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★ F-8THE STAR: WEDNESEGlen wood Bowl rich in historyEditor's note: This is the first of a monthly feature series by bowling writer Bob Popper. Each month. The Star will feature one of the many fine bowling houses in the areaBy BOB POPPER Glenwood Bowl has a history that spans more than 25 years and carries with it some facelifts that show whatcan be done with a little imagination. We have picked Glenwood to be the first establishment in our monthly spotlight which will feature some of the bowling alleys in the area The corporation, Homewood Bowling Lanes. Inc. DBA Glenwood Bowl, was the brainchild of Robert Hullin-days when he would have his handsfull with the after-school crowd of kids gathered around the pinball machines or pool tables. He was tough on the outside but a kind man on the inside.You sure knew when he meant business, though. You knew he liked you if he bellowed, “Popper, ya dirty rotten no good kid, go home., get outta here!’* He had less kind words for the real trouble makers. For many kids, he was like a father away from home and most of them respected him. He closed the pro shop and retired in 1980 when he moveddistrict 161 have a league at Glen-wood.SOME OF the tournaments include No-Taps, Red Pin, the State Moose Tourney and one of management’s favorites, the Special Olympic tournament. They also have some Beat the Champs finalists at Glenwood, including one winner of a new car. Last year, they sponsored an event in which they awarded the winner a cruise!Glenwood is not known to be ager. Sr. and Avery Hein. They began in August of 1960 in Homewood on Dixie Highway just across from the old Homewood Theatre with eight lanes. In 1962, George Arquilla Sr. of Burnside Construction agreed to build and lease Glenwood Bowl to the owners at its current location.to Colorado Springs with La Verne to be close to their daughter, Pam, sonin law Dean and their grandchildrenBoth the Burger King and the Bowl were built at the same time and opened in August of 1962 at 185th and Halsted in GlenwoodVIC SWANSON, longtime employee of Glenwood Bowl, became manager of the bowl in 1976 when Smitty devoted his attention to the pro shop. In March of 1980, Jean Kidd became manager and Vic became general manager. More construction found that there were now 52 lanesvery high-scoring house. The first 300 game was recorded in 1979 and only one cranker, Bill Vanderwoode, ever recorded two perfectos on the hardwood. They do have a reputation for caring for people and leaguers like Belles and Beaux, Glenwood Keglers, Homewood Majors, Wampum and Tomahawk have been tossing at their bouse since it first opened the doors back in the 1960’s.Some of these league shooters are sure to remember when Willie Mos-The original house consisted of 24 lanes, nine pool tables and the Wigwam Lounge. Eight of the original pmsetters used at Homewood Lanes were (and still are) installed at Glenwood Robert (Smitty) Schmidt was the first manager of the bowl and was an investor in the new centerThe next 10 years saw some interesting changes take place as new and exciting ideas were put to the test at Glenwood. I remember watching many of those changes take place after moving into the area in the early 1960’s and enjoyed seeing the evolution of the recreation centerTHE SPRING of 1963 saw the first change at Glenwood with the construction of a miniature golf course which was built on vacant land behind the center The course remained for only three summer seasons but golf was not gone forever from the bowl. Some years later, using space emptied from another adventure, the owners put up an indoor golf range. Both of these ideas and the one that followed, may have been a little ahead of their time.The next venture came in November of 1967 when the Glenwood Iceand nine pool tables in the house. Bonnie Disharoon became the manager in early 1984 and is currently manager ofthe bowl. Everything was clicking for the establishment but then disaster struck.A massive fire broke out in the early morning hours during February of 1984, destroying an 18-lanesection of the building. Reconstruction began immediately and in less than eight months they had reopened 24 lanes to the public. Tbe Wigwam lounge was converted into a snack shop, nursery and meeting room while the old billiard room became a new lounge. By Christmas last year, Glenwood Bowl was completely reopened with a new look and a total of 58 lanes.The new look also included new technology on the lanes The original wood was still used under a new laminate surface called Armor Plateconi played pool at Glenwood, the Blackhawk hockey players put on an ice show, Eddie Warner and Bobby O’Dell entertained at the Bonspiel and Wigwam and even carom bowling.What was carom bowling? You may not believe this one.3000 Brunswick helped with the technology and Glenwood is the first house in our area to have the fineCAROM BOWLING was the brainchild of the Brunswick Corporation and Glenwood may have been one of the only alleys in the nation to have it available in the 1970’s. The gutters actually had a flap raise up from the channel which was made of high-impact material with rubber on top and softball-sized multicolored dots to shoot at below the rubber.Tbe idea was to bounce tbe ball off the flap either once or twice before hitting tbe pins. Two bounces meant more points and it was almost impossible to throw a gutter ball since the flap started at the foul line and ended about five feet from thenew lanes. They are a true challenge to bowlers and represent the state-of-the-art in synthetic surface lanes. Glenwood has not been known toLodge was built. They also put up the Bonspiel Room which, in addition to a lounge, was set up for live entertainment and catered to receptions and even a wedding or two.The Ice Lodge was originally set up to be a curling rink but eventually captured the hockey fans in the area. The opening found a number of Chicago Blackhawk players coming down to the rink, including Dennis Hull, Keith Magnuson and Reggie FlemingThe first ring guard at the lodge did go on to earn his claim to fame. Johanie Janssen, who lived in Chi-have a lot of major tournaments but caters to the average social bowler. They really concentrate on the kids and have had more than two generations of the same family bring their children to learn how to bowl at Glenwood. PBA Hall of Famer Ed Brosiuswas on the glenwood staff and gavelessons to those of all ages They also have high school leagues and park district shooters on a regular basis. Even the teachers from Flossmoorback of the lane. The idea was great for older people, beginners and kids because they would knock down pins, but they were about tbe only ones who asked tp “put the gutters up”. Therefore, carom bowling did not last long.A lot of history lies at Glenwood Bowl whether you remember the days of ice skating, golf, carom bowling and live entertainment or just the most recent years when bowling and a good time are the order of the day. The Hullingers, Robert Sr. and Jr., along with Vic Swanson and Bonnie Disharoon, have a fine establishment which offers our community the chance to enjoy one of our nation's favorite recreational sports.Bowlingcago Heights and carried dual citizenships, went on to become a star on the 1976 Dutch Olympic team. The 1973 winter season was the last for the ice rink which was forced to closeRichton Lanesdue to rising energy costs. The space was used to put another 18 lanes at Glenwood.LAOWt CLASSIC THUS SO AYW IR O Sulzberger Jr Roofing...................... 94 19Swartz Associates.............................................56 56Mert s Meat-Air Conditioner............. 54 56R Turk Co ............ 52 60luecke Construction ............. 52 60Seven-Eleven .................................... 52 60Bill Foster » Pro Shop......................................50 62West America Mortgage Co ..... 36 74aants Fa RailroadNoah s Ark............Pabo. Inc................Ridgewood Tap.....B E A Van............Brown Onion.........Vtncsk'a Pro Shop666462mm53• •••••••••a 4848THE REST of the space was used to expand the Bonspiel lounge and put in two indoor golf ranges. Thelounge now boasted a stage for liveentertainment and really became a functional room for its patrons. The usual wedding reception was made a day to be remembered if it was held at the Bonspiel. They even held the wedding of Ken and Jennifer Lefco, the one and only wedding at the Bonspiel, in the roomThe golf ranges featured a computer controlled range which flashed different holes from famous country clubs like Dora! and Pebble Beach to challenge its patrons. The life of both entertainment areas was short as they disappeared in 1974 when a service bar replaced tbe lounge and tbe golf range became Smitty’s Pro Shop.Smitty was one of the most memorable people at Glenwood Bowl. He and his wife LaVerne both workedat the lanes even before he opened up his pro shop. I remember many(MD4VIOUAL OAME/MAieaD*t Brand* 200-232-1*0/622. Ro»i* Wira 187-197-224^808. Jan Edward* 203-174-220/597, Sherri Jaeger 163-221-185/569, Jan Egbert 203-168-168 579, Ktthy Edwards 197-193-175/565. Debbie Bell 201-175-163/559. Marilyn tenge 166-200-170/556. Diana Wegley 216-167-166/553. Jean Levon 211-166-167/544, Donna Stella 154-167-203/544 Lod Heaney 157-213-173/543, Wmnie Gonchar 213-160-169/542. Bev Sawyer 211-157-170/536, Sandy Poelme 159-176-200/535, Mary Faso 154-199-161/534, Linda Fowler 166-166-176/527, Jean Euttit 173-159-200/532. Anna Schlinger 172-177-176, Shirley Foster 172-177-175/524. Judi Loria 159-194-169/522. Pam Jaeger 207-165-149/521. Pat Larocca 174-167-177/516, Dee Sandman 150-194-171/515, Barb Roatier 172-169-151/512, Lori Scheidter 1 83- 1 57- 1 72/5 12, Shirieyan Gabber! 1 80- 1 76- 1 5 1 /507. Marge Sennholtx 160-167-159/506, Connie Nyiri 164-176-164/506. Pat Wright 164-134-167/505, Linda Wsltekus 149-181-173/503, Kathy DeYoung 166 132-160/500, Ruth Stege 177-170-153/500WEDMESOAY AFTERMOON LA DIE 6W LL A K Trucking....................................... 47% 12%Coy s Auto Rebuttdert.. ...... 37V* 22%Bruti Realtors 37% 22%Flowers by Don ............................. 33 27Watts Works................ 32 28Rollers..................................................... 32 26Should-A-Bins......................................... 26* 31’ATombStonea .................................. 26 32J N. Michaels ......... 27% 32%Baskin Robbins....................................... 27% 32%Stem State Farm insurance .......27 33Keglers.................... 27 33Shady Ladles ............................... 26 34Flips ..................................................... 24 36O’Bryan Moline ............................. 23 37QOYS AMO DOLLS WEDMESOAYWThe LoversHazelnuts................................................Granny's Bunch .............................Foul-Dps..................................................The Honeymooners...............................The Strikers............................................Cardiac Kids...........................................Fourspares ............................................Tuf Tooktes ..........................................Help Wanted..........................................4635%35%34343432282019L1626%28%303030323645Lakewood BowlFRIDAY MOOSE #S2SW LRatio s..................................................... 72% 39%JAR Construction ................................ 69 43Ridings .................................................... 65 47Wsyne Petarscn...................................... 61 51Region Fenca ......................................... 60% 51%Tivoli ....................................................... 60 52R A S Auto ........................................... 57% 54%Flah Stora ................................ 53 59West End................................................ 51% 60%Pagoda's ................................................ 47 55Moose 0826............................................ 46 67American Highway ............................ 30 82IMOIVtOUAL GAME/SERIESDava Cady 242-188-222/653, Gena Lucas 177-256-205/640, Jim Kirkpatrick 182-232-209/823. Lou Adamak 180-182-256/618. Frank Polita 225-221-172/618, Ron Nelson 149-235-224. Ratio's wins first halfTHURSDAY ALLiS-CHAUSERS MIXEDW LH-J Service .......................................................to 28JB Pels.......................... 51 37North Star SataHte .................................57 41TRA Secudty.............. ....57 41Jack A 7 ........... 54 44Perfection Heir.............. 52 46Van Gogh Decorating.......................... 44 54a. a a __ 4*1 £42
Newspaper Details
Park Forest Star
Park Forest, Illinois, US
Wed, Dec 25, 1985
Page 57
Full Page
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Anonymous
USA 03 Sep 2019
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