Detroit Bowling Alleys

[zitro]

Yes, they still own the Garden Bowl.

I bowled on a team there on Friday nights back in the mid Seventies with George Zanea, "Fast Eddie" Birmingham, Bill Allen, and a guy who I think was a teacher at Cass last name Levin or Levine, his first name may have been Jay

Reggie "The Kid" Dennard was just coming up through the ranks at the time

[mikefmich]

This thread pains me.....hated to read some of what I did, and there is a bunch of other stuff lost to my memory now....no one is alive anymore to call and ask.

My uncle Russ was determined to become a pro bowler, and bowled like a wild man all over Detroit starting in the late 1920's. He got my dad pretty hooked on bowling by the mid to late 30's, and both bowled with the Mich Con travel teams of the day, amongst others teams. Dad pitched fastpitch softball 4 nights in the summer, and bowled 4 nights in the winter. He had a strong "paddle" arm, much to my dismay and the dismay of my ass.
WW2 slowed down his bowling...but kept on pitching after he got back from the Pacific.

I'm sitting here trying my best to remember the earliest alleys I was dragged along to which would've been east side, early 1950's. At least one place still had pin boys, and one had a long disk shuffleboard table game, complete with sawdust on the left hand side of the alley as you faced the pins.

Something about Hayes not far from Houston-Whittier is sticking in my head....not far from where Harmony Hall used to be?? Maybe I'm thinking of Ritter?

Between my dad and uncle I don't think there was an eastside house I didn't get taken to at least once.

There was one real little place.....maybe 8 lanes in a basement somewhere east side down Warren past Conners?

Used to skip HS and bowl 4 games for a buck before noon. Royal Lanes I think it was.....off Warren Ave. on a side street, not far from Alter. Manistique? Phillip? My ma used to bowl in a Ladies League there too.

I hooked up with Paul Cito when I was about 19 or 20, he must have been at least 60 then...if not older...the lanes on s. side of Warren Ave. around Outer Dr. Cantankerous old coot he was....but a good guy. He taught me a lot....probably more than anyone.

First alley I bowled on was....ahhh crape. DiMichelles? Harper Ave. & Manchester in Harper Wds. It burnt around 1960, they rebuilt it as a hall, last I knew it was HW Community House.

Bowled a Thurs league at Maple Lanes for many years in the 70's...we had some good times at that place. Mich Con league. Had tournaments once a year at Clover Lanes in Livonia.

In later years I did leagues at Sunnybrook and Gold Crown.
Maple Lanes was the last Detroit house I did a league at. Now its a fooken landscape storage shed??

THANK you someone for mentioning Falcon. I was thinking about the Parliaments, and was trying to remember the name of the bowling alley bar on VD they played at.

[mikefmich]

Anyone have a image of Ritter from the outside. I was there a zillion times....it's been so many years I cannot remember what it looked like

[btuzz]

Anyone have a image of Ritter from the outside. I was there a zillion times....it's been so many years I cannot remember what it looked like

Here is a current view of Ritter Lanes. It was a great place.

[btuzz]

Here is a picture of the former Ritter Lanes.

[slick]

Glad to see the saved the building, RITTER REC.
Reminded me of a bank when it was open as a bowling alley.

Back in the 70-80s we had a Friday morning traveling league. Great bowlers most of the folks were either business people or midnight shift folks. Great bowlers all.

We did 10 bowling alleys, lets see if I can remember them or else someone will have to chime in and help.

Chandler,
Ritter,
East Warren,
Timber,
Denby,
Fantasy,
Salt River, furthest one out, nice drive in the spring.

3 more to go, oh no!

[Cass1966]

When I was going to Cass Tech in 1963-66, we would sometimes be taken to Pla-Moor Lanes to go blowing instead of going to our normal gym class. It was on Henry, between 2nd and 3rd. I didn't remember the name of the place until I saw it listed on the Detroit Memories bowling alley listings. What ever happened to that place?

[IrishSpartan]

When I was going to Cass Tech in 1963-66, we would sometimes be taken to Pla-Moor Lanes to go blowing instead of going to our normal gym class. It was on Henry, between 2nd and 3rd. I didn't remember the name of the place until I saw it listed on the Detroit Memories bowling alley listings. What ever happened to that place?

Paul Case was the Pla-Mor proprietor. It probably ceased as a bowling alley not long after you graduated from Cass Tech. By the 1970's, a small party store and market selling meats were in there. The Pla-Mor had 8 lanes. In the 50's, they had leagues with bowlers that worked downtown as well as neighborhood people. The parking on Henry could be tight because of the apartment buildings on the block.

[kathy2trips]

Does anyone know where in Detroit this 1961 bowling tournament took place? [[Interior shots only). Check out Miss Detroit 1961; ah loves the gloves!

[Danny]

Does anyone know where in Detroit this 1961 bowling tournament took place? [[Interior shots only). Check out Miss Detroit 1961; ah loves the gloves!

It was at Cobo Hall. The bowling alley was constructed months before the tournament and took down after.

[ggores]

Old Miami has PinBall Machines.

On the corner of SchoolCraft & Evergreen used to be the BowlCraft Lanes.

I'm talking around 1979 -1980.

We used to infiltrate the bar section and bum Rum & Cokes, and play Pinball, and watch the League Bowler's play.

While waiting for an "open lane", we'd play The Horses.

Meanwhile, our bike's would be stolden outside. In The Alley.

Enjoy:

http://www.pinballrebel.com/game/pin...ay_pinball.htm

[kathy2trips]

It was at Cobo Hall. The bowling alley was constructed months before the tournament and took down after.

Thank you! I knew someone would know!

[eastsider4life]

Hi This is my first post, but not my last

I grew up on the lower east side [[Charlevoix and Chalmers)
and I remember several places we'd bowl.

Royal Lanes [[Alter Rd just north of Warren)
It was gone before I got to bowl there, but it was a skating rink.

East Warren Lanes [[Warren and Cadieux)
20 AMF Lanes, and the funny part was that outside there were signs advertising "Bowl where you see the Magic Triangle" and inside were Brunswick Astroline masks. It still was cheap and fun.

Maple Lanes [[Warren and Farmbrook)
17 AMF lanes, well maintained, and up to date. I'm sorry to see it gone. I went to school not far from Maple Lanes, and I bowled there sometimes after school if I didnt have too much homework.

Ramona Lanes [[6 and Gratiot)
17 Brunswick, I think. The one thing I remember about this joint was the 17th lane. Unloved, uncared for and if you were daring enough you could bowl on it during leagues. Ramona was a pit.

Eastland Lanes [[9 and Kelly)
40 Brunswick divided into 2 sections; blue and red. The blue section was for God only knows who, because I never got to bowl on them, but the red section was for the rest of us.

DeSantis Lanes aka Regal Lanes. [[Mound and 12)
I learned to bowl there because my mother knew the owner personally and she thought I was cute. 34 Brunswick lanes, but they were white with big red crowns on the front. Classy place. I rolled a 300 there in 1982.

Motor City Lanes [[Connor and Mack)
I think they had 20 AMF lanes. We didnt bowl there much.

Ritter Lanes [[Chalmers and Jane)
12 AMF lanes, excellent maintenance. Good rates, and we bowled there most of the time.

Klee's [[6 mile and Connor).
17 lanes. Brunswick. I only bowled there a few times

Fantasy Lanes [[7 mile and Queen)
20 lanes, AMF and they had Sparemaker. That was a series of arrows on the triangle that lit up according to what you left. Pretty cool.

Denby Lanes
17 lanes, I think, and I think they had AMF. Not too sure.

Falcon Lanes
20 lanes, and it was very dated. Brunswick A pinsetters, and they were slow. Falcon is better off dead. What a dump.

Satellite Lanes [[Michigan and Gulley Rd)
One of my old teachers was a manager, and I read back there that they had 128 lanes. Nope. 84 lanes divided into 2. The first 42 were in back, and the last ones were facing Michigan. No one I know ever bowled on 1-42, but everyone usually bowled on 43-84.
The biggest AMF installation in Michigan is Thunderbowl in Allen Park at 94 lanes.

Chandler Lanes [[Harper and Asbury Park)
17 AMF lanes, and they had rubber pads on the approaches. Classy place for where it was and it was beautiful all in red.

State Fair Lanes [[Woodward and State Fair)
70 AMF lanes. Didnt bowl there much.

[hhockey]

As bad as Cloverlanes looks from the outside they have repainted the interior, and what was once a front entrance is now the new pro shop.I do agree the outside looks like the building is going to fall down any day.

[zitro]

A longtime Detroit bowling legend Eddie Lubanski has passed

Lubanski, Edward A.

2010-11-11
Lubanski Edward A. Age 81, of Warren, formerly of Oak Park, November 8, 2010. Mr. Lubanski was a professional bowler and charter member and past president of the Professional Bowlers Association. His competitive career spanned over four decades, culminating with being named Bowler of the Year in 1959. He continued his career as an instructor until early this year. Ed was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame, ABC Hall of Fame, Polish American Sports Hall of Fame and City of Detroit Sports Hall of Fame. He was a longtime parishioner of Our Lady of Fatima Church in Oak Park, where he was active in the Men's Club, and he was a member of Alcoholics Anonymous. Beloved husband of Betty. Loving father of Janis, Edward, Paul [[Cathy), Robert [[Maria) and the late Denise Cohen. Also survived by nine grandchildren. Memorial visitation Thursday 1 – 9 p.m., Rosary 7 p.m., at Spaulding & Curtin Funeral Directors, 500 W. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale [[1 ½ blks west of Woodward) and Friday 9:30 a.m. until Memorial Mass 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, Oak Park. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Our Lady of Fatima Men's Club, 13500 Oak Park Blvd., Oak Park 48237

[reddog289]

I had recently read an article about a book about Mr Lubanski, Will have to order it. My thoughts are with his family and friends.

[zitro]

Longtime Freep bowling writer Matt Fiorito passes. A rather unique obit.

Fiorito, Matthew Joseph

2010-11-14

Fiorito Matthew Joseph Ente this part of his life journey on Nov. 12, 1936, and to be congruent with his meticulous and precise editing style, he chose to exit on Nov. 12 as well. Always the newspaper man, always the editor. Matthew goes onto the next phase of his travels with the love and support of his beloved wife, Nancy Fiorito; his children, Jason Fiorito [[Cassandra), Dania Fiorito, Ada Khreis [[Hassan); his children by choice, Ryan Lawless [[Lyndsay and son Britton), Tiffany Street and Lauren Ivory; his brother Tony Fiorito [[Pat), sister Mary Kastern [[Bill), sister-in-law Sandra Grosso [[Carl), cousin Joe Fiorito [[Susan); and numerous relatives, friends and adopted family in the bowling and newspaper worlds. Matthew fought what can only be described as an epic and tumultuously miraculous battle with leukemia, and after three weeks in the ICU due to complications, decided he had had enough and was bustin' out of this joint! He will be remembered as Mr. Bowling, the "go-to" guy in the Free Press Sports Department [[and a few more choice adjectives that can't be published), an honest confidant, a humble storyteller, a voracious cookbook collector, a charismatic teacher, a master chef, a selfless friend, an inspirational leader, a remarkable father and an extraordinary husband. Matt didn't want any pomp and circumstance surrounding his death and in accordance with his wishes there will be no funeral home visitation or internment ceremony. He will be cremated and his ashes spread in various regions around the globe. Nancy and Dania are opening up the Fiorito home to receive visitors 3-7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 16, and Wednesday, Nov. 17. They would love to receive you with as many hugs and fond memories of Matthew that you have. Their address is 9216 Highland Drive, Grosse Ile, MI 48138. There also will be a special edition of the Bowlers Digest published that will be a memorial to Matthew. If you have a few or more words that you would like to say, stories to share, memories for laughs or praises to give, please email bowlersdigest@yahoo.com with the subject line: Matthew Fiorito. Memorial donations may be sent to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society by visiting

[Detroit Signal]

Sad news about both guys. I had the pleasure of talking with Matt and he was a class-act. Very talented at his craft. I always think of the film clip where Eddie shot back-to-back 300s in an exhibition match in 1959....using the ol' 2-finger grip.

[jerrytimes]

Why did some bowling alleys have an odd number of lanes? I've seen a bunch listed here as having 17 lanes.

[zitro]

Why did some bowling alleys have an odd number of lanes? I've seen a bunch listed here as having 17 lanes.

It is my understanding they an added insurance in case of a breakdown. Back in the day most leagues especially 16-24 lane houses were filled and if there was a major breakdown on one of the machines there wasn't room to move a pair like there is today.

[slick]

zitro,

they could not use the 17th lane as a spare, ABC rules, now USBC, says you must bowl on adjacent lanes. An official match has too be on a pair of lanes.

My theory is on a big night bowling match, you could have a sub bowler warming up.

or if you were bowling your enemy on lane 15-16 you would let your 5 year old bowl on 17 and disrupt the other team's concentration.

[roblinn]

This thread inspired me to do a little research and write a blog post. I'd love to hear any comments or feedback.

http://mapdetroit.blogspot.com/2011/...tter-ball.html

[roblinn]

Also, the alleys listed in the yellow pages were:

[1_of_None]

Colonial Lanes was just north of Hall rd./M59 that was taken over by Weingartz.

Shelby Lanes is the place up the road from it on Van Dyke just south of 23 Mile road.

[cman710]

roblinn, I love your blog.As a huge fan of bowling, this post was particularly interesting. It's amazing what you can do with some historical addresses and some GIS software.