The Bowling Hall of Fame by GJ

There is a joke in our family that Grandma Jean (my wife) was prevented from getting into the bowling hall of fame because she fell and hurt her knee and was never able to regain her form. If you knew Jean (when she was in her form) you would laugh at the joke, too. At her best in our league, ( in the 1960's) her average was about 108-110, maybe.

There were four of us on the team; Jean, myself, daughter Donna, and her husband, Mike Magliano. Jean, Donna and I stood between 5'2" and 5'6" while Mike was 6 foot 6"! We thought it would be cute, so we called ourselves "Three mutts and a Jeff." (Ask your grandparents if they remember "mutt and Jeff," a comic strip.)

I think we lasted four seasons, spring and fall, for two years. The first three were uneventful, but we came in first the last season. (A lot of our competitors resented our high handicaps, of course, and thanks to "Big Mike's" nearly 200 average, we won just enough games to take the trophy.)

At the end of the last term, we entered a charity contest, not as a team, but as individuals. The contest started AFTER the league play, at about midnight, + or -. We were to bowl 8 or 10 games, as I recall. I soon got tired and my game soon went downhill. (Not that it was ever very far up any hill!) It seemed to me at the time, that Jean was holding her own, and did do well on a couple of games.

When the night was over, they announced results and called Jean to stand up. When she stood, they announced that she had won the $200 prize for "most improved" over her handicap! Her scores kept going up a little each game, while most of ours kept lowering, I guess. I have often wondered if, as she grew tired she forgot to worry about doing well, just threw the ball and let it happen! Is that likely?

Many years later, Jean was bowling with our daughters and fell on one knee after releasing the ball. She complained for weeks that it hurt, but doctors said it was only a bruise. Ever since then, we have teased her about missing her HOF Career.