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Midwest report
March 15 , 2008

Jeff Crowley

Bowling Trivia

Since I started writing this column, I‘ve discovered many interesting bowling facts. The problem is, some were not enough for a column, others were not used, because of too much material, and yet others are on my Editor’s floor. In an effort to prevent good facts going unused, I present to you, my loyal readers, “A Bowling Quiz.”

1. On December 9, 1956, the All-Star Tournament was televised for the first time. Dick Weber had the honor of rolling the first ball. How many pins did he knock down on his first ball?
2. Who bowled the first sanctioned 900 series?
3. What did the ABC approve for use in the sport of bowling in 1948?
4. What did the ABC use for the first time at their National Tournament in 1957?
5. On March 30, 1968 Henry Dancyger becomes the 3rd bowler to bowl a 698 series without a 200 game. What were his games?
6. Si Hewitt and Arthur Howard hold the record for bowling in the most leagues in a week. How many leagues did they bowl in?
7. What beer was advertised as the “Best way to top off your game.”?
8. What breakfast cereal featured a “Bowling Champions” contest that you could win by submitting a verse to a bowling jingle that was on the box?
9. Which future U.S. President was featured on the cover of the Bowler’s Journal magazine in 1946?
10. Which U.S. President was on the cover of The National Kegler magazine?
11. What was the name of the team Archie Bunker tried out for, in the series, “All in the Family?”
12. On the Andy Griffith show, Howard Sprague had the first 11 strikes when the lights went out. What was the name of his team and of the league?
13. What comic strip character is in the Detroit Bowling Hall of Fame?
14. Name the bowler, who in 1964, lost an exhibition match, held in the belly of a Boeing 707 jet plane, to Sylvia Wene?
15. What famous artist was commissioned $50K to paint a bowling themed portrait? Bonus question, what is the name of the painting?
16. During the 1940’s you could buy a product called Shaafco Bowling Sandals. What was the purpose of these sandals?
17. Who was known as the “Crown Prince” of bowling?
18. Name the two New York Yankees who were partners in a bowling center?
19. In 1992, which university’s theatre department presented, “More Fun than Bowling?”
20. Name the three cities tied for having hosted the USBC Open Tournament (formerly the ABC) the most? Bonus question, how many times have they hosted the tournament?
21. True or false: Mattel has a Bowling Champ Barbie doll?
22. What weather phenomenon is referred to as a bowling ball?
23. Which President holds the high game record for the lanes at the White House?
24. In 1981, Jim Beam Distillery offered to donate a portion of the proceeds from their pin decanter to a specific cause. What was the cause?
25. In 1958, a new piece of bowling equipment was introduced by the Chicago Hardware Foundry Company called a “Sani-Dry. What was the purpose of the “Sani-Dry?”
26. In 1936, at the Berlin, Germany Olympic Games, bowling was offered as competition. Which American bowler won every bowling event?
27. Dave Ferraro was PBA bowler of the year in 1992. However his dream was to be a harness driver like his dad. What made Dave turn to bowling for his career?
28. How many pins does the ball actually knock down on a perfect strike for right and left handed bowlers?
29. Name the line up of the Budweiser team which bowled a record 3,858?
30. Who was the Olympic Gold medalist who was a spokesman for bowling in 1985 and the NBA player who is the spokesman today?
31. Who was the first professional bowler to appear on the Ed Sullivan Show?
32. Who was the first professional bowler to appear on “To Tell the Truth?”
33. What was Snoopy’s nickname when he was bowling?
34. What was Snoopy’s average?
35. What was the name of Ned Day’s instructional bowling book?

Answers:
1. Zero. Dick Weber started with a gutter ball. He rallied to win with a 258.
2. Jeremy Sonnenfeld
3. A single beam foul detector
4. Automatic pinsetters
5. 199-300-199
6. 17 leagues
7. Falstaff Beer
8. Wheaties and the winner received $20,000.00
9. Ronald Reagan
10. Harry S. Truman
11. The Cannonballers
12. The team was, “Emmit’s Fix It Shop.” The league was the Peace Officers league.
13. Dagwood Bumstead
14. Dick Weber
15. Leroy Neiman Bonus question, The Million Dollar Strike, featuring Earl Anthony (bowling) Don Carter, Andy Varipapa, and Nelson Burton JR are watching.
16. They were bowling sandals. You slipped them on over your street shoes.
17. Andy Varipapa
18. Yogi Berra & Phil Rizzuto
19. University of Southern Indiana
20. Buffalo, NY, Reno, NV, & Toledo, OH. All have hosted 7 times. Reno will break the tie in 2010 when it hosts the tourney for the 8th time.
21. True. Bowling Champ Barbie was introduced on 3/29/2000, at a cost of $45.00. Matel donated $5.00 of each Barbie to the YABA Scholarship Endowment fund.
22. A storm separated by the main belt of westerlies.
23. Richard Nixon
24. The construction of the National Bowling Hall of Fame and Museum
25. The Sani-Dry was an electric hand dryer, and was shaped like a bowling ball.
26. Hank Marino
27. Dave Ferraro is allergic to hay.
28. Four for each. The 1-3-5-9 for a right hander and the 1-2-5-8 for a lefty.
29. Don Carter 754, Ray Bluth 834, Pat Patterson 736, Tom Hennessey 759, & Dick Weber 775. The team was captained by Whitey Harris.
30. Mary Lou Retton and Chris Paul
31. Wayne Zahn
32. Bill Battista
33. Joe Sandbagger
34. His average was one.
35. “How to Bowl”

Until next time, may the high scores be yours!

Jeff Crowley covers bowling for the Evansville (IN) Courier Press. He has graciously allowed AlabamaBowling.Com to republish his articles. Jeff can be reached by e-mail at CrowleyJA@thegleaner.com

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