Took at least half a game before my ball thawed out. When we weren’t bowling we were in the bowling alley arcade playing Asteroids. Where has the time gone?
 

Iggyearl

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I grew up in Elmira, NY. Jimmy Maloney and I would go to Rossi Lanes to bowl at least once a week. I was carrying a 180 average as a 13 Y/O. Then one day someone pointed out that strikes were not worth 30 and spares were not worth 20. I thought I had learned that on Sunday TV. Unfortunately, my average plummeted to about 130. And making spares on the 10 pin was almost impossible with those overhead ball returns. :mad:
 

Timeshare Von

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I grew up in Elmira, NY. Jimmy Maloney and I would go to Rossi Lanes to bowl at least once a week. I was carrying a 180 average as a 13 Y/O. Then one day someone pointed out that strikes were not worth 30 and spares were not worth 20. I thought I had learned that on Sunday TV. Unfortunately, my average plummeted to about 130. And making spares on the 10 pin was almost impossible with those overhead ball returns. :mad:

We still have several vintage era places here in Wisconsin with overlane ball returns. Here's one of my faves!

10931406_10203872422111956_4908371880719116450_n.jpg

T&O Lanes, Oshkosh
 

dayooper

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Congrats @Timeshare Von

I just started my bowling "career" this year. I was in a league as a youth, but quit bowling after a year or two (I was horrible, I bowled a 0 one game). Fast forward 35 years and my son starts to bowl with his friend in a youth league at the local alley. They get pretty good, start to bowl on the Middle School team. They have a very good team, win their division and get bumped in the Baker's tournament. (Don't get me started. No handicap for all Baker's games all season then use it for the tournament).

So he makes the JV team in high school his Freshman year and they need a coach. Well, I've coached youth sports for 20 years now, but never bowling. They ask me and how could I turn it down? Coaching another sport? Absolutely! We do very well, only lose one match (the other team brought down a ringer from their varsity) and we are division champs. These kids know more about bowling then I ever dreamed of, but we made it work, had a blast and look forward to next year!

Now I've decided to take up bowling and went and bought a hook ball (probably too much ball for a beginner, but I'm learning) and now am bowling in a non sanctioned fun league. I've finally found that sport I can do as I age (played football, basketball and power lifted as an adolescent and young adult). My son is WAY better than I am, but we have fun when we go. He averages around 170-180 and I'm around 110. We are going on vacation in a couple of weeks and my son looked for bowling alleys in the area we can go to!
 

Timeshare Von

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Dayooper . . . what a great story! Thank you for sharing AND for coming back to bowling. Your son is fortunate to have you as a Dad.
 
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