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Those were the day's. Could talk sports and such with real contributors. Had some nice posts with ICEMAN about old boxers. Of course he got chased of eventually by LUKEPUKE and friends. He was a great contributor. Always fightin back until he finnaly gave up. And we had some great conversations about BOWLING. Posters today were not here back then and if they were would wreck anything that was said back then; I think SUPERFECTA was one who always contributed nicely. SO for those newbee's JOHN FRANK will relate his experiance with BOWLING. IT 1963 and JOHN FRANK be a BOWLER. He started when he about 9. He be GREAT. Is there anythin he can't do. So it a STATE bowlin tourny. Everyone starts at their local house. You win that and you move on. DISTRICT, REGIONAL, SECTIONAL,and finnaly STATE FINALS. JOHN FRANK won them all. At start there where 7200 entrants. JOHN FRANK reigned #1. Here's the thin at STATE finals. Me DAD passed when me 11. He was quite the bowler himself. So at the finals the last 3 games are pitted against the top 6 on same pair of lanes. It down to just 2 goin into last frame. He rolled 9th and 10th and he had me. It me turn to just roll the 10th. I needed 2 strikes and 8 to beat him. The whole house is now behind us watchin and the place was packed. This kid's father was sittin directly behind me. He yellin at me. YOU can't beat my son. You need 2 strikes. I walks up to lane and dries me fingers. I steps back off lane and looks at him. He still yellin. I thinks of me DAD. Would he be doin this SHIT. I'm determined now. The crowd is silent. I drills the first strike. The crowd is goin nuts cheerin. The fuc DAD is really layin in now. He screamin you can't do that again. I drills the second. Then I turns and say's to him: WATCH this. I drills the 3rd. The crowd went NUTS. I walks up to him and say's: I feel sorry for your son. He could have won, but you made me determined I'AIN'T gonna LOSE. And it was BEAUTIFUL. JOHN FRANK crowned ILLINOIS STATE CHAMPION after winnin 5 tourneys in a row. So's onto WASHINGTON DC were the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP be held at. There be 54 from STATES and PROBERTY'S. I ain't sure in 1963 that ALASKA and HAWAII were states at time but they represented along with PORTO RICO, GUAM, VIRGIN ISLANDS,and maybe SOMOA. So the first night is a celebrity matched with a youth bowler. Just a fun thin. Now everyone is sent a bowlin uniform weeks before NATIONALS. It like the baggy crap that 50's bowlin professionals always wear. So they have a parade of everyone walkin at top of lanes prior to PRO-AM announcin each representative. Everyone wearin appropriate attire but me. I got LEVY bluejeans and me professional shirt hangin out past me knees. When it over they announce will the REP from ILLINOIS please put on proper attire. Me mom was there and holdin me pants. Had to go to restroom and dress as a CLOWN. Kinda held up proceedins for about 10 minutes. My guy I'm bowlin against is DICK WEBER. He goes: why the protest. I tells him I feels more comfortable in my previous attire. Anyhow I beats him 206-201,but I guarrentee he laid down last frame to let me beat him. So on to the tourny itself. You bowl 6 games on a THURSDAY,FRIDAY and SATURDAY, Mornin and afternoon sesions. Top 6 advance to a stepladder final on SUNDAY. So after the first 2 days JOHN FRANK 3rd. Got to know some bowlers from different states. There's 5 of us and the guy from NEW YORK has a car. We all decide: LET'S go out POT BOWLING. We went to regular lanes and shot maybe 5 games. Then one of us comes up with a brillant idea. Lets go to a DUCK PIN house and continue. None of us had ever rolled DUCK PIN but it sounded good at time. I mean this the TOURNY we playin in and DUCKS can alter one's game. We get back in about 5:30 am. The first session that day is 9AM. Youuuse young you can handle no sleep. So here the clincher on day 3. It a big house and me and 5 others are drawin the last lanes in establishment. I'M rollin. Starts with 3 strikes. I'm on the last lane now roolin frame 4. There a walkway there where employee's go to run down to fix a lane malfuntion. A third of way down is some photographer shootin pictures of tourny. He got the old time flashbulb apparatus. I'm up and approchin lane with me delivery and he shoots picture blindin me. I GUTTER. I goes: I want a re-throw. I'M yellin now. I'M incensed. I protest. The tourny is held up for 20 minute as I explain me case. Everyone goin in TOURNEY,not ILLINOIS again. Officials decided nope and I told them to go FUC themsels. I could not bowl after that'I was so agitated. Had the worst 6 game session and ended 13th. FATBOY loved that. Not that I lost but the PHOTO GUY.
I can't see.EARL was GREAT. Afrikin machine. God what a smooth delivery and the same precision motion every time. And a lefty to boot. Ya know back then they said lefty's had a advantage on lanes. Few bowlin on that side and one could develop their lane with consistency. Righties because so many would wear down oil on their side and had to adjust to dryin out conditions. Me bein lefty I found that different. I prfered drier lanes vrs oily. I mean I could adjust as I could throw a hook or curve dependin where I positioned myself on lane. As years went on,I hated synthetic lanes. Back then guys came to house with one bowli ball. A couple brought 2. Nowadays,professionals and your average house bowler drage 18 with them. Man if you can't adjust with one 18 ain't gonna help.TRUST me,this eventually leadin up to somethin. So in me late teens,I use to do alot of POT BOWLIN. Always against older. Used to travel into CHICAGO and roll against from anywhere 20 or 30 others. Did it on TUESDAY's WEDNESDAY'S and THURSDAY nights at 3 different houses. Management knew we was comin. We start at 12 midnight and shoot upwards of 3 hours. No one had a real advantage that way bein a house bowler and knowin the lanes. I'm a young kid and did have a advantage. They had leaques from 7-10. The lanes had dried out. My type. Won me some moola. You start off with 6 on a pair of lanes At beginnin each person throws in $10.00,high game collects. Lowest game guy has to pay for everyone shootin that game. People drop out and others on other lanes move togeather. Games know go to $20.00. Same thin happens again and there maybe 5 left. Games are $50.00. And that's money back then for anyone,especially when you in your teens. So,1 night I bring a young lady who bowls. I knew her dad. ART KOCH be his name. She LORRIE KOCH. Her dad was a 200 plus scratch bowler and taught her how to bowl. HER dad was BRUTAL yellin at her when she made a mistake on lanes. At our local house she was beatin up on males in POT. So's I drag her one night to CHICAGO to face some big boy's. When weeeese arive everyone goin"WEEESE NO ALLOW FEMALES IN OUR POT". I say's she very good and I'M backin her. She cleaned up. I did not bowl,I just coached. She married and became LORRIE NICHOLS. She WON 18 titles on the WOMEN'S professioal TOUR and all MAJORS. I went to 2 majors she won,cheerin her on. Made her DAD,ART very proud after all those years instrutin yellin at her. Obviously,LORRIE in HALL OF FAME. So about 3 years,I stop in at the local bowlin establishment where it all originnally happened. It only a quarter mile away from where I live. Place use to ROCK,but I had not been in for 40 years. I'm sittin at bar and also the only one in there. Leaques are bowlin and you can sit and watch. I'm lookin at the back wall above the end of lanes. I say's to the lady bartender,who owns this place now. I'd lke to spesk with him. She goes gets him. He comes up and I explain. I introduce myself me name be JOHN FRANK. He goes SO. I say's I'm lookin at your back wall above the lanes. I say's myself and LORRIE NICHOLS made this joint years ago as BOWLERS. You should put somethin up there regogzing that fac. He GOES: Never heard of either one of you. GET LOST. WOW! Fame is fleetin. OK,so here goes. So,ANDREA a comedy fan. I'ss SCI-FY. So ANDREA bought KINGPIN back in day. Not on a CD but some box thin. She goes } YOU GOTTA watch this,THIS IS YOU. So she throws it in. MY GOD. It be me. Did not lose a hand,but all the circumstances sue fit. Great movie and havin the original is much better. No edits gut ot of it. Same as"LET IT RIDE". You need original which I have.
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