FEBRUARY 2015 -
9
Chuck Pezzano - A Tribute
by Frank Weiler
Chuck Pezzano will always be the "KING OF BOWL-
ING WRITERS." He will always be "MR. BOWLING."
He will always have a special place in every bowlers
heart and mind. He is all of these because his whole
life was lived for bowling. He was the most dedicated
and most prolific bowling writer. He was bowlings big-
gest promoter and most gracious of all bowling person-
alities.
I joined the BWAA (Bowling Writers Association of
America) about ten years ago when I started writing for
the California Bowling News. I am a lifetime bowler but
only started writing after retiring from the Air Force. I
write because I love bowling and want to do something
for my sport.
It is for this same reason that Chuck Pezzano is so
beloved within the bowling community. He was special
because he dedicated his career to bowling. He lived
and breathed bowling. He did everything in his power
to advance our sport. He bowled, he wrote about bowl-
ing and took every opportunity to promote bowling and
grow the sport. He did so because he loved bowling.
Chuck Pezzano was a sports columnist for the Pat-
terson (NJ) Morning Call newspaper for over sixty
years. He became the papers lead sports columnist
writing five lead columns a week. He also took the time
to write three bowling columns a week. He did so vol-
untarily without any additional compensation for doing
so. That is what the Air Force would call "beyond the
call of duty." Chuck Pezzano went "BEYOND THE
CALL OF DUTY" when it came to bowling. He wrote
three bowling columns a week when few or no other
lead sports columnists cared to do so. He did so when
all but a few newspapers showed any interest in bowl-
ing. He did so because he loved bowling. That is why
bowling and bowlers love Chuck Pezzano.
Chuck Pezzano was so different from the majority of
today's bowlers. While so many of today's bowlers ask
what Bowling can do for them, as in the query "what
am I getting from the USBC for my dues," Chuck Pez-
zano always asked what he could do for bowling?
Whenever he found that he could do something for
bowling, he did it. While he was a newspaper colum-
nist, his real career was bowling.
Over the last sixty years Mr. Pezzano wrote at least
one bowling column a week. He wrote at least ten
thousand columns and ten million words about bowling.
He wrote thirteen bowling books. In short, he was the
Cal Ripken of bowling writers and maybe the Cal Rip-
ken of all sports writers. He was the most prolific bowl-
ing writer in the world. His show was the longest
running in bowling.
Mr. Pezzano was bowling's biggest promoter and an
innovator. He was a charter member of the PBA in
1958. He developed the first high school bowling pro-
gram in the United States and championed women's
bowling and women bowling writers. He was a pioneer
in sports television working with Mel Allen, Jack Buck,
Nelson Burton, Jr., Chris Schenkel and Pat Summerall
to name a few.
Finally, Chuck was always gracious, helpful and ac-
commodating. While he was famous and a well known
bowling personality he still remained humble and down
to earth. Fame didn't go to his head. A decade ago
when I was a BWAA rookie I spent time with him at
meetings and meals and found him to be very person-
able. Chuck Pezzano made me, a newcomer, feel wel-
come.
I am grateful for having known Chuck Pezzano. It
was a privilege. He was one in a million and I would
like to thank him for being himself.
PBA Regional Update
Activity Heats Up
PBA Regional activity heats up again over the Feb. 20
-22 weekend in a schedule that includes the PBA50
Dave Edwards Toyota South Open presented by Ebon-
ite in Spartanburg, S.C.; the Lakewood Colorado
Southwest Open at Holiday Bowling and Billiards; the
Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort West Championship
at Gold Country Lanes in Sutter Creek, Calif., and the
Lynwood Midwest Challenge presented by Roto Grip, a
non-titlists event, at Lynwood Bowl in Lynwood, Ill.
● A busy March schedule of regional activity begins
Feb. 27-March 1 with the PBA50 Pensacola (Fla.)
South Open at New Liberty Lanes.
● The March 6-8 regional calendar includes the PBA50
Victory Lanes Central Open presented by 900 Global in
Galion, Ohio; the Sunday-only PBA50 Thunderbowl
Midwest Open presented by Hammer in Council Bluffs,
Iowa; and the PBA West/Northwest Sands Regency
Winter Challenge, Winter Classic and PBA50 Winter
Classic at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno.
● The March 13-15 PBA Regional schedule includes
only one event – the joint PBA50 Showtime Lanes Mid-
west/Central Open presented by Track in Virden, Ill.
● A heavy slate of PBA Regional action is on tap over
the March 20-22 weekend, including the PBA50 Fa-
yetteville (N.C.) Open at Lafayette Lanes; the PBA50
Rossi Lanes Open in Elmira, N.Y.; the joint PBA Trum-
bull County Tourism Bureau Central/East Open pre-
sented by DV8 at Bell-Wick Bowl in Hubbard, Ohio; the
PBA Odessa (Texas) Southwest Open at Astro Bowl;
the PBA50 Boys & Girls Club Midwest/Central Open
presented by MOTIV at Liberty Lanes in Carpenters-
ville, Ill., and the PBA Caveman Bowl Northwest/West
Open in Grants Pass, Ore.
