Bowling, The Wright Way - February 13, 1996 by Don Wright
Bowling, The Wright Way

The other night I checked my E-mail and I had a letter from an old friend who had read my first article on this board. John Slanina lives in Rapid City, South Dakota and he and I were stationed together in Frankfurt, Germany from 1967 - 1971. John was one hell of a bowler. We were two members of a five man team named El CID, and nobody could beat us.

We bowled at a center called Hansa Alley. It was a small center with lanes on two sides. I don't think there were more than 16 lanes at the time. I recently learned that the center no longer exists since there is no American military in Frankfurt any more.

John was our anchor man because back then he carried a 195 plus average. The team consisted of me, John, Barry Litsky, Bob Allen and Al Zarella. John, Barry and I still stay in touch, but we have lost track of Bob and Al.

John was a hustler and many a bowler soon learned that he bowled as hard as he needed to win. Back in those days all of us liked to have a few beers while bowling and it seemed that at times the more John had the better he bowled. People loved to challenge John after a few beers and my money always went on John. I don't think he ever let me down.

In John's E-mail he told me that he can no longer bowl because of some physical injuries and health problems, but he still cherishes the Black Beauty bowling ball he won when he captured the Frankfurt city tournament. "I still have a box full of 600 awards, patches and pins," he said. In those days a 600 award and a 200 average was what every bowler wanted.

The five of us had some wonderful times. Right across the street from Hansa Alley was our office and in the basement we had the El CID Submarine Lounge, affectionately called The Keller, and many a good German beer was consumed after a victorious night.

I still have the black and yellow bowling shirt with Sherlock Holmes and a bloodhound characterized on the back. Who knows, maybe some day I'll send it to the Bowling Hall of Fame and Museum. It's all history now, but very fond memorie.

While taking this trip down memory lane I was thinking about some of the other places I have bowled around the world. Lee Barracks in Mainz, Germany was my first time overseas. It was 1959 and they still had pinboys. The same was true my first tour in Korea. The center in Seoul was two Quonset huts and also employed pinboys. There was even a bowling center in Saigon, Vietnam although I never got to bowl in that one. My first tour at Fort Hood, Texas was 1964 and there was a four lane center at what was then called Killeen Base.

Times have changed, but I have some wonderful memories and some great friends thanks to this wonderful sport.

LONE STAR STARS - The Metroplex Bowling Centers of Dallas/Fort Worth recently honored my editor, Pete Moore of The Bowling News, for "selfless service towards the sport."

Beth Owen of Dallas owns and operates Technibowl, Bowling Services and offers "the best in bowling instruction." It seems that Beth not only preaches, she practices what she preaches. The 1995 WIBC singles and all-events champion was recently selected as the Bowler of the Year by the Dallas Women's Bowling Association.