End of an era....well sort of.

[dgz924s]

Here in NE Kansas we have 2 houses, one 4 lane and one 8 lane. The 4 lane is the first generation pin setters with automatic scoring and hidden return, wood lanes. The 8 lane really takes you back, for those 50 and older, to the days of manual scoring and above ground returns. If you have never bowled on this type of lane where the ball can be seen coming back to you while you are on the approach is quite nerve racking! Well this age old house is up for sale and most likely gone for good unless the buyer has more money than God to replace with updated equipment not to mention remodeling the house itself as it too is as old as the day it opened in the early 60's.

But what an experience it is to bowl on such antiquated lanes and the 60's decor it which it is surrounded by.

So this leads me to ask the question: Do you have an "alley" as it was called in the old days, in your area or have had the chance to bowl on one? Share your experience or tell us about any house that has that old day charm!

[Davec13]

My local alley is just as you described, 8 WOOD lanes with above ground returns. Actually the 6 alleys within a 20mile radius are all wood lanes and a bit antiquated. I guess that's what you get living in the country though.

I honestly don't think the above ground returns are nerve racking as you described. The scariest thing I can say I saw with those returns is one night the return chute was out of place. I was on lane 8 getting ready to throw and the ball kicked out of the return crossed the lane hit the right side gutter and rolled up and out of the approach right next to me. It was pretty funny but if I had thrown my ball a few seconds earlier it could have been a real mess.

[got_a_300]

Yes I have most certainly bowled on the old 60's style lanes with the above ground
ball returns it does take some getting used to though seeing the all the balls come
rolling back at you. The house is about 50 - 60 miles from where I live and I haven't
been back up there in quite some time so it may be updated by now but I really kind
of doubt it though or it may even be closed down now.

Now it has my curiosity built up so I'll have to take a drive up there this weekend and
see if as we used to like to call it (the Fred Flintstone Lanes) is still open or not and
if it is we might just have to bowl a game or two. I maybe can ask my boss here at our
center and see if he knows if it is still open or not save some driving time if it is already
closed down.

[martin]

hmm above ground? how does it work? does the ball return above the gutter or what? btw, there's a wooden lane in my city, but it's using underground ball returns though..

[Davec13]

hmm above ground? how does it work? does the ball return above the gutter or what? btw, there's a wooden lane in my city, but it's using underground ball returns though..
Here is a video of an above ground return.

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

[martin]

ah.. so it's between the gutters.. never seen any before.. but seems interesting.. :D

[J Anderson]

When I started bowling in the mid 70's we bowled on wood lanes with above ground returns. There were one or two pairs that didn't seem to like my 15 pound ball ( almost everyone else used 16's ), so once or twice a night my ball would fly off the return and scare the heck out of anybody not paying attention.

By the way there's a scene in the movie Kingpin that features an above ground return.

[JerseyJim]

The lanes at Michigan Tech used to have above ground returns. That was about 30 years ago. Now I'm just a tad curious to see what they did with those lanes.

[MICHAEL]

Yes we have and old Catholic Church in the Kansas city area that has a alley in the basement that (I think is still in working order)! I will look into this, and report back!
If its still there I would give my old plastic ball for just a look.... maybe take my dads old ball (rubber) over and give it a spin on the wooden lanes! (will report back)!

[MICHAEL]

great post,,,, very nice!!