Bowlers Journal International - March 2008 - (Page 48)

TIMECAPSULE BY J.R. SCHMIDT BY J.R. SCHMIDT LOUIS STEIN: A MAN WHO KNEW THE SCORE WERE IT NOT FOR ONE OF THE FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE AMERICAN BOWLING CONGRESS, A PERFECT GAME MIGHT VERY WELL BE 200. IF ANY BOWLER EVER DESERVED TO BE a week. called “Mr. 300,” it was Louis Stein. He rolled In those days, each bowler rolled an entire seven perfect games in his career, and that game on one lane, and switched lanes only was a notable achievement in the early days at the start of a new game. There also was of the last century. But that’s not what we are no such thing as lane courtesy — a person talking about here. bowled when he was ready. So Stein started Stein was one of the group that gathered at edging onto Leister’s approach, and Leister New York’s Beethoven Hall in 1895 to launch backed away. Each frame Stein moved closer, the American Bowling Congress; he was deLeister retreated further. When it was over, scribed as “the smallest and the loudest man Stein was the winner. in the bunch.” After many hours of debate and Such tactics wouldn’t be considered sportscompromise, the question of scoring arose. manlike today. But they were typical of the The assemblage was about to adopt a system rough-and-tumble era when Stein developed with 200 as the maximum score his game. when Stein spoke up. Stein eventually opened a six-lane Strikes should have more value, center in New York City. In 1914, he Stein declared. Instead of countbecame the ﬁrst person to win an ing ten-plus-the-next-ball, a strike automobile in a bowling tournashould be ten-plus-the-next-twoment. His 1439 six-game set led the balls. That would make 300 the maxCordes Auto Contest, topping a ﬁeld imum score, and 200 would become that included such stars as Jimmy “the average score that the expert Smith and Mort Lindsey. At the time, would strive to achieve.” Stein was 56 years old. So the delegates adopted Stein’s The years passed, the other LOUIS STEIN proposal. “And after that,” he refounders of the ABC died off, and membered, “we cracked open anby the 1940s Stein was the last man other pony of beer.” standing. At that point, he became the Grand Louis Stein was born in Holland in 1858, and Old Man of bowling, a ﬁgure from the colorful came to America while in his teens. A strong, past both respected and revered, much like wiry little man, he spent his early years workJoe Norris in more recent times. The ABC sent ing as a circus acrobat. He eventually settled him around the country to appear at banquets in Brooklyn, and it was there that he took up and tournaments. When the Congress staged bowling. a 50th anniversary celebration at Beethoven The founders of the ABC were not especially Hall in 1945, Stein played himself in a special good bowlers. They were mostly businessmen re-enactment of the founding. who were interested in bringing some order to Louis Stein died in 1949. In his last years, still their favorite form of recreation. Stein was the loving the atmosphere of the lanes, he often exception. He could bowl. volunteered as a scorekeeper at tournaments. In 1890, he went up against a Manhattan One time, a bowler saw the little old man sethotshot named Jack Leister, on Leister’s own tling in at the scorer’s table, and joked about it lanes. But Stein and his backers were conﬁto a teammate. In a low voice, so the old man dent, and Louis even asked for a share of the wouldn’t hear, he wondered if this geezer even bet. In the middle of the match, he discovered knew how to keep score. that the stakes had risen to $8,500, and that the But Stein had heard him. “twelve-ﬁfty” he had bet was not $12.50, but “Sure, I know how to keep score, Sonny,“ he $1,250. At the time, Stein was earning all of $25 said. “I invented how to keep score!” COURTESY USBC FLASHBACK 10 YEARS AGO TWO BOWLERS POCKET $100,000 prizes in Las Vegas, as Bill Campbell wins the High Roller at Showboat Bowling Center, while Kurt Bogner bags the International Eliminator at Sam's Town AMF Bowling Inc. continues its buying blitz by acquiring the 15-center Active West chain in California. That brings the company's center total to 386 in the United States and 486 worldwide Bowling receives a ton of exposure via a new Coen brothers movie, "The Big Lebowski," for which tenpin great Barry Asher serves as the cast's bowling coach (with occasional help from Mark Baker, Ricky Corona and Peter Hakim) In an attempt to liven up its telecasts and its TV ratings, the PBA encourages fans to clap and cheer continuously, even while the players are on the approaches and making their deliveries. Rather than a professional sporting event, the choreographed mess more closely resembles "Wheel of Fortune," only without Vanna White John Davis founds The Foundation, dedicated to standardizing bowling worldwide. 25 YEARS AGO THE 1983 WIBC TOURNAMENT in Las Vegas enters the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest sporting event with more than 72,000 participants. The old record was held by the 'Round the Bays 6.5-mile run in Auckland, New Zealand Earl Anthony and Nikki Gianulias garner Bowler of the Year honors from the Bowling Writers Association of America Toby Contreras, who had never cashed in a PBA tournament, amazes the other players and lights up the TV screen with his smile in winning the AC-Delco Classic in Alameda, Calif Frank Fetherson wins the $53,000 firstplace prize in the Singles event of the 40th Hoinke Classic in Cincinnati The bowler known as "Dale Glenn from Glendale" changes his name to Dale Eagle. 50 YEARS AGO GEORGE BILLICK OF OLD FORGE, Pa., is the new lifetime sanctioned 300 leader with 13. He surpasses former leader Hank Marino of Milwaukee, who has 11 through the 1956-57 season The new ABC Tournament 10year average leader is Detroit's George Young with 205.06. Ned Day of Milwaukee is second at 204.1 Carter Burgess is the new President of American Machine & Foundry Company. Burgess formerly was President of Trans World Airlines Delegates to the 1958 ABC Convention will consider 39 proposed rule changes, including one that would add a Booster Division in Doubles and Singles at the ABC Tournament. 48 bowlers journal international MARCH 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Bowlers Journal International - March 2008

Bowlers Journal International - March 2008 Contents Leading Off Letters Bowlitically Incorrect Par Bowling The Coach Calendar Inside Line Tournaments The Truth Be Bowled Pro Bowling Back On Track Weber Tales Spares Do Matter Cover Story Up Close USBC Women's Time Capsule Flashback Strategy Session Guest Column Regional Roundup Team USA Trials Military Salute Global Guide No Holes Barred Marketplace Bowling Summit Museum Update Hall Marks Advertisers' Index Rememberance Classified Advertising Intelligencer Business Calendar Business People Strikes Me

Bowlers Journal International - March 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.