PDA

View Full Version : Usbc hall of famer and bwaa leader mike hennessy dies



onefrombills
08-20-2008, 03:55 PM
I just received the following sad news regarding the death of a longtime fellow Bowling Writers Association of America member, who was a longtime dedicated servant to the game of bowling in so many ways. Obviously, he'll be greatly missed.

Aug. 11, 2008

USBC HALL OF FAMER AND BWAA LEADER MIKE HENNESSY DIES

Mike Hennessy, longtime BWAA member, past president, twice executive director, life member and dear friend who was inducted into the United States Bowling Congress Hall of Fame for meritorious service during ceremonies last April, died Sunday, Aug. 10, in a Charlotte, N.C. hospital. Mike was 78.

Mike was injured after collapsing on an escalator at the Charlotte airport just over a month ago and was placed in an induced coma. Other complications arose and he died peacefully.

Hennessy was born in New York City in 1929, but spent most of his life in the Dayton, Ohio, area where he graduated from the University of Dayton. He joined the Dayton Daily News staff as a sportswriter, copy editor movie critic and humor columnist. He opened M&G Advertising, an advertising agency specializing in bowling, and later worked for a local television station.

His passion for bowling led him to a position as executive director of both the Greater Dayton and Ohio bowling proprietors associations where his “Bowlers First” marketing project attracted more than 100,000 new bowlers to the sport. He and his wife Gerry produced a children’s bowling activity book, “Let’s Go Bowling,” which resulted in more than 200,000 copies being sold worldwide.

The ultimate “jack of all bowling media trades” also did tours of duty as both media director and tournament director for the Ladies Pro Bowlers Tour. He worked in marketing with the fledging Bowling, Inc., and made dozens of appearances as a motivational speaker at bowling events. He helped organize the first ABC/WIBC Senior Championships, and was involved with Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America in development of both the Merit Star of the Game program and the National Family Tournament. He lived in Milwaukee for two years while being employed by Strike Ten Entertainment.

Hennessy, who was living in semi-retirement in Bluffton, S.C., contributed dozens of bowling articles to the sport’s major publications, and served in many capacities for the betterment of the Bowling Writers Association of America.

He was the 1994 recipient of BWAA’s Mort Luby Sr. Hall of Fame award and is a member of both the Dayton and Ohio bowling halls of fame.

He is survived by his wife Gerry, their 10 children, their spouses, 24 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be held Sunday (Aug. 17) from 2 to 6 p.m. at West Brock Funeral Home in Kettering, Ohio. The funeral will be Monday (Aug. 18) at 10:30 a.m. at Carnation Church in Centerville, Ohio. No other details are available at this time.

The KingPin
08-20-2008, 09:46 PM
Thank you so much for this write up, Mike will be missed.







I just received the following sad news regarding the death of a longtime fellow Bowling Writers Association of America member, who was a longtime dedicated servant to the game of bowling in so many ways. Obviously, he'll be greatly missed.

Aug. 11, 2008

USBC HALL OF FAMER AND BWAA LEADER MIKE HENNESSY DIES

Mike Hennessy, longtime BWAA member, past president, twice executive director, life member and dear friend who was inducted into the United States Bowling Congress Hall of Fame for meritorious service during ceremonies last April, died Sunday, Aug. 10, in a Charlotte, N.C. hospital. Mike was 78.

Mike was injured after collapsing on an escalator at the Charlotte airport just over a month ago and was placed in an induced coma. Other complications arose and he died peacefully.

Hennessy was born in New York City in 1929, but spent most of his life in the Dayton, Ohio, area where he graduated from the University of Dayton. He joined the Dayton Daily News staff as a sportswriter, copy editor movie critic and humor columnist. He opened M&G Advertising, an advertising agency specializing in bowling, and later worked for a local television station.

His passion for bowling led him to a position as executive director of both the Greater Dayton and Ohio bowling proprietors associations where his “Bowlers First” marketing project attracted more than 100,000 new bowlers to the sport. He and his wife Gerry produced a children’s bowling activity book, “Let’s Go Bowling,” which resulted in more than 200,000 copies being sold worldwide.

The ultimate “jack of all bowling media trades” also did tours of duty as both media director and tournament director for the Ladies Pro Bowlers Tour. He worked in marketing with the fledging Bowling, Inc., and made dozens of appearances as a motivational speaker at bowling events. He helped organize the first ABC/WIBC Senior Championships, and was involved with Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America in development of both the Merit Star of the Game program and the National Family Tournament. He lived in Milwaukee for two years while being employed by Strike Ten Entertainment.

Hennessy, who was living in semi-retirement in Bluffton, S.C., contributed dozens of bowling articles to the sport’s major publications, and served in many capacities for the betterment of the Bowling Writers Association of America.

He was the 1994 recipient of BWAA’s Mort Luby Sr. Hall of Fame award and is a member of both the Dayton and Ohio bowling halls of fame.

He is survived by his wife Gerry, their 10 children, their spouses, 24 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be held Sunday (Aug. 17) from 2 to 6 p.m. at West Brock Funeral Home in Kettering, Ohio. The funeral will be Monday (Aug. 18) at 10:30 a.m. at Carnation Church in Centerville, Ohio. No other details are available at this time.

onefrombills
08-20-2008, 09:58 PM
I know this was a lil late but still though I should share