LOOKING AT THE 1900s

The 20th Century Was Loaded With A Plethora Of Outstanding People, From The Holler House To Kingpin, And Baker To Petersen.
by J.R. Schmid

With the 20th Century — not to mention the Second Millenium — drawing to a close, historical retrospectives are popular. The spirit of the times has even infected the bowling world. People I considered normal have been asking me what was the finest bowling book ever written, or the greatest match ever rolled, or any number of exotic questions.

As a historian, I love it. So herewith is presented my own list of the century’s best. The choices are based on historical research and personal opinion, and, as with all columns, represent my picks and not those of BJI! 

Best Bowler, Male: Earl Anthony. 

Best Bowler, Female: Marion Ladewig. 

Best Bowler, Right-Handed: Don Carter. 

Best Bowler, Left-Handed, First Name Other Than Earl: Mike Aulby. 

Best Instruction Book: Par Bowling: The Challenge by Thomas C. Kouros. 

Best General Book: The Perfect Game by Herman Weiskopf. 

Best Bowling Novel: Billy Phelan’s Greatest Game by William Kennedy. Only the first chapter is bowling, but it is still the best piece of fiction ever written about the game. 

Best Magazine Story: “Joe Norris: He Was Never Dull,” by Mort Luby, Jr., Bowlers Journal (April 1963). 

Best TV Show: Jackpot Bowling. 

Best Bowling Center: The National Bowling Stadium (Reno, Nev.). 

Best Real Bowling Center: Holler House (Milwaukee, Wis.). 

Most Interesting ABC City (since 1975): Salt Lake City. 

Best Bowling Writer: John Archibald. 

Best Team Match: E & B Beer vs. King Louie (BPAA Team Champion-ship, 1952). 

Best Individual Match, long format: Ned Day vs. Johnny Crimmins (90-game Match-Game Challenge, 1942). 

Best Individual Match, 3 games: Bill Lillard vs. Joe Wilman (1956 All-Star finals). 

Biggest Upset: Jim Chestney, 1969 ABC Masters. 

Best TV Announcer: Fred Wolf. 

Best Color Commentator: Billy Welu. 

Most Underrated Bowler: Count Gengler. 

Most Overrated Bowler: Allie Brandt. 

Best Five-Man Team: Budweiser Beer. 

Best Doubles Team: Marshall Holman and Mark Roth.

Best Money Bowler: Ernie Schlegel.

Most Significant Technical Innovation: Fingerholes in bowling balls. 

Most Important Rules Change: Modern handicap system.

Strongest League: Chicago Classic, 1954-55 season: 8 teams included 14 future Hall-of-Famers. 

Most Influential Executive: Frank K. Baker. 

Special Citation for Forgotten Pioneer: Judge Howard. 

Most Powerful Strike Ball: Pete Weber. 

Most Powerful Strike Ball, Pre-Chemical: Junie McMahon. 

Best Spare-Shooter: Joe Wilman. 

Best Body English: Steve Nagy. 

Smoothest Bowling Style: Joe Kristof. 

Strangest Bowling Style for a Hall-of-Famer: Harry Lippe. 

Best-Looking Pro, Male: Joe Bodis. 

Best-Looking Pro, Female: Leila Wagner. 

Greatest Promoter: Louie Petersen. 

Best Senior Bowler: Andy Varipapa. Elected Bowler of the Year in 1948 at the age of 57. 

Finest Celebrity Bowler: Harold Lloyd. The legendary silent-film comic was also a bowling proprietor, and rolled at least one 300 game. 

Gutsiest Tournament Finish: Joe Berardi, 1983 Tournament of Champions. Won four close games to move up the stepladder and capture the top pro title on national television. 

Most Memorable Photograph: Don Johnson at the 1970 Tournament of Champions, lying on the floor after a 10-pin cost him a $10,000 300 game. 

Record Most Likely to Endure: During the entire 1925-26 season, Tom Zavakos had only one error.