Minier Lanes—Minier, IL (1966)

218 W. Central Ave.

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A National Bowling League Bibliography

The National Bowling League was an intercity league of five man teams, based on the model of major league baseball, playing in purpose-built arenas on a six-month-long schedule.  Launched with great fanfare in the fall of 1961, the NBL was soon drowning in a sea of red ink.  Six of the ten teams managed to make it to the end of the season, after which the league folded.  For the record, the Detroit Thunderbirds won the NBL championship.

BOOKS

Fulgaro, John M.  National Bowling League: One Year Wonder.  San Ramon, CA: JB Inc., 2008.

Lubanski, Ed, with Kevin Allen and Del Reddy.  King of the Pins!  Wayne, MI: Victory Entertainment, 2010 (ch. 17-18).

Salvino, Carmen, with Frederick C. Klein.  Fast Lanes.  Chicago: Bonus Books, 1988 (pp. 79-83).

Schmidt, J.R.  “The National Bowling League” in The Bowling Chronicles.  Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2017 (pp. 212-219).

ARTICLES

Bine, Al. “The NBL Will Fail!” Bowlers Journal, Oct 1961:47-48.

Bordman, Sid. “NBL’s Second ‘Debut.’” Bowlers Journal, Aug 1961:21-25.

Bunetta, Bill, att Dick Denny. “The NBL Is No Gamble.” Bowlers Journal, Oct 1961:37-38.

Cruchon, Steve. “A Dream Became a Nightmare.” Bowling Digest, Dec 1984:38-41.

_________. “In the Wake of Disaster.” Bowlers Journal, Dec 1964:16-23.

_________. “Magnificent Fiasco.” Bowlers Journal, Nov 1973:84-93.

_________. “National Bowling League Playoff.” Bowling, Sep 1972:4,41.

_________. “The Dream That Went Awry.” Bowlers Journal, Oct 1964:34-41.

_________. “The Short, Unhappy Life of the NBL.” Bowlers Journal, Nov 1964:16-24.

Denny, Dick.“Opening Night in Detroit.” Bowlers Journal, Nov 1961:44-51.

__________. “The NBL Limps Home, Scarred But Proud.” Bowlers Journal, Jun 1962:64-67.

Evans, Dick. “NBL Style Scoring.” Bowlers Journal, Apr 1961:19-20.

Hengen, Bill. “NBL Moves Ahead.” Bowling, Nov 1960:25.

Luby, Mort Jr. “A Good Meeting.” Bowlers Journal, Apr 1961:23-26.

__________. “Point of No Return.” Bowlers Journal. Nov 1960:33-40.

__________. “Silver Anniversary of a Disaster.” Bowlers Journal, Oct 1986:16-18.

__________. “The Magnificent Fiasco.”  Bowlers Journal, Nov 1983:136-137.

McDonough, Pat. “In Grand Central Station, Yet.” Bowlers Journal, Sep 1960:49.

Pezzano, Chuck. “Bowling League Stirs Memories of  ‘61 Flop.” The Sporting News, Feb 28, 1976:30.

__________. “A Short-Lived National League.” The Sporting News, Jun 17, 1972:54,

__________. “What Happened to the NBL?” Bowling, Sep 1962:46,80.

Pluckhahn, Bruce. “Right Idea, Wrong Time.” Bowlers Journal, Nov 1993:225-226.

Snyder, Don. “A Cautious Cheer.” Bowlers Journal, Oct 1961:59-64.

__________. “A-Okay For NBL Scoring.” Bowlers Journal, Jul 1961:17-20.

__________. “Breaking the Big Secret.” Bowling, Jan 1983:6,40.

__________. “Day of Reckoning.” Bowlers Journal, Oct 1961:23-35.

__________. “No Longer a Pipe Dream.” Bowlers Journal, Jan 1960:31-32.

__________. “Pow-Wow in Chicago.” Bowlers Journal, Apr 1960:33-34.

__________. “The Brains Behind the New National Bowling League.” Bowlers Journal, Mar 1960:27-31.

__________. “The Men Behind the NBL.” Bowlers Journal, Jun 1960:5-12.

Wade, Harless.  “Player Draft Next for NBL.” Bowling, Jun 1960:23,41.

__________.  “Problems Facing the NBL.” Official Bowling Review, May 1961:40-43.

__________. “The NBL Will Succeed!” Bowlers Journal, Oct 1961:49-50.

Wessling, Frank. “They’re Ready to Roll in the Pro Circuit.” Bowling, Oct 1961:30-31.

Williams, Bob. “The NBL Draft.” Bowlers Journal, Aug 1960:5-9,12.

“A Roundup of the Week in Sports: Bowling.” Sports Illustrated, May 21, 1962:15.

“Dapper Debut in Dallas.” Bowling, Jul 1961:26,38.

“Fresno: A Five Minute Decision.” Bowlers Journal, Feb 1961:23-28.

“How NBL Scoring Works.” Bowlers Journal, Oct 1961:28.

“How the Press Views the NBL.” Bowlers Journal, Oct 1961:9-14.

“NBL Suspends Play.” Bowling, Aug 1962:22.

“Step Toward Reality.” Bowling, Aug 1960:26,42.

“Team Roundups.” Bowlers Journal, Oct 1961:39-46.

“The NBL Can Succeed, So Give It a Chance.” Bowlers Journal, Oct 1961:4-5.

“The NBL Signs Its First Bowler.” Bowlers Journal, Oct 1960:22.

“The Pros Call It a Season.” Bowling, Jun 1962:16.

Holbrooks’ Bowling Lanes—Rensselaer, IN

810 S. College Ave.

Doris Knechtges (1955)

(1924-1987)

Bowling Hall of Fame, 1983

4 WIBC championships (1953-AE, 1953-D, 1953-T, 1956-AE)

Ernie Soest Stop-Action (1939)

Bowling Tricks (1948)

Starring Andy Varipapa!       

E.B. Estes & Sons (1903)

Mont-Carlo Lanes—Detroit (1951)

14923 Plymouth Rd.

Classic Bowl

8530 Waukegan Rd. (Morton Grove)

Still in business!

Birk Brothers—Chicago (1917)

FRONT–Otto Trader, August Tapp, Joe Baker REAR–Jule Lellinger, George Scherin (manager), George Geiser

ABC Team Champions, 1917