Cascade Recreation

3825 W. Madison St.

Empire Bowl

4423 N. Milwaukee Ave.

Match Game Championship (Individual)

INDIVIDUAL MATCH-GAME HISTORY: 1906-1944

(new champions are in CAPITAL LETTERS)

Mar 13, 1906—JIMMY SMITH defeats Johnny Voorhies in best-of-11 match, 6 to 3.  After winning match, Smith announced he was “claiming the world’s championship” and would meet anyone in defense.

Feb 22, 1909—Jimmy Smith defeats Louis Franz, 6384-5794 (30 games).  Smith lived in Brooklyn, and bowlers from west of the Alleghenies considered him the “Eastern” champion.  By beating the “Western” champ (Franz was from Cleveland), Smith settled the matter.  From this time on, Smith was recognized by general consensus as the match-game champion.

Apr 7, 1918–Jimmy Smith defeats Hank Marino, 8436-8104 (40 games).

Apr 29, 1921—JIMMY BLOUIN defeats Jimmy Smith, 12,259-11,914 (60 games).  Smith had lost occasional matches over the years.  But when Blouin won this encounter, Smith’s consensus title was called into question for the first time since the Franz match.  To determine an “official” match-game champion, Louis Petersen organized the World Classic tournament.

Feb 25, 1922—Jimmy Blouin wins World Classic.  In order to become officially recognized as match-game champion, the tournament rules stated that Blouin now had to defeat the next three bowlers in the standings in separate matches.  Otherwise, the match-game title would remain vacant.

Sep 22, 1922—Jimmy Blouin defeats Phil Wolf, 1057 pins.

Nov 11, 1922—Jimmy Blouin defeats Mort Lindsey, 500 pins.

Dec 19, 1922—Jimmy Blouin defeats Jimmy Smith, 23 pins.  Having disposed of the three also-rans from the World Classic, Blouin became bowling’s first official match-game champion.

Jan 12, 1923—Jimmy Blouin defeats Joe Falcaro, 9112-8247 (40 games).

Jan 31, 1925—Jimmy Blouin defeats Joe Scribner, 17,703-16,684 (80 games).

Nov 6, 1926—FRANK KARTHEISER assumes title.  After winning matches from Louis Levene and Eddie Krems, Kartheiser challenged Blouin for $5,000.  Blouin refused the challenge and retired.

Feb 13, 1927—CHARLEY DAW defeats Frank Kartheiser,  12,667-12,651 (60 games).

Jan 17, 1928—Charley Daw defeats Hank Marino, 13,105-12,766 (60 games)

Mar 5, 1928—Charley Daw defeats Joe Wilman, 12,731-11,873 (60 games).

Apr 10, 1928—ADOLPH CARLSON defeats Charley Daw, 12,753-12,719 (60 games).

Jan 3, 1929—Adolph Carlson defeats Skang Mercurio, 13,201-12,814 (60 games).

Feb 16, 1929—JOE SCRIBNER defeats Adolph Carlson, 13,310-12,551 (60 games).

Mar 16, 1929—Joe Scribner defeats Mort Lindsey, 578 pins.

Dec 28, 1929—JOE FALCARO defeats Joe Scribner, 12,932-12,803 (60 games).

Dec 15, 1931—Joe Falcaro defeats Joe Scribner, 993 pins.  After the rematch, Falcaro refused numerous challenges.  The newly-formed BPAA finally stepped in, and Falcaro agreed to face the winner of the BPAA Eliminations.

Mar 24, 1933—JOE MILLER assumes title.  Miller won the BPAA Eliminations and the right to challenge Falcaro.  When Falcaro was injured in a shooting and unable to bowl, the title passed to Miller.  Falcaro refused to recognize this, and for the rest of his life billed himself as the “Undefeated Match-Game Champion.”

May 5, 1934—OTTO STEIN defeats Joe Miller, 16,387-16,060 (80 games).

May 20, 1935—HANK MARINO defeats Otto Stein, 380 pins.

Jan 31, 1937—Hank Marino defeats Joe Miller, 486 pins.

Dec 19, 1937—NED DAY assumes title.  Day won BPAA Eliminations and the right to challenge Marino.  When Marino refused challenge and retired, Day automatically gained the title.

Oct 30, 1938—Ned Day defeats Lowell Jackson, 584-35 pts-522-18 pts  (120 games).

Dec 15, 1941—Ned Day defeats Lowell Jackson in special match during the first All-Star Tournament.  The winner of the All-Star, Johnny Crimmins, received the right to challenge Day for the title during the following year’s tournament.

Dec 10, 1942—Ned Day defeats Johnny Crimmins over 90-games.  Crimmins knocks down more pins, but Day wins on Petersen Points.

Dec 13, 1942—CONNIE SCHWOEGLER wins All-Star.  With World War II being fought, Day had enlisted in the U.S. Navy, so he surrendered his title to the BPAA.  Starting with this event, the  Match-Game Championship was officially awarded to the All-Star winner.

Dec 12, 1943—NED DAY wins All-Star and regains title.  Day had received an honorable medical discharge from the Navy.

Nov 18, 1944—PAUL KRUMSKE defeats Ned Day over 60 games by 5-37 points.  As runner-up in the previous All-Star, Krumske was exercising his right to challenge the champion for the title during the following year.

Dec 10, 1944—BUDDY BOMAR wins All-Star and title.  No more challenge matches are permitted.