Bowling, The Wright Way - November 16, 2001 by Don Wright
Bowling Friends and Family

Fort Hood, Texas has a new, beautiful 48-lane, smoke free bowling center. Professional Bowling Association and All World Hall of Famer Dick Weber recently dedicated it.

Fort Hood had a 24-lane center and a 36-lane center that have been converted into office space and Phantom Warrior Lanes is now the only center on the post. It has had a tremendous amount of success in a very short time and even though there were some naysayers in the beginning, I believe the center has won them over.

The assistant manager of Phantom Warrior Lanes is Ken Barnard and he and I had a long discussion a couple of weeks ago and learned that we were both stationed in Frankfurt, Germany from 1967-1971. He was the manager of the Frankfurt Officer's Club and I was with the CID, which was located in walking distance to the club. Between the club and the CID office was Hansa Allee Bowling Center, a place where you could usually find me and four of my buddies known as El Cid.

I have written a few columns about that team and have some fond memories and some really good friends that I am still in contact with. I bowled lead off and was followed by Barry Litsky. Barry left the CID and made a career out of civilian law enforcement around the Maryland area. He now lives in Florida and we remain friends. Bob Allen bowled in third place and the last I heard of Bob he was my replacement in Korea in 1972. I have lost track of Bob and his lovely wife Ginny.

John Slanina was our fourth bowler. John served in the Navy and branch transferred to the Army and subsequently retired and now lives in South Dakota. He and his wonderful wife Fran have remained friends all these years.

Our anchor bowler was Al Zarrella. Al was a 200 average bowler when that meant something. He was the Provost Sergeant in Frankfurt and a dear friend of my family. My daughter still talks about a gift he bought her when she was a very small girl.

I had lost track of Al until about a year ago when my friend Bob Cosgrove, editor and publisher of Bowl Magazine, informed me that Al had retired in Virginia and was a member of the Nations Capitol Bowling Association Hall of Fame. I called Al and we reminisced for an hour, or more.

I still have my El Cid shirt in my closet. I was going to donate it to the Bowling Hall of Fame and Museum, but I didn't think it would get the special attention I can give it right here in Texas, nor did I believe anyone would understand the friendships garnered from it.

Bowling is like that. You make life long friendships and the bowling center becomes a place you really see as more than a place to go bowl.

My closest and very best friend in a man named Peter Vasilkioti. Peter is a Canadian who left Canada in 1965, went to New York and joined the Army. He was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas at the same time I was, but we didn't know each other. Peter left for Vietnam and shortly after, so did I. It was in Viet Nam that Peter and I became close friends. We worked together as partners for the CID in Saigon and vowed we would always keep in touch.

Peter left Viet Nam about a month before I did and returned to Canada. My wife stayed in Upstate New York while I was in Viet Nam and all of my family bowled at Brongo Bowl in Honeoye Falls, New York. Upon my return from Viet Nam I accompanied them to the bowling center for league night. We hadn't been there long when I looked up and there stood Peter. We had one hellava time in that center that night.

Peter and I have remained friends for 35 years now. We have traveled to Canada and he has made the trip to Texas. We try to call each other at least once a month if only to tell a joke. Viet Nam made the friendship, but we cemented it in a bowling center in Honeoye Falls, New York.

Brongo Bowl is still in action and my family still bowls league there.

My point in all this is that bowling has a special place in my heart. All my children, grandchildren and hopefully great-grandchildren will participate. My daughter and son were AJBC (YABA) bowlers and my daughter and her husband have joined a league at the Air Force base near where they live. My daughter called the other night to tell me how much they enjoy being back in the sport and the new friends they made. My son can still whip up on me using my old equipment.

My grandson, Jackson bowled in Arlington, Texas and loved his YABA coach. She made bowling fun and taught sportsmanship and camaraderie.

Well, guess I'll get a cold beer and call all the old El Cid bowlers and see if they are ready for the Brunswick World Team Challenge. Yea right!

See you on the lanes.