Mike j. Laneside

[onefrombills]

Walking into a bowling center for the very first time is one of my favorite experiences – a treat for all five senses. As a little kid, it was the sound that first appealed to me; the combined ding of pinsetters operating, the staccato beat of bowling balls hitting pins and the constant chatter of bowlers and spectators. I loved that environment and still do.

As I grew up to appreciate the sport of bowling, the sight of the bowling center began to appeal to me. First, it’s the layout of the lanes; straight across or split house. I’m a softie for split houses, I grew up in one. Each bowling center has its own specific feel and ambience based on masking units, lane surface, gutter color, ceiling height, lighting and concourse design.

Perhaps the most recognizable feature of a bowling center that separates itself from other centers is the use of the end walls. These displays can give you a sense of place, time, history; it gives an individual bowling center the ability to bookend its personality.

AMF Country Club Lanes in Baltimore, Maryland features one of the most unique end wall displays. The displays feature floor-to-ceiling carpeting, artistically custom-cut to display the signature elements of Baltimore.

It’s all represented here. Baltimore history: Fort McHenry, where Francis Scott Key was inspired to write “The Star-Spangled Banner” which became our National Anthem in 1916. Baltimore industry: seaports, lighthouses, bridges. Baltimore recreation: horse racing, fishing, boating. Baltimore’s culinary delicacies; crabs, fresh seafood and more crabs.

I am looking forward to the West Coast swing- many new bowling centers to visit. Not to mention the National Bowling Stadium in Reno and the specially-constructed bowling arena awaiting in Las Vegas during the USBC Masters event.

[JAnderson]

All good points that also bring a smile to my face. For me, it's always the smell that I notice first. I love those all-wood old houses that are still pervasive with the smell of the lane conditioner from 30 years ago. Like Brian, I grew up in a split house, though the lanes were split at a 90 degree angle (one set of lanes along the west wall, one set along the north wall) instead of one set of lanes on each side of the concourse.

Recently while visiting family, I had the chance to visit Sky Lanes (http://www.skylanebowling.com/) in Garrettsville, Ohio. You can't see it from the picture on the web site, but they actually have a drive-thru "beverage center" (read: liquor drive through) attached on the right-side of the lanes. I'll try to remember to post a picture we took of the drive-thru later.

It was an old, 16 lane, all-wood center. What was new however, was the 3 different high school teams that showed up to practice for two hours in the afternoon. According to my brother, that is an every day occurrence during week days.

One of these days, I hope to be one of the "old guys" with stories of "I remember this little old 12 lane house in Greer, South Carolina we stopped in to get some practice in ...." for the younger generations. I grew up on stories like that and still love to hear them. Where are you "old guys"? :)

[kev3inp]

I've got a little story like that myself. I grew up in the neighborhood of the original Petersen classic. We'd bowl there on a regular basis, except in the summer when they'd be doing lane maintenance. The place had an odor all its own, too. Lane conditioner, grease, spilled beer and stale cigars. One time with my new black diamond I was bowling and killed a roach on the lane as he walked across the boards. That whole building is no more. The hardware store, the card shop, the cleaners and the barber all gone. I've never been to the replacement center in Hoffman Estates, but I gather they try and retain some of the old ambience of years gone by.

[JAnderson]

So what's your favorite Petersen story?

[kev3inp]

I've heard a lot of guys say that when they did well in that building something would happen to the ball in the back. Gouges, cracks, but I guess most often "foreign matter" in the holes.

I was watching a couple of guys once that were doing well when suddenly their lane broke down. They were forced to move to the "spare pair" which saw no oil, nor any maintenance at all. Dry and dirty, and odd rack placement. They weren't happy campers after that, but what can you do?

I got used to counting the boards there since there were no lane markings, and I'd put a little pencil spot on the approach once I thought I'd found a good place to stand.

I've also heard the stories about how they'd store the pins on the roof. I beleive it. They sure sounded odd sometimes.

[JAnderson]

Sonny Eubanks told me a story about being there one year in February when a guy on his squad got hot. They shut the entire house down and made all the bowlers go outside. (in Chicago, in February). Then, they randomly shuffled the all the balls to different returns and did the same with all the scores. 20 minutes later when they let the bowlers back in, they told them to find their balls and their new lane assignment and continue bowling.