Full at http://blog.cheapmotelsandahotplate.org/2010/11/03/strikes-and-spares/
"We were in Las Vegas, a cheap stopover on our way to a month or so in southern
Utah. Our hotel, South Point, is on Las Vegas Boulevard but far south of the
Strip. It’s a good place to stay. The staff is friendly, and our room, which
was larger than our old New York City apartment, cost $49 a night. Probably to
make up for its out-of-the-way location, South Point is a self-contained
entertainment complex, with a multiplex cinema, shops, equestrian arenas,
performance stages, and a large bowling alley. I was excited to learn that the
preliminary rounds of the World Series of Bowling were being held in the
bowling center. I spent each night of our stay watching the action. Most of
the best bowlers in the world were competing in a set of competitons, with the
top eight eligible for the $50,000 first prize. The finals will be televised
on ESPN in January.
As I stood behind the seats observing the action, I thought about a sport I
have loved since I was thirteen. It was 1959, and my father took me to the
Polish Falcon Lanes to bowl. I was hooked right away, and for the next few
years, I spent as much time in bowling alleys as I could: Falcon Lanes, the CU
Club (operated by the Slovak Catholic Union), King Lanes, Highland Lanes, and
any others I could find. When I got my own ball and shoes, I got the
attendants at the local alleys to keep them behind the counter. That way, I
avoided paying for a locker and didn’t have to sneak a heavy ball and shoe bag
out of the house every time I wanted to practice. I’d just tell my parents
(who kept a watchful eye on how I spent my time and money) that I was going to
a friend’s house, and then I’d walk down the steep hillside path into town and
go to whichever place I had last left my equipment. I’d lie to mom and dad
about the money I earned delivering newspapers so I could use it to bowl. On
certain days there were special prices—three or four games for a dollar. You
could improve your game on the cheap. By fifteen, I was averaging about 180, a
respectable score back then. The balls were made of hard rubber; the lanes
were constructed of wood, conditioned with oil; the pins were heavy; and these
features made high scores and averages difficult to achieve." . . .
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