Bowling in books, music, movies, entertainment. Add your finds!

[renenkel]

Lately I've been looking for books, movies, or other entertainment that involves bowling. Now, I'm not talking about instruction or competition here, but rather entertainment. It doesn't have to be exclusively about bowling, just involve bowling to a significant extent. Here's what I've come up with so far. Please feel free to add your own finds, recommendations, or reviews!

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Movies/videos
==========

The Big Lebowski -- Probably needs no introduction to the folks here, but just in case....a fabulous movie! Since I got the DVD a couple of months ago, I think I must have watched it at least 5 times and still haven't gotten tired of it. Really good quality. It has a lot of bowling and bowling-related stuff in it, even though the plot line also involves other things.

A League of Ordinary Gentlemen -- An entertaining documentary about the revitalization of the PBA in the early 2000's. I've watched this one several times too. Contains bowling and private-life clips of several professional bowlers, including Walter Ray Williams, Pete Weber, and Chris Barnes.

Kingpin -- A comedy about a bowling hustler turned promoter and his Amish protege. Really funny!

Strike: Balls of Glory (previously released as 7-10 Split) -- Another comedy about a bowler-cum-disco character.

Celebrity Bowling -- DVDs of a 70's TV show. Various actors/actresses (many of whom are not good bowlers) compete. Not the greatest production quality, sometimes rather boring, but some funny moments.

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Books
====

Bowling Across America, by Mike Walsh -- A true story (almost 300 pages) about a guy who quits his job to travel across America and bowl in every state. Interesting and entertaining.

Gutter Humor, by Bruce Nash and Allan Zullo -- Amazing but true short bowling stories. 94 pages.

Spare Me!, by Dawson Taylor and Gary Patterson -- Illustrated 80 page "cartoon" book making fun of bowling jargon and bowlers.

====
Music
====

Almighty Malachi, Professional Bowling God, by Stephen Lynch -- Believe it or not, there's actually a song about bowling! And it's really funny! Listen to it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Sl7Nv4j3QQ

[bowl1820]

You might check out these other threads on that subject:

Bowling Alleys sighting in Movies and Shows
http://www.bowlingboards.com/threads/10039-Bowling-Alleys-sighting-in-Movies-and-Shows?

bowling movies
http://www.bowlingboards.com/threads/10452-bowling-movies

Are their many bowling movies ?
http://www.bowlingboards.com/threads/392-Are-their-many-bowling-movies? (http://www.bowlingboards.com/threads/392-Are-their-many-bowling-movies)

[Beagle]

Lately I've been looking for books, movies, or other entertainment that involves bowling. Now, I'm not talking about instruction or competition here, but rather entertainment. It doesn't have to be exclusively about bowling, just involve bowling to a significant extent. Here's what I've come up with so far. Please feel free to add your own finds, recommendations, or reviews!

==========
Movies/videos
==========

The Big Lebowski -- Probably needs no introduction to the folks here, but just in case....a fabulous movie! Since I got the DVD a couple of months ago, I think I must have watched it at least 5 times and still haven't gotten tired of it. Really good quality. It has a lot of bowling and bowling-related stuff in it, even though the plot line also involves other things.

A League of Ordinary Gentlemen -- An entertaining documentary about the revitalization of the PBA in the early 2000's. I've watched this one several times too. Contains bowling and private-life clips of several professional bowlers, including Walter Ray Williams, Pete Weber, and Chris Barnes.

Kingpin -- A comedy about a bowling hustler turned promoter and his Amish protege. Really funny!

Strike: Balls of Glory (previously released as 7-10 Split) -- Another comedy about a bowler-cum-disco character.

Celebrity Bowling -- DVDs of a 70's TV show. Various actors/actresses (many of whom are not good bowlers) compete. Not the greatest production quality, sometimes rather boring, but some funny moments.

====
Books
====

Bowling Across America, by Mike Walsh -- A long book (almost 300 pages) about a guy who quits his job to travel across America and bowl in every state. Interesting and entertaining.

Gutter Humor, by Bruce Nash and Allan Zullo -- Amazing but true short bowling stories. 94 pages.

Spare Me!, by Dawson Taylor and Gary Patterson -- Illustrated 80 page "cartoon" book making fun of bowling jargon and bowlers.

====
Music
====

Almighty Malachi, Professional Bowling God, by Stephen Lynch -- Believe it or not, there's actually a song about bowling! And it's really funny! Listen to it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Sl7Nv4j3QQ

What I have hanging in my mancave is something from the Paul Kreins bowling bookstore. Its titled "Everything I know about life, I learned from the game of Bowling." It lists 20 rules/maxims to live by..

[Bunny]

Lately I've been looking for books, movies, or other entertainment that involves bowling. Now, I'm not talking about instruction or competition here, but rather entertainment. It doesn't have to be exclusively about bowling, just involve bowling to a significant extent. Here's what I've come up with so far. Please feel free to add your own finds, recommendations, or reviews!


Strike: Balls of Glory (previously released as 7-10 Split) -- Another comedy about a bowler-cum-disco character




I picked this up on amazon recently. The worst movie ever. So bad!! :p

[fortheloveofbowling]

If you can find a copy there was a movie made in 1979 named dreamer. It starred tim matheson, susan blakely and jack warden. Matheson stars as a bowler trying to make it big time in pro bowling. I love this movie but it is very corny.

[Big Merl]

There is this film I found once, really obscure, called Big Lebowski, it has like a scene or two of bowling...:p

[bowl1820]

If you can find a copy there was a movie made in 1979 named dreamer. It starred tim matheson, susan blakely and jack warden. Matheson stars as a bowler trying to make it big time in pro bowling. I love this movie but it is very corny.

I have this movie recorded on dvd, it's pretty good. Some of it is not too far off on how it was back then.

It's fun to see him use the potato trick on his thumb (that works by the way)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdyDMOf_LF0

[Beagle]

I have this movie recorded on dvd, it's pretty good. Some of it is not too far off on how it was back then.

It's fun to see him use the potato trick on his thumb (that works by the way)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdyDMOf_LF0

wow.....I completely forgot about using the potato.....I have done that when I first started.....

[Beagle]

What I have hanging in my mancave is something from the Paul Kreins bowling bookstore. Its titled "Everything I know about life, I learned from the game of Bowling." It lists 20 rules/maxims to live by..

1. We ALL have handicaps.
2. Some people are honest in bowling yet cheat in life, but anyone who cheats in bowling, cheats in life.
3. Even though you might not be the best bowler, you can always be the best that you can be.
4. Success AND failure are both temporary.
5. Success is a lot more temporary.
6. Although practice does not make us perfect, no practice always make us imperfect.
7. No matter how good you are, there is always someone better, and that person will usually find you and tell you.
8. When you are good, YOU can tell people, but when you are great THEY will tell you.
9. Patience is a virtue, slow bowling is not.
10. Don't touch other people's equipment.
11. Choose your teammates wisely.
12. Stay out of the gutter.
13. If you keep trying, you'll eventually hit something.
14. You can ALWAYS improve.
15. The best always make it look effortless.
16. It's sometimes more fun when you don't keep score.
17. Good form always prevails.
18. There are different strokes for different folks.
19. Always keep a good grip.
20. It's the follow-through that REALLY counts.

[Bunny]

1. We ALL have handicaps.
2. Some people are honest in bowling yet cheat in life, but anyone who cheats in bowling, cheats in life.
3. Even though you might not be the best bowler, you can always be the best that you can be.
4. Success AND failure are both temporary.
5. Success is a lot more temporary.
6. Although practice does not make us perfect, no practice always make us imperfect.
7. No matter how good you are, there is always someone better, and that person will usually find you and tell you.
8. When you are good, YOU can tell people, but when you are great THEY will tell you.
9. Patience is a virtue, slow bowling is not.
10. Don't touch other people's equipment.
11. Choose your teammates wisely.
12. Stay out of the gutter.
13. If you keep trying, you'll eventually hit something.
14. You can ALWAYS improve.
15. The best always make it look effortless.
16. It's sometimes more fun when you don't keep score.
17. Good form always prevails.
18. There are different strokes for different folks.
19. Always keep a good grip.
20. It's the follow-through that REALLY counts.


Thanks for posting those Beagle!!
Excellent advice!!!

[Beagle]

No problem... Been hanging on my wall for 15-20 yrs........

[mc_runner]

Chris Hardwick has on Youtube "All Star Celebrity Bowling" which is pretty entertaining. Want to see the cast of Breaking Bad and Dr. Who bowl? There are some pretty terrible bowlers out there!

[Jaescrub]

Not real bowling but in the Book blood sucking fiends by christopher Moore they turkey bowl in a supermarket. Funny thing about that is its real I worked in a supermarket when I was 15 and we did this. Along with ridding behing the auto scrub like your water skiing that's also in that book ha ha ha.