RealTalk #5 - Who or what influenced you to start bowling?

[Theo McNair]

Who or what influenced you to start bowling?

I know for me when I graduated from high school in 91, that summer they were running $.39 games at East Point Triangle Lanes. So, me and a friend of mine used to go almost every other day just to have something to do. Well during that time I caught the bug and decided I wanted to get better. Then someone from my church told us about a league that was going on at Union City, so my brother and I then joined a church league that next fall and it has been on since then.

I still remember when we bowled in our first competitive league, the Thursday Night Men Summer/Fall league at Union City (I believe was 1993) is when we came in to contact with people like Isom Hawes, James Lockett, AJ Loumakis, Tom Herbert, Bernie Mainland, William Vaughn, Russell Bell, Jeremiah Fluellen and Kenny Davis Sr, just to name a few. My brother back then used to throw a straight ball and I used to hook one of those pink 14lb house balls. I remember my 1st 256 game was with that pink house ball. lol
These guys inspired me to want to get better and always compete against some of the tougher teams. (side note) It always humored my brother and I in the meetings prior to league starting, all of the arguing and fussing the men had over the league rules, these are memories that I will always have from my first few years of bowling... (I could go on and on)

So, I had a late start and I guess after all that, the $.39 per game is really what influenced me to start bowling. What influenced you, or how did you get started bowling?

[Quantrelle Green]

Well, I started bowling only because my brother who is 5 yrs my elder was bowling. I told my mom that if he could bowl I wanted to as well, I was 4 years old at the time. My aunt was over the junior program so every Saturday morning I was ready. I shot my first 600 at age 7 in the city tournament with a yellow dot bowling ball. Every year around Easter we were off to the TNBA Central Regional tournaments, that was so much fun. There were junior bowlers from all over. My brother hates for me to say this but I was the first one in my family to bowl 300 and I was 16. He was so ashamed because back home every Sunday there was a big a two-page spread in the newspaper. When I shot 300 there was an article written and quoted me saying that I shot 300 before my brother. So I would say my brother influenced me to bowl, love ya Leon. I love the sport just as much now as I did then.

[Theo McNair]

Nice story Quan. I believe I shot my first 600 at the age of 20 lol. Keep up the good bowling. (especially on Thursdays :)

I know there are 800+ others out here with good stories, STOP JUST READING, PLEASE REPLY! Yes, I'm talking to you.

Quantrelle Green said:

Well, I started bowling only because my brother who is 5 yrs my elder was bowling. I told my mom that if he could bowl I wanted to as well, I was 4 years old at the time. My aunt was over the junior program so every Saturday morning I was ready. I shot my first 600 at age 7 in the city tournament with a yellow dot bowling ball. Every year around Easter we were off to the TNBA Central Regional tournaments, that was so much fun. There were junior bowlers from all over. My brother hates for me to say this but I was the first one in my family to bowl 300 and I was 16. He was so ashamed because back home every Sunday there was a big a two-page spread in the newspaper. When I shot 300 there was an article written and quoted me saying that I shot 300 before my brother. So I would say my brother influenced me to bowl, love ya Leon. I love the sport just as much now as I did then.

[TIM MCNAIR]

My original influence to be interested in bowling came from my parents. As a child i remember going to the bowling alley on occasion with them and bowling....my mom showed me how to take score because back then you had to keep your own score on the cards the center provided. Those were great memories and those memories sparked the desire to take up the sport years later as an adult. Like Theo stated, we got hooked on bowling from joining a church league......i used this burgandy ball i bought at a thrift store. I used to throw a straight ball for about a year before i eventually went to finger tip. My 1st real ball was a blue columbia and from there i gradually got more into the sport and have been hooked every since. I must add, that my brother Theo has motivated to continue bowling over the years.....i have had numerous injuries that has forced me to quit a time or two and just when i think i have officially retired, he talks me out of it. Thanks lil brother for motivating me to stay in the game. You're the best man!!!

[Randy Russell]

Ive been hyper competitive since I was able to walk. I played tournament golf, basketball, and baseball growing up. After high school I had a buddy that bowled league and he averaged like 190....I would go with him when he practiced and throw a 13lb house ball 25mph and just bring dead wood out on the lane. I would shoot like 120 and he would give me a rib or two about losing. One day I finally said..."Im going to learn this game and kick your ass.". My mom gave me her old Red Rhino and I had it drilled for my hand for my 18th birthday. I started bowling 20 games a week, got a job at the bowling alley and became addicted. I shot my first 300 9 months later in youth league and have been addicted ever since.

As far as influences, I never took lessons I just watched other people and tried to imitate what I thought was good form. I was and still am a junkie for adrenaline...and loved the rush of throwing a good game. I don't get to bowl more than 3 games a week...but still love the game with a passion.

[Charles Waller]

I worked in a bowling center during summers when i was a teen (in the sixties...yea i'm old!), though i hated it. My dad was the lane mechanic during that time at the old FunBowl on Chappel Hill Rd near Bankhead Rd. I stopped when i went to college and began what was to be years of playing basketball. After 5 knee operations and passing the 40 year mark,my doctors advised me to either give up walking or basketball! A computer friend of mine (Sababa Akili) invited me to bowl for fun at East Point Triangle lanes in 1993 and made me look stupid on the lanes! That began my desire to be competitive,which still exists today. My first league was on Fridays at East Point and I averaged 160+. I was always in awe of the good East Point bowlers of that time, Eddie Allen, Kevin Jamison, Walt Ivey, Roger Butler, Ike Reese, Ron Evans and others. Bowling seemed so much more fun then. I guess my desire to find something competitive to replace basketball led to my foray into bowling.

[Robert Riedy]

my mom, she started bowling after my dad past away and would take us to the bowling alley to watch, and now i am addicted to bowling. I;ve been bowling for 15 years now. When i was a teenager my mom would take me to all of my bowling tourny's and she taught me to love bowling. Now i'm 26 and just had my best season bowling ever i recorde 8 300's 4 800's 2-299's 1-298 1-297 and was high avg of the thursday night league with a 228- so hope every on has a better season this year and i hope to also even if it is going to be hard


thanks to my mom and god

[adorna hayward]

Well if you asked my father this question on my behalf, he would say that she was born to bowl... literally. I am the youngest of three and my older brother went on to play soccer and my sister became a track and field star. So when I was born my father was determind that someone in the family will take up his sport.

Unfortunately I grew up hating the sport because I was made to do it religously every saturday and practice every tuesday and thursday and people expecting me to win (and I did). It took me winning a tournament to represent my country for me to see what bowling could do for me and just how talented I was. I can honestly say that I did not start bowling for myself until I was 16 yrs old even though I first touched a ball at 6 months.

Many people ask 'oh you should be better then that since you were bowling all your life'; but if your mind is not in it to win it, then you won't. Today I can say that all expence paid trips; free education; and mo money has influenced me to bowl to win and my dad is the starter influence of my success.