5639 S. Western Ave.
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Gage Park Bowl
5639 S. Western Ave.
Dr. Jake's Bowling History Blog 
September 22, 2011 at 4:51 pm |
I worked at Gage Park Bowl during high school, in the early to mid 70s. It was one of the largest bowling establishments in the world, with 62 lanes in a line.
A previous poster has the right idea. The place closed because the roof collapsed, during or just after the January 14, 1979 blizzard. I had moved out of Chicago by that time, but was relocating from Southern Illinois to Madison WI that week, and was spending a couple of nights at my parents’ house at 55th and Oakley.
Names I remember well: Joe Rajacic and Eddie Oakes (managers) … Ben Zilis (ran tournaments) … Joyce Devening, Ed Wysocki, and Wally Lenkowski (in charge of the counter) … Bill Pitts, Gary Bee, Larry Jackson, Abe Vasquez, Dick Pawlicz, and Ed Gronski (worked on the Brunswick Model “A” pinsetters) … Terry and Karen Roeback had the concession/shoe/billiards counter.
Thanks for the memories. It’s great to see a picture of the place where I spent so much of my formative years.
December 14, 2011 at 9:20 pm |
used to bowl there durring school hours..i think it was 2 bucks all you could bowl from 10 am to 12 pm…something like that…bob wozniak
March 12, 2012 at 9:36 pm |
I bowled here in the St Rita grade school league back in early 70s. I remember walking from 62nd and fairfield after school every week. Good memories
March 23, 2012 at 5:15 pm |
any more fantastic pics of them area of gage park? I live at 58th and washtenaw and will love to hear stories and pictures of the past. email me at jorgeramirez319@gmail.com greatly appreciated!
March 26, 2012 at 9:40 am |
Jorge–
For Chicago history, see my WBEZ blog at the address below.
http://www.wbez.org/blogs/john-r-schmidt
–JRS
January 21, 2013 at 8:00 pm |
i lived on 55th and claremont and played in the rubble after collaspe wish i could find more pictures i was there everyday growing up
January 22, 2013 at 12:55 pm |
Chris — You would have lived right across the alley from me, then … I grew up at 5522 S. Oakley, 1957-’75. Did I know you, or did you know my brothers Jimmy and/or Larry? Jimmy practically lived at Gage Park Lanes, too … and although I got fairly good, he was a much better bowler than I ever was.
Our last name is Christianson.
March 8, 2015 at 12:18 am |
I worked the counter 3 nights a week and remember watching the TV news story about the roof and how lucky is happen in the very early morning hours when it was closed . My dad bowled on there on Sunday morning for many years too. The noise of 58 wooden lanes running ! I could still see Eddie Oaks with that cigar and leading the Ben Zilis tournament once for a 2 months ! Great memories !
September 12, 2015 at 3:27 am |
That would be 52 lanes! And yesterday (Sep. 11, 2015) I found Ben Zilis’ widow listed in the Chicago Tribune obits. At least two of their sons, Greg and Dave, worked at Gage, at one time or another.
September 12, 2015 at 8:31 am
To settle the confusion, check out the picture. Gage Park had 62 lanes.
–JRS
September 12, 2015 at 9:22 am
I love Gage Park stories!
September 12, 2015 at 10:26 am
JRS is correct…… I am corrected to say 62 lanes were at Gage Park and Miami had 80 lanes in 2 buildings which is gone now too at Archer & Pulaski. Gage Park’s Sunday’s Morning Glory league took up lanes 1 – 32, then there was a buffer of 2 lanes, another 10 open bowling lanes, another 2 lane buffer, and the other 16 lanes for the other Sunday league , on the south end of the house, that my dad bowled in, that was always getting free sausage from General Sausage Co. 3 times a year. Ben Zilis was a great guy and ran a super tournament. I do remember the boys .
September 13, 2015 at 1:29 am
Yup, 62 … as I wrote four years ago, in my first post under the picture. I guess I had a brain-phart, or an errant finger. lol Tom, when did you work the counter there? Most of my time was spent in the back, but I also helped run the concession stand at the north end for a year or so.
September 12, 2015 at 9:24 am |
Wish to see pictures from inside…but most than likely people don’t know about this page to share.
September 13, 2015 at 4:39 pm |
I was hired by Eddie Oakes in late 1976 if I remember correctly. Worked the counter 2 or 3 times a week usually late shift since it was a second job for me for several years until the roof failed. Remember waiting for the wife to pick me up at night and I would be the only one bowling in front of the counter after I closed the lanes but the bar was still open & busy. Seldom worked the weekends but did at times. Remember that Ken Krug had a pro shop at 59th & Kedzie across from the movie show too.
September 14, 2015 at 1:49 am |
I moved out of the ‘hood in ’75. Any idea how long Eddie lived, after the involuntary closure of Gage Park Bowl? I mean … he had to be in his mid- or late-70s by that time, yes/no?
April 27, 2016 at 9:41 pm |
My grandfather Tony Majcher built Gage Park Bowl. His son Tony just passed away on April 24th 2016. He was the last tie to the old place. I heard some unbelievable stories out of there. I remember all the above names, Eddie Oakes, Ben Zillis, Ed Gronski, and Joe Rajacic. Ken Krug drilled a few balls for me. I still see Bill Switalski who bowled there almost until the end.
April 29, 2016 at 2:54 am |
So sorry to learn of your loss. I don’t believe I ever met your dad. The name doesn’t ring a bell at all, unfortunately. Maybe I’d recognize a period photo of him, though.
If my rusty memory serves me, the owner when I was around there, was a Mr. Strauss. His son-in-law, Charles Fox, also had some management involvement. Chuck was pretty hip. I remember him driving around in a VW van with a big green ecology symbol on the side. I also remember seeing him at a couple of Grateful Dead concerts.
August 8, 2016 at 10:08 pm |
Tony, you and me have never met, your dad and I were First Cousins Conrad Majcher and I live in Arizona. I would like to
contact you and talk old stories. My email address is slawinskited@gmail.com
May 12, 2018 at 11:19 am |
We have a Gage Park 1956 original poster that we would like to sell – any help would be appreciated
May 30, 2018 at 6:28 pm |
Can you post a photo of the poster?
March 26, 2020 at 9:35 pm |
I worked for Mr. Josef Strauss in the summer of 1970 and he owned the bowling alley as his son-in-law Charles Fox was the manager. I was Josef”s chauffeur for the summer and drove him from Glencoe each day of the week to the bowling alley and then usually to the Loop.
March 27, 2020 at 11:22 am |
Bob, I would have been around there quite a bit around that time.
I wish there were more pictures of the place! The only one that comes up in a Google search, is the pic above.
March 27, 2020 at 1:11 pm
I lived in Glencoe with the Strauss’ during that summer. Wish I would have taken some photos. I drove him every day down there and would then bowl or go down to Gage Park and get into pickup basketball games. He also owned a block in the Diversey/Green Bay ave and one other street. It had storefronts on the street level and apartments on the 2nd and 3rd floor. I would take him there a couple times a week and at least a couple times a week to the Loop for banking or whatever else he did down there. Was a pretty nice job while going to college.