10
– SEPTEMBER 2013
Idle Bowling Thoughts
By Chuck Pezzano
Schedule
Sep 14-15 Diablo Valley Bowl
Sep 21-22 AMF Mission Lanes
Sep 28-29 Albany Bowl
Oct 5-6 Danville Bowl
Oct 12-13 AMF Pinole Lanes
Oct 15-20 Las Vegas Nationals
Oct 26-27 Clayton Valley Bowl
Nov 2-3 Danville Bowl
Nov 9-10 AMF Southshore Lanes
Nov 16-17 AMF Mission Lanes
Nov 23-24 Clayton Valley Bowl
(925) 945-1204
bay.abtbowling.com
Nov.28&30,
Dec.1,2013
AMF Pinole Lanes
Thanksgiving
Tournament
1st Place
$1,500.00
Plus Progressive
Pot
There have been many bowling institutions in bowling. Some are as short
lived as a small candle in a large wind. Others are as long lasting as a moun-
tain reaching into the sky.
One of the rocks of bowling was John Jowdy, who left us all too soon,
though he had a long and successful earthly stay of 93 years.
In my earlier days in bowling I made it a point to attend every meeting, tour-
nament or gathering of the sport--- and there was one common plus---John
Jowdy was there.
We hit it off from the start, whether we agreed or agreed not to agree,
friends, buddies, we were close to brothers. Some people called him a bowl-
ing ball salesman and a few claimed he couldn’t make the judgment calls he
never shied away from.
That irked me and because as a pioneer of the sport, able and willing to
study and try to understand every aspect of bowling, John was a valued pub-
lic relations master and executive for his beloved Columbia. He loved our
sport, warts and all.
We went to places where we were not fully welcome and we listened to al-
most everyone. The most important thing I learned about Jowdy is that first
and foremost he was a people person with an inquiring mind that never learn-
ing and loving in his own way.
John’s life experiences included operating a nightclub and his sports con-
nection was as a top softball pitcher and of course a fine bowler who made
the finer points of our game available to the world. He had a way with words,
both spoken and written and was never afraid to do research and gain knowl-
edge from others.
Over the years I discovered he was an excellent dancer with feathery move-
ments, a classy dresser with a flair for color, ties, cowboy hats and boots.
Jowdy hats were the best and he owned boots made of almost every exotic
leather used for that purpose. I still have a huge collection of various era ties
that he’d given me from his bulging clothing closet.
Over the years I had the pleasure of rolling with such great doubles partners
as Lou Campi, Lindy Faragalli, Craz Castellano and even the one and only
Andy Varipapa, all multiple Hall of Famers.
When my four sons became good enough we decided to go to the American
Bowling Congress Tourney as a team but we needed a bowler for doubles
and singles and John became my honorary son and doubles partner. We
couldn’t roll more than a few frames without someone dropping by to chat
with Jowdy.
He wasn’t a magnet but he did have a special attraction to all who knew and
respected him as wide and inspiring as you can imagine.
Our original writers group at breakfast were Jowdy, Dick Evans and Joe
Lyou, all now passed, and they let me in too. There was kidding, needling
and both idle and serious chatter amongst us. Soon bowlers in the top tour-
naments joined the group, the all time greats such as Dick Weber and Johnny
Petraglia at the Firestone Tournament of Champions and often our group
ballooned to 40 or more bowlers, writers and officials.
Jowdy always had a way with the ladies because he treated them like la-
dies, never failing to send a hand written ―thank you‖ note to tournament
workers, scorers and others involved in the tourney in some way.
John’s birthday always came during the Firestone and whether we did it or
not we celebrated with a cake. However one time the competing bowlers
came up with a surprise for John to thank him for the uncountable hours he
spent teaching almost everyone who asked.
I had to keep him busy once while the hotel site was being prepared for the
fete and that event brought the usually talkative John close to tears when he
was presented with a gold watch.
―I considered that birthday party one of the highlights of my life because so
many of you went out of your way to say thank you in such a unique way in
such a once in a lifetime setting.‖ Fondly recalled.
Jowdy will be remembered as one of the greatest bowling teachers of all
time, from youngsters in his home town of San Antonio, Texas to more than a
hundred top stars, including the world’s outstanding pro champions.
The John Jowdy scholarship and many of his innovations are standard in
bowling circles and the bowling world is all the better for his being.
We could write his name in smoke in the sky, but the wind would wash it
away. So let’s just keep him in a loving corner of our hearts---where it will
stay---for all the forever's and a day.
ABT Bay @ Clayton Valley Bowl, Aug. 18, 2013
1st Fred Mcpherson $1,200
2nd James Balestreri $250
More ABT Bay Continued on page 11
