Bowling, The Wright Way - June 28, 1998 by Don Wright
Bowling Plethora

It has been a while since my last column and I apologize, but I have been one busy bowler. I think I have all my travels done with one exception and that's my state tournament this coming weekend in Houston. Then I will settle back and hopefully heal all my physical ailments before the new season.

This column will be a regular plethora (hey, got the word from my son) of information covering a little bit of everything I have done, or had interest in since the last column.

First I want to thank Jack Lien and Treasure Software for giving me the opportunity to write for them and thank them for two years of great fun. I think it's probably the longest running Internet column and certainly the most informative. At least that's my opinion. Let's hope this continues on for many more years.

Our first trip was to the WIBC Nationals in the Quad Cities of Iowa and Illinois and we had a great time. The lanes were in great shape and although both centers were old, they had extensive renovations done and there were few complaints. The management, staff and WIBC officials went out of their way to ensure everyone was well taken care of.

The doubles and singles center in Rock Island had a great restaurant called The Town and Country Restaurant. It's owned and operated by Doug and Karla Bateman and has a unique story. The restaurant has a tropical motif, which seemed a bit strange for Illinois, but it all goes back to the original name of the restaurant. The Bateman's soon found out that their original name of "The Cheeseburger in Paradise" was going to cause some problems. This is a quote from their restaurant menu - "Jimmy Buffet wrote and recorded the song "Cheeseburger in Paradise." We didn't think he would mind us borrowing the title. Well, after five years of us being here he found out and wrote us a letter. He asked that we not use the name anymore! So, since he has a trillion dollars and we have none, we are dropping the name. We are now just Town and Country Restaurant."

I spoke to Karla on my way out after having a great cheeseburger and her plan now is to have a gambling motif. Tables with cards and dice may replace the tropical curtains and tablecloths.

Whatever they call it, the food is great and Karla has a great sense of humor.

While in Iowa we went shopping. A sign on a door of a major store chain read "caution - automatic door, push to open." I walked around to the other side and it read "caution - automatic door, pull to open."

A sign along the road in Mitchell, South Dakota read "Dick's Body Shop, 24-hour toe service."

From Iowa-Illinois we went to Rapid City, South Dakota and visited with our old friends John and Fran Slanina. We were all stationed together in Frankfurt, Germany during the mid-1970s and I have written columns about "Jano" and his bowling greatness on this web site. We had a great time, ate all the pasta in Rapid City, saw Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse again and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. If you have the opportunity to see Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse do so. Both are marvelous works of art.

We left the Dakota's and drove about 500 miles out of our way to eat at a great restaurant in York, Nebraska called Chances R. They serve a 20-ounce T-bone that's to die for. Beautiful glass work, heavy wood, brass and Tiffany lamps make this restaurant one that you want to spend a lot of time in.

My next stop was to Reno for the ABC Nationals. I flew and I have more tales of the air for future columns.

In the mean time I am glad to be home. My bowling arm is in pretty good shape and I am looking forward to state.

Drop me a line at wrightdk@vvm.com (that's v v m, not wm as some think).

Again, Jack thanks.

See you on the lanes.