Here’s a few more lanes that are no that I grew up with:
QUEENS
——
St. Albans Bowl (Dunkirk Ave)
Hollis Lanes (Jamaica Av/207th St)
Cardinal Lanes (Jamaica Av/Francis Lewis Blvd)
Jamaica Rec (165th Street/Liberty Avenu)
United Rec (Hillside Av/168th St)
Hollywood Lanes (Queens Blvd/67th Av)
Bellerose Lanes (Jamaica Av/251st Street)
Van Wyck Lanes (Metropolitan Av/Jamaica Av)
Jamaica Arena (Archer Avenue)
Every time the big lebowski is on i get sad but then i laugh. Bowling was serious fun.
Hollis lanes is a charter school.
Cardinal lanes is popyes/liquor/subway sandwich combo
United Rec aka Brinson lanes has been everything from a juice bar, jamaican beef patty joint…
Bellrose lanes is a Staples/CVS combo
Van wyck is a walgreens/planet fitness
Crossbay is a golds gym
What was the name of that rinky dink one off 164 st in flushing? Flushing Christian elementary on oak used to walk there for gym when we werent playing dodgeball or softball at kissena pk. Poor kids today dont have to move their bodies to have fun. They can easily opt out for physical fun. They cant even keep score manually. Why would you want to do that they ask. Math baby. Sad
Hi Carl, hope that you are feeling good and staying safe. Three bowling alleys that come to my mind are: Kew Forest Bowl and Kew Gardens Bowl. They were on Metropolitan Ave. and Lefferts Blvd., within a block of each other. The other one was on the corner of Jamaica Ave. and 111th street. underneath a bar called Club 111. It had either 4 or 6 lanes. A real dive.
OMG, I lived across the street from it when the built new attached houses and used to hang out on the side of the bldg. My first husband used to put the pins up by hand.
One more Bowling Alley. As they were called back then, not “bowling lanes”.
We owned The Trio Bar & Grill in Oyster Bay with 4 bowling allies in rear. It was an histoical site. Andy Verapappa, one of the greatest bowlers of the time bowled there in tournments in the 30s. It was demolished and is now a gas station. How sad. No automated pin setting either. We all took turns setting pins. What an experience.
Yes it was upstairs after it moved from basement of dance hall. Triangle bowl went upstairs and had machines put in and the old lanes in basement became storage for A&P. My mom and me worked in bowling alley up until the state tax department closed it down.
so many to add to the list….Plandome Lanes….Great Neck Bowl….Woodbury Bowl…..Franklin Bowl in Franklin Square…Floral Park Bowl….Elmont Bowlaire…..Valley Stream Recreation….Olympic Bowl in Bayside…..Rosedale Lanes (later called County Line Lanes)….not to be confused with County Line Lanes in Farmingdale….. Falcaros Amityville…. Meroke Lanes in Merrick….Bellmore Bowl (all 6 lanes of it in the rear of a bar)
Thank you Paul….I know where that location is. I remember that there was a street at an angle location – near that parking lot….in 1971 there was a rookie Nassau police officer Who was fatally shot at that location and there was a jurisdiction investigation between the Suffolk and Nassau Depts and which county would prosecute the shooter…..thanks again for answering me…..
Terminal Lanes…in the basement of the Hempstead Bus Terminal ….Hempstead Lanes ( 7 lanes behind a bar on Front Street, which I believe was once owned by Andy Varipappa….Kusky’s Glen Cove… Bowlorama at Roosevelt Field.
Franklin bowl franklin square ny
Green achers bowl valley stream ny
Tulip bowl floral park ny
Bridge lanes whitestone ny
Woodhaven lanes woodhaven queens
Royal lanes west hempstead
Acme Bowling Casino was at 136 Northern Blvd. 16 lanes, the bar was the Sportsmen’s Lounge. Big challenge was to name a sport not displayed somewhere in the bar.
Owners were Vic Maroni, Jack Kuhn, and Herman Traytsman.
Hi Vic I worked at Acme during my teenage years when Vic, Jack & Herman owned it. It was my “home house”. Are any of them still alive. Would love to contact them. If you know how, please leave reply for me.
Hi Vic
Am Frank Podstupka. Worked for your grandpa back in ’50’s & ’60’s. Is he still alive? Would like to contact him or Jack and Herman. Leave reply if you would.
There were 3 in my area…now they are all gone:county line bowl (2 floors of bowling) in farmingdale ny, falcaro’s in amityville, ny, and 300 bowl in massapequa ny
I believe Cardinal Lanes was on Jamaica Avenue, I guess the town would be considered Queens Village or possibly Jamaica…. it was right at the intersection of Francis Lewis Blvd and Jamaica Avenue
Cardinal was at the corner of Jamaica Avenue and Francis Lewis Boulevard . It was in Hollis . Trust me on this , I bowled and worked there for 25 years until the place closed .
There was a bowling alley on Metropolitan Ave., just west of Woodhaven Blvd. called ” Metro-Forest Lanes “. It had 24 lanes, with steel pillars in the middle of the approaches, between some lanes, and overground ball returns.
I believe the building was bought by the telephone co.
There was also a bowling alley on Myrtle and Cooper Ave. in Glendale, Queens. It was a bar with 10 lanes downstairs.
In this place, you could bowl regular pins or duck pins. I went there in the late ’60’s and bowled my 1 and only game of duck pins.
One more. On the corner of Jamaica Ave. and 111 st, there was a bar called, ” Club 111 “, with 6 lanes downstairs. A real dive.
I remember bowling with you – “Up your nose with a rubber hose” – I always remember to follow thru – even today – George & I are supposed to go bowling tomorrow!
My family owned the”10 alleys” in Glendale from 1992-2003..was a great little place for birthday parties..Also had an HBO movie shot there in 1998 that starred Susan Sarandon..(earthly possessions) .
Metro lanes was owned by my dad, who also had a warehouse in the basement…wholesale grocery basement. Wish I had pictures before the building came down.
Vic, I worked there when I was in high school, then they sent me to AMF’s course when they got the new pin setters in 1966. I worked there full time after I graduated from Bayside High until I went into the Air Force. Does Your grandfather know where a Frank Podstupka or Johnny Walsh ended up? Please send your contact info to me at stwomark@aim.com and I’ll fill you guys in on the rest of my story.
Hi Stu I’m Frank. Have been living in California since moving here in 1966. You must have worked with my dad until he had his heart attack in ’67. Will send you an email @ your listed email address. Would like to know what happened to Acme.
Jack, I must of been 10 maybe 12 years old going into bridge lanes, I remember playing my first pinball machine there, it was the kiss machine, I remember when the owner hung himself because he knew he was losing his love…….very sad. Still cannot find any history on this great place
Enjoyed reading your blog and the comments.
If you want some more Queens houses I bowled in that are gone:
New Strand
Glenwood
Maspeth
Astoria Rec.
Broadway Bowl
Ridgewood Lanes
I was more of a Brooklyn person as I have lived whole life there:
Lexmark
Jamar
Mill Basin
Gil Hodges
Fort Bowlerdrome
Dyker
Tournament
Bay Ridge Lanes
Fitzsimmons
Bedford
Diplomat
Kenmore
Park Circle
Three Star
Elwood
Regina Pacis
Fortway
Louisiana
Bowlarama
Hamilton
Colony
Sid Gordon’s
Ovington
Strand
Windsor
Frankie & Johnny’s
Nostrand
Parkway
Quentin
Kingsway
Only 8 USBC certified commercial centers left in Brooklyn & Queens a/o this posting!
VERY DEPRESSING
Mr. Lyons – You mentioned Leader in your January comment. I remember it well as the home lanes for Midwood High School. I can add the lanes that were upstairs on the corner of 86 Street and 5th Avenue over the old Woolworth store which became Skytop Pool Hall when Leo Celano bought the space.
One of the closed lanes that Dr. Eichler mentioned was Glenwood Bowl, located on Myrtle Ave. and Decatur St. in Ridgewood, Queens.
The oddity about Glenwood was that it was the only bowling alley that I know of that had an odd number of lanes. Glenwood Bowl had ” 27 ” lanes.
It had 14 lanes downstairs and 13 lanes upstairs. The last lane upstairs was lane 27. The A.M.F. ball return was on the right side, right up against the wall. It was the A.M.F.circular ball return.
I’ve never been in a bowling alley with an odd number of lanes other then Glenwood.
Jack Clemente had his pro shop 2 doors to the left of Glenwood Bowl, on Myrtle Ave.
I believe that the Post Office is there today
Hi Don, I remember going there once with my cousin. Must have the opening of the lanes 1960 or so? Maybe you can help. Live in Austria now and still go bowling. Opened a new alley here, they only charge about $12 on hour.
Many Thanks,
Hermann
Hermann;
I believe that Glenwood opened up around 1957. I bowled my first game ever with my father at Glenwood and shot a 127. Today, I believe that the building is a Post Office.
Take care, stay safe.
Anybody remember the bowling alley in the building with the Queens Village LIRR station at the corner of Jamaica and Springfield Blvd. I remember bowling there in the 1950s with pin boys. That was the only time I ever bowled withoput automatic pinsetters.
I knew Dave from Olympic Lanes – it was in the basement on 63rd drive. His son Howie and I were neighbors and after more than 40 years he and I just spoke together. Would love to see a picture of the old lanes…………………if you have it!
Great memories of Olympic Lanes as a teenager. It was underground but it was located on Bell Blvd near 48th Ave.
I too remember Dave, his daughter and of course, Jimmy Coyne. Jimmy asked me to bowl on his team one year. I can’t remember the name of the league, but their biggest league was on Thursday nights.
I remember a bowling alley on Main Street in Kew Gardens Hills called Regency Bowling Lanes. It was entered through a small doorwary that led you down a flight of stairs and into the bowling alley which was under all of the stores. Does anyone remember that?
My Dad owned Ave M Bowl in Brooklyn and Elmhurst Lanes in Queens since 1958 and sold them back in 1983.
He saw the business start to turn with malls popping up, video games, and had the insight /gift to see the future- people would rather one day jump on a computer then bowl.
Back in 1978 he worked with RCA to put the 1st 2 automatic scorers in his ally’s.
He passed away in 2011 and ran 2 of the best centers. I worked in both and will never forget .
Those were the days…
Robert Knobel
Howard Knobel’s son.
I started bowling at Ave M in 1958 when it opened, I was 14 at the time and virtually lived there for the next 10 years along with Bernie bananas, Mac $ Stoop etc. I loved bowling heads up action matches which I did daily at Ave M, in the early 1960s Howie made a deal to back Mac & Stoop in action bowling if they could bring the late night action to Ave M which they did in spades, Ave M became the biggest and best known action house in the country 6 nights a week, the big action was at Central Lanes on Saturday night. All of the great action bowling legends like Richie Hornreich, Mike Limongello, you name them they were at Ave M nightly from all over the east coast and beyond.I was in my glory, never ran out of someone to bowl for big money… Cliff
I noted Three Star on my lengthy list of bowling centers in Brooklyn that I had bowled at. Changing neighborhood of immigrants does not support having a bowling center in the area. A store went in there when they closed. I am not sure what is thre now. I am at 95th and 3rd Avenue.
Someone mentioned Bowl-a-way, on 108 street and the Long Island Expressway having 72 lanes. I believe that Bowl-a-way had 108 lanes.
Before Bowl-a-way, the hose with the most lanes, that I remember was Ridgewood Lanes,located on Irving Ave., and Cooper St.
In the 60’s, there was a show that was televised from Ridgewood Lanes, called, ” Make that Spare “.
It was on every Saturday night, and it had all professional bowlers competing for prize money.
The format went something like this:
Each bowler would shoot at 4 different spares worth points. The 2,4,5,8 ( the bucket ) was worth 10 points. The 1,2,4,7 ( the fence ) was worth 10 points. The 1,2,4,10 ( the washout ) was worth 25 points, and the 5,7 was worth 50 points.
Whoever got the most points, won $1000.,and got the opportunity to shoot at the jackpot spare, the 6,7,8,10, worth $10,000. The winner came back next week to face another challenger.
I remember Don Carter winning his match, and making the jackpot spare, the first time that he was on the show.
LICITY Lanes on 47th avenue in Queens. Stadium Bowling which was on Queens Boulevard and 41st Street downstairs from the Stadium Bar. Tri-Jays (aka Dungeons) on 43 avenue between 45 and 46 streets. it was downstairs below a Bohack Supermarket with 6 pool tables and 8 lanes. the lanes were hand set and you had a choice of regular, barrel pins or duck pins.
I’ve been gone from NYC since 1976 but I’ll never forget The Dungeons. I learned to bowl there. I had my first 200 game on alley 3 and was congratulated by mgmt with my first beer at their little bar. Are any photos ( inside naturally ) available ??? i would love to get copies.
I also recall an upstairs combo at Q Blvd and 46th street. I didn’t like the alley setup but the pool table arrangement was great.
I wonder if anybody knows what was the closest bowling alley to Park Avenue in Brooklyn in around 1914? I am guessing that it’s the bowling alley Al Capone worked in as a pin boy.
I bowled at Cardinal lanes on Saturday mornings, in the 1970’s as a child, for league that was sponsored by singer Arthur Prysock. SP9-5000! I still remember the light blue league shirts with the black lettering.
I remember Tri-Bowl on I believe 63rd Drive in Rego Park. Owned by Red Hoffman. I think they closed up in the early 80’s 12 alleys in a basement and lots of fun to be had!
I bowled EVERY Saturday at Kings Lanes (usually one complete sheet of 12 games and sometimes started a second sheet)! Games were 50 cents back then and you could bowl all day, no one bothered you! It later became a YMCA – not sure what it is now. There was a small “diner” on the corner (Rogers Avenue) where you could get a burger or something to eat although as I remember, it was not a favored place for whatever reason, and hardly anyone was ever in there but if you were hungry, it was convenient! Those certainly were the days – remember listening to the Righteous Brothers while bowling and of course, putting your ball in the ball cleaning machine at the end of the day and paying for the “extra” polish to make your ball shine. Uhhhhhh, bring it all back, I miss it!!!!!!!
Kings Lanes! Bowled there EVERY Sunday afternoon (all 14 games) which if I remember correctly, was one complete sheet! Ahhhh, the days of pencils and having to KNOW how to keep score. I remember listening to the Righteous Brothers “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” piped in on the house speakers while bowling! I STILL have the ball from that period (purchased in 1965) and re-drilled twice as my hands got bigger! Great memories! Ate lunch at the corner luncheonette on Flatbush & Farragut after the bowling session. This was back when that area was “quiet” and safe!
Walnut lanes…in Great Neck…anyone remember that one. There was a fellow there, Dave that serviced the machines..knew him for years. The small restaurant there was nice as well. I remember watching the small black and white TV there the day our three Apollo astronauts were killed in the capsule fire.
On Jul 25, 2016 11:47 AM, “LI & NY Places that are no more” wrote:
> charles miller commented: “My father owned Kings Lanes…It was a great > place Flatbush and Farragut .” >
There was a bowling center on sunrise hwy in amityville(closed by 1980) , north Babylon lanes ( deer park ave) (closed late 70s) , maywood bowl (109 & 110) , century 110 lanes in Huntington, brentwood bowl ( brentwood) , captree lanes (brightwaters) and oakdale lanes (oakdale)
I remembered a few more, rocky point bowl (caldor shopping center now kohls, down stairs), bowl a land (known as bowl a hole , portion road lake ronkonkoma) west Hampton bowl , riverhead lanes ( corner of rt 25 & cr 58 not the new one at cr 58 & cr 105 ) , club 91 peconic ave riverhead , greenport bowl (greenport) , mattituck lanes , Maggio’s (patchogue) , a small six lane house on division street in east Islip, stony brook bowl ( later sports plus , home of a couple of pba tour stops ) and last bay shore bowl (closed last year) rip long gone but not forgotten
Bowling alley in North Babylon was Sunset Bowl. Captree Lanes was on Union Blvd., West Islip, not Brightwaters… There was another one on Union Blvd West Islip, Mikes= 8 lanes
We bowled at Jamaica Rec every weekend. Now it is part if York College’s parking lot. There was also a bowling alley on Hillside Ave right off 169th Street. Jamaica High Schooll’s bowling team used the lanes as well as youth leagues in the area.
Utopia was on Union Turnpike a few blocks east of St John’s, on the south side of Union roughly across from the Sly Fox Inn…it was underground and accessed by a storefront door in a row of other stores…. in 1986 when I tried out for the St John’s University Bowling team that was our home house !
Hey Carl, I was researching old bowling alleys for a post on Facebook in the Queens Village in the ’60s and ’70s Group and came across your post. Do you know what ever came of Stu Beck? I lost track of him in the late 1960s. Marty Melnick (duhmel)
Looking for pictures of St. Albans Bowl for a book on the history of St. Albans, Queens for Arcadia Publishing’s “Images in America” series. Does anyone have one? Does anyone know where it was located on Dunkirk Ave and who the owners were? How long was it there and when did it close? Please help. Current residents I have spoken with don’t remember the facility. Please email: stalbanscds@gmail.com
Claire Serant
York College
There was a bowling alley just South of Jamaica Avenue, just across the street from the Queens Village Railroad Station. I can’t remember the name. It was small and employed “pin boys.”
Carl,
Are you talking about New Hyde Park Lanes on New Hyde Park Road just north of Hempstead Turnpike ?
By the way, I remember you from Van Wyck Lanes in the ’60’s. I worked there and bowled there a lot.
You were a great bowler when $ was on the table.
Don, you’re right. It was New Hyde Park Lanes. It seems like a lifetime ago. I left New York in 1965, spent 1 year in L.A., and then moved to Portland, Or. Been here since.
Don, tomorrow is my 71st. BDAY. What a great present you’ve given me. It’s special to be remembered. Do you recall the GM, Bob Levine?
Carl,
” Happy Birthday “, and many more.
Right now I’m living in Spring Hill Florida. Been down here for 13 years. Still bowling. The game has changed drastically as I’m sure you know.
I remember Bob Levine, Richie Delehanty and Bert Winkler. They all worked at Van Wyck. Also, do you remember Mike, Kenny, Chuck, Big Marvin the pin chaser ? There were always a lot of us there all of the time. Do you also remember some of the guys from ” Americana ” ?
Those great days are gone, but we will always have the memories.
Don, thank you. This IS a RUN down memory lane. I remember Richie Delehanty. He worked the desk. I recall Bert Winkler, and Mr. Walter Pearson. Walter was always very kind to me. Sal the bartender, his wife Kathy and the other waitress, Adele. Mike, Kenny, Chuck – sorry. Big Marvin. Walked with a strange gait. Almost as if his ankle was disconnected. I can never think of him without thinking of Cassius Clay. He was the only one(I knew) who thought Clay could beat Liston and he bet on Clay. I remember he walked a little taller after that fight. Americana Lanes. Two things. I bowled a young kid, younger than me, named Bobby Pomerico at Van Wyck and then at his home, Americana. I think we split. I bowled there one more time and was met in the parking lot by three guys and 1 knife. All they took back was the $180.00 I won. I was always grateful for them because they taught me there were just some places I just should’nt be.
It’s amazing what we can remember. An what we choose to forget.
Carl.
Do you remember Jim Dolan ? He worked the desk and managed Van Wyck and Turnpike. He was an ex Irish cop, always dressed in a suit and tie. He always looked like he came off of the cover of G.Q. He was great to work with, and also a good bowler.
Are you still bowling ?
Don, been racking my brain. Was Kenny the cook at Van Wyck? I left Van Wyck and went to work at Turnpike c1962. The manager then was Shelly Herman. He always dressed impeccably, but I don’t remember a Jim Dolan. His asst. mgr. was Eddy Beck, and he too always dressed. Smoked a pipe, even when he bowled. Didn’t help. Don, I bowled the first half of the 2012-2013 season, and then finally had to quit. Back problems. My last night I was playing inside, started with the first 6, and then thru the ball in the gutter at the arrows. Figured it was time. I can still golf 2-3 times wk., but that’s because I have less ego as I was never very good anyway. Have you read Pin Action, by Gianmarc Manzione, the story of Ernie Schlegel?? It just came out last year and I think you’d enjoy it. This is a TREAT.
Carl,
The cook at Van Wyck was Willie Harrison, a tall thin black man.
Kenny Nordman was one of the many of us that hung out and bowled there all of the time. Some of the others were : Mike Catanzarite, Chuck Manza, Pete Julian, Bernie Baker and so many others.
I think Jim Dolan became the manager of Turnpike after Shelly around ’66 or ’67.
Do you remember Rosalie Biemer ? She was the day manager at Van Wyck in the mid to late 60’s.
I did read Pin Action.
Have you ever checked out the website called, ” ActionBowlers.com. I know that you will really enjoy it. Some of the stories will make your hair curl. Let me know what you think.
Don, what an incredible memory. Willie Harrison. I’ve thought about him many times over the years, I just couldn’t remember his name. He always made sure I ate. Good guy, good cook. He could always make me smile. I remember the names Chuck Manza & Pete Julian. I also recall Rosalie Biemer. She was the day mgr. just before I left Turnpike. Do you recall Jan Bobroy. He was about 2 yrs. older, worked at Turnpike, had a strong game. Never seemed to lose a pin in count. I bowled him a couple times and then we thought it best to team up. Besides, he had a license and a car.
Don, I found the site we’re on thru actionbowlers.com. This was one of the sub topics.
I have not had a chance to read some of AC Butch’s stories as yet. I will.
Hi Don, Remember us, Jackie & Claudia? We used to bowl with you at some of these Alleys.
You used to tell us, “Up Your Nose with a Rubber Hose” to get us to follow thru. I still use that. I left you some pictures on Facebook. You can contact us thru there. Would love to catch up with you. Hope all is well and Happy Birthday next week!
Carl,
I don’t remember Jan Bobroy. If you teamed up with him, he must have been very good.
When you check out actionbowlers.com, they have some great stories of some of the all time great action bowlers.
I met two of them down here. Hank Behrbom, who bowled a lot of doubles with Mike Kilgannon and Lou Spadaro, who bowled a lot of action in a lot of the Brooklyn bowling alleys. The stories that they tell are amazing.
I accepted your friend request on Facebook, thank you.
If you want, you can e mail me through Facebook if you prefer.
Amazing thread though depressing. I’m in my second season of league bowling, I guess I was not there for the glory days. Still I lived 4 blocks away from Lexmark, I never bowled, but played arcade there. Jamar Lanes on 59th and Bay Pkwy was the first alley I bowled at, my mom took me and my brother there. Never got to go to Melody, amazing that 2 major houses be so close to one another. Then my parents bought a house in Rego Park and we were walking distance to both Hollywood lanes which I went once with my brother, and Woodhaven which I been too many times.
I used to bowl on the Monday night “680” league at the Avenue M bowl in Brooklyn (McDonald Avenue & Avenue M). The guys I bowled with were in what I would call the “lower tier” of the available leagues that would bowl on that night, I don’t remember exactly what the reference was that separated us from the other leagues. Our averages were in the 175 – 225 range. I would surely love to connect with those guys again. Of course, with the passage of time, I don’t remember the names and have faint visual recollections of their faces. However, if anyone bowled at this house on the referenced “680” league / Mondays, feel free to let yourself be known. It would be great to share some memories of those great times.
Lists a lot of alleys with addresses
Norwood Bowl at 35-17 30th Avenue is a pool hall today, that just reopened. Must of been small alley. Interestingly the property of Whitestone Lanes was put up for sale recently, asking price $60 mil. Meanwhile there is also an article about building a new alley in LIC at 10-22 46 avenue.
THE LANES ABOVE WOOLWORTHS 5TH AVE 86ST BROOKLYN WAS “SHOREVIEW” RUN BY WALTER AND CHARLEY THORNE IN THE FIFTIES AND 60S, THE YEARS I LIVED IN BROOKLYN BEFORE MOVING TO NJ IN 1962. LEEMARK AND DYKER WERE MY HOME LANES.
@Bobbi, there used to be a bowling alley that fits your description if memory serves me right. It was on the North side of Jamaica ave. around 212th St. that had a yellow awning and was downstairs. It’s name was Belaire Rec…
Oakdale Lanes and their Sunday morning $5 “Rent a Lane” deal was a staple in my life growing up. Usually around 8 of us would pile into two cars at 8:00a.m. and drive from Port Jeff down to Oakdale and bowl 4 to a lane for 3 hours. It would come to around $.25 a game once all was said and done. You’d have to call them Monday morning when they opened to get a lane the following Sunday; if you waited any longer the house would be sold out. Closest thing to that today is E. Islip Lanes – $.99 games Sunday mornings 9am to 11:30 and the place is packed. I take my daughter as often as we can go.
Our fallback, in case we couldn’t get a lane at Oakdale, would be Oscar’s in E. Islip. Above ground ball return, 16 lanes, in the back of the building. The only place I saw in the ’70’s as a bar first, alley second, though it sounds like that was the rule in the ’50’s and ’60’s in Brooklyn and Queens (a little before my time).
Great times and they’re still out there – just gotta know where to look.
Anyone remember Walnut lanes bowling ally??
There was a fellow that worked there…David…I remember watching the snoopy cartoons there in the dining room….Great memories…late 50’S…EARLY 60’s
Hi. I’m actually looking for the names of a few bowling alleys that were around in the late 2940s-1950s. Owned by a family in Brooklyn New York. I hope you could help me out. Thank you so much for your time.
Sincerely
Susan
I did occassionally. I remember a doubles match I had with Connie Tschinski (??) who worked accross the street at Stardust Lanes, c1964. I had bowled AGAINST Connie the 1st. time at Van Wyck. We had an extremely high scoring match for 7 games. I had walked into Cardinal Lanes one night and a couple of guys were looking for a doubles game. I called Connie and he came over after his shift. We did very well.
It’s been so many years, but I think I remember borh Cardinal & Stardust having an odd number of lanes.
Kings Lanes! Bowled there EVERY Sunday afternoon (all 14 games) which if I remember correctly, was one complete sheet! Ahhhh, the days of pencils and having to KNOW how to keep score. I remember listening to the Righteous Brothers “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” piped in on the house speakers while bowling! I STILL have the ball from that period (purchased in 1965) and re-drilled twice as my hands got bigger! Great memories! Ate lunch at the corner luncheonette on Flatbush & Farragut after the bowling session. This was back when that area was “quiet” and safe!
I bowled at Leader Lanes too! I remember it was always dark and had a bar which was rumored to be frequented by “questionable” characters from time to time!
Glendale Bowling alley – Myrtle Ave and 72street – 10 lanes.. We hung out for years as kids and teenagers and set up pins. My friend Joe (about age 15) set up 100 games in a day! We made 17cents a game. We could practice for free and set up pins for each other. Great Times!!! – Nicky D
Nick,
I remember a bowling alley on Myrtle Ave. where Cooper Ave. intersected. It had 10 lanes downstairs, with over ground ball returns and you could either bowl regular pins or duck pins.
I went there in the mid 60’s and bowled my only game of duck pins.
Was this the same place ?
My Dad was Red Hoffman who owned Tri Bowl Lanes on 63rd Drive in Rego Park. There were 12 lanes in the basement . Was a bowling alley brat all the way through college I worked for him there too. He was a pro bowler back in the 40s and 50s and even bowled a 300 in Glendale Lanes. Too many memories to jot down as my Dad knew all the bowling legends of that era.
My dad, Sal Casper, managed Cardinal Lanes in Queens in the early 60’s. (Pretty sure “Manager – Bowling Alley” is listed as his profession on my August, 1964 birth certificate, in fact.) He also drew the logo that was on the sign. (My parents pointed it out every time we drove by on our way to visit my grandmother in the 70’s.)
(Found this post while looking for pictures & stories about Hollis in the late 40’s –>. Someone found & sent me a few pics of my dad & his crew from the 40’s/50’s that he said he found on a blog…but now he can’t find it again… I’m not having much luck, either…)
Missing in Suffolk County was Sunset Lanes on Deer Park Ave in North Babylon , Captree Bowl on Union Ave in West Islip , Mattituck Bowl on ST RT 25 in Mattituck & there was an 8 lane center on Main Street in the village of Greenport ( do not remember the name of that center)
what’s listed as Elmont Bowl was actually called Elmont Bowlaire on Hempstead Turnpike. The former Argo Lanes then International Lanes is now called Dani’s Strike Zone and downsized from the former 28 lanes to I think 24…..
the Elmont Bowl photo posted is of Dani’s Strike Zone…. does anyone have a photo of Elmont Bowlaire to post? it was in the same building as Barney’s restaurant
I’m Frank Podstupka. I bowled for St. John’s in 1963. Our home house was Bowlmor in the lower part of Manhattan. Bowled with Tom Kuster, Al Passano, George Buck, and Dick Biondi.
Hi I bowled for st Francis college in 1963 . Pretty sure we bowled you guys at Bowlmor on Sunday mornings . I was averaging 190 at Licity lanes and 176 at bowlmor Frank Santore drilled my bowling balls . Great times
Anyone remember Greenpoint lanes in Greenpoint Bklyn……Also Pavilon Bowl in Valley Stream and Rocklyn Bowl in Rockville center….
Someone said his father was Sal Casper from Cardinal Lanes. I worked for him a few years later when he moved to Green Acres Bowl.
You and your correspondents might be interested in my post on medium.com about Al Capone’s early (and brief) career as a pin-boy in a Brooklyn bowling alley ca 1906.
Dom, I remember Greenpoint bowl, and Rocklyn Bowl. Where in Valley Stream was Pavilon Bowl located ? The only bowling alleys that I remember in Valley Stream were Green Acres, and Franklin Bowl on Franklin Ave.
Bowled 1 match in Rocklyn bowl. Couldn’t hit that house. I bowled against Ray Chel and Norman Horowitz. I practically lived in Green Acres Bowl. Thurs. nite action was awesome. They demolished it in 1982. Moved to Argo lanes which became International Lanes when Pat Como bought it. But no Action. I’d give anything to have bowling back the way it was in
the 60’s and 70’s. You bowled low 220’s and won matches. I bowled in the Ripley Major Classic in the 60’s on Bert Goodman’s team in Strand Lanes. The best bowlers in Brooklyn and L.I. bowled in that league and nobody could average 200. Those days and lane conditions are gone.
We can add another bowling center to the list , Shirley amf lanes closed their doors last week (august 2017) received a phone call to come down before Sunday and clean out my locker. Any idea about say Sayville bowl , looks like they are splitting the house in half
Hey Don Hetman….Pavilion Bowl was located on Merrick Rd. 1 block east of S. Terrace Pl. in Valley Stream. A white building with about 24 lanes on 2 sides. About 2 miles east was another bowling alley called Valley Stream Rec. also on the S. side of Merrick Rd. Those were the good old days back in the 60’s.
Yes Don…This generation of good bowlers couldn’t imagine what existed back in the 60’s. All the great action houses and all the degenerate gamblers, bookies and loan sharks. It may sound bad, but it was an exciting time. Everyone was always scheming and looking for the edge. Just talking about those times always puts a smile on my face. I guess, even at the age of 70, I’m still a little twisted. lol !
A taste of those times stills exists in The Bronx: Van Nest Lanes. Textbook early ’60’s era Brunswick neighborhood house; 16 lanes still very much intact. Right down to the MANUAL ONLY scoring.
My first bowling Alley that I bowled in was Regals on 5th Av. between 7th and 8th St. in Brooklyn, Plaza on Sterling Place and 7th Av. bowled in a traveling league out of Regals at the Strand, State, Park Circle, Elmwood, Ave M, Bay Ridge etc. After their demise I bowled at Paradise on 4th Ave. between 27th and 28th St. and ran the First tournament for the Brooklyn Eagle there . Wonderful memories.
Shirley, Did you bowl at Plaza Bowling Alley? Students at St. Francis Xavier Academy (once on Carroll Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues; now Berkeley Carroll) bowled there once or twice a week. I never bowled there but would like to share some photos …or memories…with my classmates. Can you help me?
I bowled at Plaza in the late 50’s and early 60’s the pictures I have don’t show to much of the bowling alley. I can remember that when you bowled on Alley one you could just about shake hands with the people coming into Plaza, it was very distracting to say the least. I remember that the manager was Ernie don’t remember the owners name. I had the pleasure of bowling Marion Ladawig in an exhibition there. She was Women Bowler of the year 9 times. There was also a plane crash near there in 1960 and they used the Bowling Alley as a morgue. Hope this will help you. Sincerely an old bowler Shirley
Plander lanes is right! I am niece of Anna Plander…I graduated from Uniondale high..my dad was Hempstead police lieutenant..Donald m brown…Anna Plander lived with Meta and Elmer Brown. .Anna was sister…I am named after Anna as she never married and had children due to polio so she requested I be named after her…they are buried in greenfield cemetery… good memories…Elmer Brown was fireman….
my dad Tony Borrelli used to manage Bowla -Bowla later called champion lanes on Washington ave next to the A&P in brooklyn cica 1960. anyone out there remember?
Anybody remember the bowling alley in Queens Village right across from the LIRR station at Springfield and Jamaica Blvd. It must have closed around 1960. Only place that I bowled that had pin boys.
I bowled every weekend at Kings Lanes then went to the small diner on the corner for a burger. I still have the bowling ball I used there (purchased in 1965), no longer useful on today’s lanes but a keepsake to remind me of the simpler times of long ago. Bowling seems to be enjoying a bit of a resurgence these days with the PBA tour now back on TV (FOX) I believe, with a whole bunch of newbies featured in the finals. Myself, I go back to the Earl Anthony, Pete Weber (and Dick Weber), etc. days when the PBA tour was on every Saturday and at night a whole bunch of us would go out and bowl. Good times! Today, bowling seems to have gotten pretty expensive, with most houses charging by the hour instead of per game. It usually works out to about 8 or 9 dollars per game when I go, a far cry from the 50 cents per game at Kings Lanes in the mid 1960s! Share YOUR remembrances!
Stephen
/ October 5, 2009Woodhaven Lanes in Glendale is also gone now
Robert Porter
/ January 26, 2011Here’s a few more lanes that are no that I grew up with:
QUEENS
——
St. Albans Bowl (Dunkirk Ave)
Hollis Lanes (Jamaica Av/207th St)
Cardinal Lanes (Jamaica Av/Francis Lewis Blvd)
Jamaica Rec (165th Street/Liberty Avenu)
United Rec (Hillside Av/168th St)
Hollywood Lanes (Queens Blvd/67th Av)
Bellerose Lanes (Jamaica Av/251st Street)
Van Wyck Lanes (Metropolitan Av/Jamaica Av)
Jamaica Arena (Archer Avenue)
BROOKLYN
——–
Rainbow Lanes (Knapp St)
Seaview Lanes (Flatlands Av/Louisiana Av)
Parkside Lanes
Eric
/ August 6, 2011My dad was at Cardinal so much, the number is burned into my memory. SP6-9400!!
William Lyons
/ October 6, 2011Where is Leader lanes on Coney Island Ave Brooklyn. Right off 18th avenue, spent half my life there.
Dana Hawkins
/ February 4, 2014Every time the big lebowski is on i get sad but then i laugh. Bowling was serious fun.
Hollis lanes is a charter school.
Cardinal lanes is popyes/liquor/subway sandwich combo
United Rec aka Brinson lanes has been everything from a juice bar, jamaican beef patty joint…
Bellrose lanes is a Staples/CVS combo
Van wyck is a walgreens/planet fitness
Crossbay is a golds gym
What was the name of that rinky dink one off 164 st in flushing? Flushing Christian elementary on oak used to walk there for gym when we werent playing dodgeball or softball at kissena pk. Poor kids today dont have to move their bodies to have fun. They can easily opt out for physical fun. They cant even keep score manually. Why would you want to do that they ask. Math baby. Sad
Tammy Beck
/ May 1, 2016my mom worked at parkside lanes in brooklyn ny back in the sixties. her name was sandy beck.
Hugh Jensen
/ December 30, 2017Just saw this … good job Bobby
Darryl Riley jr
/ June 27, 2020Diplomat bowl on Snyder Avenue and Bedford Brooklyn
Carl Deitchman
/ June 30, 2020Don’t forget Utopia Lanes, Turnpike Lanes, on Utopia.
Don Hetman
/ June 30, 2020Hi Carl, hope that you are feeling good and staying safe. Three bowling alleys that come to my mind are: Kew Forest Bowl and Kew Gardens Bowl. They were on Metropolitan Ave. and Lefferts Blvd., within a block of each other. The other one was on the corner of Jamaica Ave. and 111th street. underneath a bar called Club 111. It had either 4 or 6 lanes. A real dive.
Walter Bergman
/ June 30, 2020My parents operated Kew Forest on Metropolitan Avenue from the late 40’s to 1967
frank podstupka
/ July 2, 2020Bowled at Utopia Lanes one year in St. John’s inter-murals as freshman before I made the team in 1964. Remember it being a nice house.
Chris
/ July 2, 2020Tryouts for the St. John’s Univ team in the 80s were still held at Utopia
Fishken
/ December 30, 2009Crossbay lanes is gone, too
sheri
/ January 5, 2010What about Hewlett Lanes that was on Peninsula Blvd. The parking was underneath the bowling alley. It is a now a bank next to American Cleaners
RABBI BERZIN
/ September 22, 2011TORN DOWN ABOUT 1970, BANK THEN BUILT ON SITE….ACROSS FROM SHOPPING CENTER
Mark
/ June 20, 2019Triangle Lanes in Richmond Hill
sheri
/ January 5, 2010There is also Green Acres bowl.
Larry Lustig
/ January 6, 2010As a kid, I remember having my birthday party at FALCARO’S on Central Avenue in Far Rockaway.
Andy Solomon
/ January 15, 2010What about Bowl A Way on the service road of the LIE in Corona. It had 2 levels and I believe 72 lanes. It later became the annex of Newtown HS.
Ronna Paul Gruskin
/ March 13, 2010OMG, I lived across the street from it when the built new attached houses and used to hang out on the side of the bldg. My first husband used to put the pins up by hand.
DB Edwards
/ January 29, 2010Let’s all stop surfing the web and get some exercise. GO BOWLING. It’s fun and healthy.
Rose LoBianco Murphy
/ February 2, 2010One more Bowling Alley. As they were called back then, not “bowling lanes”.
We owned The Trio Bar & Grill in Oyster Bay with 4 bowling allies in rear. It was an histoical site. Andy Verapappa, one of the greatest bowlers of the time bowled there in tournments in the 30s. It was demolished and is now a gas station. How sad. No automated pin setting either. We all took turns setting pins. What an experience.
Rosemarie
/ February 12, 2010There was a Bowling Alley in Maspeth, Queens. Now, there’s a StopnShop in its place.
Chris
/ July 2, 2020Maspeth Bowl it was operating into the late1980s/early 1990s
j monaco
/ February 24, 2010Triangle bowling alleys underneath the Triangle ballroom in queens ,ny across from from Jahns ice cream parlor
Hugh Jensen
/ December 30, 2017Wasn’t this alley also upstairs?
Lenny
/ February 7, 2020Yes it was upstairs after it moved from basement of dance hall. Triangle bowl went upstairs and had machines put in and the old lanes in basement became storage for A&P. My mom and me worked in bowling alley up until the state tax department closed it down.
Chris Liotta
/ February 5, 2011so many to add to the list….Plandome Lanes….Great Neck Bowl….Woodbury Bowl…..Franklin Bowl in Franklin Square…Floral Park Bowl….Elmont Bowlaire…..Valley Stream Recreation….Olympic Bowl in Bayside…..Rosedale Lanes (later called County Line Lanes)….not to be confused with County Line Lanes in Farmingdale….. Falcaros Amityville…. Meroke Lanes in Merrick….Bellmore Bowl (all 6 lanes of it in the rear of a bar)
Pammi Mroczek
/ September 5, 2012Rosedale Lanes had the best Snow Caps………………………………………..
Gregory Bartow
/ November 30, 2018Sunrise Bowl in Bellmore, 300 Bowl in Massapequa, Maywood Bowl in Farmingdale, Werner’s Bowl in Lindenhurst.
Roland Menendez
/ September 17, 2020Does anyone remember Countyline Lanes in FARMINGDALE, New York and the exact location?
Paul Farash
/ September 19, 2020Countyline in Farmingdale was on Rt 110, about 1/4 mile north of the Southern State Pkwy. Building is an Ace Hardware Store now.
Roland Menendez
/ October 5, 2020Thank you Paul….I know where that location is. I remember that there was a street at an angle location – near that parking lot….in 1971 there was a rookie Nassau police officer Who was fatally shot at that location and there was a jurisdiction investigation between the Suffolk and Nassau Depts and which county would prosecute the shooter…..thanks again for answering me…..
Susan Bulavinetz
/ August 7, 2012And don’t forget Northern Lanes on 75th St in Jackson Heights. Quite an institution. And, sometimes, we even bowled!
Walt Harneit
/ August 25, 2012Terminal Lanes…in the basement of the Hempstead Bus Terminal ….Hempstead Lanes ( 7 lanes behind a bar on Front Street, which I believe was once owned by Andy Varipappa….Kusky’s Glen Cove… Bowlorama at Roosevelt Field.
lou g.
/ June 11, 2013how about gorgini’s bowling alley in amityville on merrick road
john
/ July 16, 2013what about Bridge Lanes in Whitestone off of Clintonville
William Lyons
/ July 18, 2013Maple Lanes in Brooklyn, The house that Johnny Petraglia grew up in was sold and will be closing soon.
tommy
/ July 27, 2013Franklin bowl franklin square ny
Green achers bowl valley stream ny
Tulip bowl floral park ny
Bridge lanes whitestone ny
Woodhaven lanes woodhaven queens
Royal lanes west hempstead
Stu Mark
/ November 21, 2013Acme Bowling Casino was at 136 Northern Blvd. 16 lanes, the bar was the Sportsmen’s Lounge. Big challenge was to name a sport not displayed somewhere in the bar.
Owners were Vic Maroni, Jack Kuhn, and Herman Traytsman.
Vic Rodriguez
/ June 25, 2014Hi Stu. Vic Maroni is my grandfather. He’s 93 and living in Bayville.
frank podstupka
/ October 14, 2016Hi Vic I worked at Acme during my teenage years when Vic, Jack & Herman owned it. It was my “home house”. Are any of them still alive. Would love to contact them. If you know how, please leave reply for me.
frank podstupka
/ October 15, 2016Hi Vic
Am Frank Podstupka. Worked for your grandpa back in ’50’s & ’60’s. Is he still alive? Would like to contact him or Jack and Herman. Leave reply if you would.
Thanks
Frank
Pete
/ December 1, 2013I remember a bowling alley in Port Jefferson Station called the “10 pin it was a small bowling alley in the basement of a “gin mill” on main street….
Robert J Baranda
/ December 9, 2013ANY PICTURES of the Franklin Lanes in Franklin Square , NY?? My uncle Phil DeMasco owned it
Find me on facebook https://www.facebook.com/robert.j.baranda
Dovid Fraiman
/ December 27, 2013http://nycma.lunaimaging.com/luna/servlet/detail/RECORDSPHOTOUNITBRK~1~1~1280310~244120:dof_3_05197_0060?qvq=q:945%2Bconey;lc:RECORDSPHOTOUNITMAY~7~7,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~31~31,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~33~33,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~22~22,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~29~29,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~30~30,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~32~32,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~13~13,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~17~17,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~6~6,RECORDSPHOTOUNITMAY~8~8,RECORDSPHOTOUNITBRO~4~4,RECORDSPHOTOUNITBRK~1~1,RECORDSPHOTOUNITMAN~2~2,RECORDSPHOTOUNITQUE~1~1,RECORDSPHOTOUNITSTA~1~1,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~36~36,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~20~20,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~35~35,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~16~16,RECORDSPHOTOUNITMAY~1~1,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~5~5,RECORDSPHOTOUNITMAY~2~2,RECORDSPHOTOUNITMAY~6~6,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~15~15,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~24~24,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~9~9,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~19~19,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~21~21,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~34~34,RECORDSPHOTOUNITMAY~5~5,RECORDSPHOTOUNITMAY~9~9,RECORDSPHOTOUNITMAY~4~4,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~26~26,RECORDSPHOTOUNITMAY~3~3,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~25~25&mi=0&trs=1 i believe that’s leader lanes
ian
/ December 28, 2013There were 3 in my area…now they are all gone:county line bowl (2 floors of bowling) in farmingdale ny, falcaro’s in amityville, ny, and 300 bowl in massapequa ny
Floyd O'Neil
/ January 11, 2014How about the bowling alley in College Point, owned by Fred Mazzarello, College Lanes is what i think it was called.
Dovid Fraiman
/ January 12, 2014here is an article about him floyd http://queenscourier.com/2006/fred-j-mazzarello-3181/
Dan Rutter
/ February 22, 2015I worked there for 7 years until it closed. Fred was a great man. I started bowling there in 1974 at age 8. Was a sad day when it closed.
William Lyons
/ January 12, 2014Three of the best action houses of the 60’s are gone Avenue M and Leader Lanes in Brooklyn and Central Lanes that burnt down.
san
/ January 19, 2014been looking for a picture of cardinal lanes. Anybody have one?
Dovid Fraiman
/ January 26, 2014san do you know where it was
Dovid Fraiman
/ February 2, 2014is this cardinal lanes san http://nycma.lunaimaging.com/luna/servlet/detail/RECORDSPHOTOUNITQUE~1~1~2012358~339962:dof_4_10834_0033
chris
/ January 27, 2014I believe Cardinal Lanes was on Jamaica Avenue, I guess the town would be considered Queens Village or possibly Jamaica…. it was right at the intersection of Francis Lewis Blvd and Jamaica Avenue
arthur clements
/ February 7, 2016Cardinal was at the corner of Jamaica Avenue and Francis Lewis Boulevard . It was in Hollis . Trust me on this , I bowled and worked there for 25 years until the place closed .
Carl Deitchman
/ February 12, 2016Wsa cardinal Lanes an odd numbered house? One EXTRA lane upstairs.
Mary Ann Dillon-Markle
/ May 8, 2016When did Cardinal Lanes close?
Shawn Roberts
/ February 19, 2018Do you have a picture of cardinal lanes
kevin kelly
/ March 16, 2018FACTS
Carl Deitchman
/ March 23, 2018I seem to remember Cardinal Lanes having two floors with an odd # of lanes upstairs. Is that right?
Dovid Fraiman
/ February 9, 2014dana do you mean mapleways bowling alley here is a picture of it http://nycma.lunaimaging.com/luna/servlet/detail/RECORDSPHOTOUNITQUE~1~1~1073000~275395:dof_4_05337_0035
Don Hetman
/ March 13, 2014There was a bowling alley on Metropolitan Ave., just west of Woodhaven Blvd. called ” Metro-Forest Lanes “. It had 24 lanes, with steel pillars in the middle of the approaches, between some lanes, and overground ball returns.
I believe the building was bought by the telephone co.
There was also a bowling alley on Myrtle and Cooper Ave. in Glendale, Queens. It was a bar with 10 lanes downstairs.
In this place, you could bowl regular pins or duck pins. I went there in the late ’60’s and bowled my 1 and only game of duck pins.
One more. On the corner of Jamaica Ave. and 111 st, there was a bar called, ” Club 111 “, with 6 lanes downstairs. A real dive.
Jackie Roemer
/ September 23, 2014I remember bowling with you – “Up your nose with a rubber hose” – I always remember to follow thru – even today – George & I are supposed to go bowling tomorrow!
Christopher Slattery
/ February 25, 2015My family owned the”10 alleys” in Glendale from 1992-2003..was a great little place for birthday parties..Also had an HBO movie shot there in 1998 that starred Susan Sarandon..(earthly possessions) .
Tom
/ July 13, 2016Metro lanes was owned by my dad, who also had a warehouse in the basement…wholesale grocery basement. Wish I had pictures before the building came down.
Tony M
/ June 11, 2014There was Bethpage Bowl that burned down in 1970.
Lori Barra
/ June 14, 2014Does anyone remember the name of the bowling alley on 5th avenue and 7th street in Brooklyn,NY in the 1960’s
Diane
/ March 27, 2015I bowled there as a teenager in the 60’s. It was underground as I remember it.
Shirley Steiner Innella
/ November 12, 2015The name of The Bowling Alley was Regal’s run by Tony Giganti.
Bill lyons
/ June 15, 2014Was that Melody lanes
Stu Mark
/ June 25, 2014Vic, I worked there when I was in high school, then they sent me to AMF’s course when they got the new pin setters in 1966. I worked there full time after I graduated from Bayside High until I went into the Air Force. Does Your grandfather know where a Frank Podstupka or Johnny Walsh ended up? Please send your contact info to me at stwomark@aim.com and I’ll fill you guys in on the rest of my story.
frank podstupka
/ October 14, 2016Hi Stu I’m Frank. Have been living in California since moving here in 1966. You must have worked with my dad until he had his heart attack in ’67. Will send you an email @ your listed email address. Would like to know what happened to Acme.
Jack Eagle
/ July 7, 2014Mapleways lanes on Northern blvd. just east of 164th street Flushing, NY
Jack Eagle
/ July 7, 2014Does anyone have pictures of Bridge Lanes in Whitestone, NY?
John
/ June 13, 2019Jack, I must of been 10 maybe 12 years old going into bridge lanes, I remember playing my first pinball machine there, it was the kiss machine, I remember when the owner hung himself because he knew he was losing his love…….very sad. Still cannot find any history on this great place
Jack Eagle
/ July 7, 2014There was Victory Lanes on 32 nd Ave. in Bayside, NY
fred rosenthal
/ July 11, 2014cameo lanes on Austin street-
BOB .S.
/ July 21, 2014THERE WAS LONG BEACH BOWL, OCEANSIDE LANES, ROCKVILLE BOWL in RVC
Dr. Charley Eichler
/ August 24, 2014Enjoyed reading your blog and the comments.
If you want some more Queens houses I bowled in that are gone:
New Strand
Glenwood
Maspeth
Astoria Rec.
Broadway Bowl
Ridgewood Lanes
I was more of a Brooklyn person as I have lived whole life there:
Lexmark
Jamar
Mill Basin
Gil Hodges
Fort Bowlerdrome
Dyker
Tournament
Bay Ridge Lanes
Fitzsimmons
Bedford
Diplomat
Kenmore
Park Circle
Three Star
Elwood
Regina Pacis
Fortway
Louisiana
Bowlarama
Hamilton
Colony
Sid Gordon’s
Ovington
Strand
Windsor
Frankie & Johnny’s
Nostrand
Parkway
Quentin
Kingsway
Only 8 USBC certified commercial centers left in Brooklyn & Queens a/o this posting!
VERY DEPRESSING
Carmelann
/ September 14, 2014Where was Three Star Bowling?
Bill lyons
/ August 28, 2014What not Leader lanes
Dr. Charley Eichler
/ August 28, 2014Mr. Lyons – You mentioned Leader in your January comment. I remember it well as the home lanes for Midwood High School. I can add the lanes that were upstairs on the corner of 86 Street and 5th Avenue over the old Woolworth store which became Skytop Pool Hall when Leo Celano bought the space.
Don Hetman
/ August 31, 2014One of the closed lanes that Dr. Eichler mentioned was Glenwood Bowl, located on Myrtle Ave. and Decatur St. in Ridgewood, Queens.
The oddity about Glenwood was that it was the only bowling alley that I know of that had an odd number of lanes. Glenwood Bowl had ” 27 ” lanes.
It had 14 lanes downstairs and 13 lanes upstairs. The last lane upstairs was lane 27. The A.M.F. ball return was on the right side, right up against the wall. It was the A.M.F.circular ball return.
I’ve never been in a bowling alley with an odd number of lanes other then Glenwood.
Jack Clemente had his pro shop 2 doors to the left of Glenwood Bowl, on Myrtle Ave.
I believe that the Post Office is there today
JJ Russo
/ December 26, 2014Don, Leemark had 37 lanes. 18 down and 19 up (lane 0)
Dr. Charley Eichler
/ December 27, 2014Jo, 34th Avenue in Queens still has 35 lanes, also.
Hermann Bauer
/ August 10, 2020Hi Don, I remember going there once with my cousin. Must have the opening of the lanes 1960 or so? Maybe you can help. Live in Austria now and still go bowling. Opened a new alley here, they only charge about $12 on hour.
Many Thanks,
Hermann
Donald Hetman
/ September 8, 2020Hermann;
I believe that Glenwood opened up around 1957. I bowled my first game ever with my father at Glenwood and shot a 127. Today, I believe that the building is a Post Office.
Take care, stay safe.
duhmel
/ September 19, 2020Anybody remember the bowling alley in the building with the Queens Village LIRR station at the corner of Jamaica and Springfield Blvd. I remember bowling there in the 1950s with pin boys. That was the only time I ever bowled withoput automatic pinsetters.
chris
/ October 5, 2020wasn’t that Cardinal Lanes on the corner of Jamaica and Springfield?
Dale Deshotel
/ October 27, 2020Do you know the address to Duplex bowling on Bushwick ave. In Brooklyn??
Doug
/ September 5, 2014Olympic bowl Dave,George,jimmy
glen
/ January 29, 2015I knew Dave from Olympic Lanes – it was in the basement on 63rd drive. His son Howie and I were neighbors and after more than 40 years he and I just spoke together. Would love to see a picture of the old lanes…………………if you have it!
Jerry D.
/ April 7, 2015Great memories of Olympic Lanes as a teenager. It was underground but it was located on Bell Blvd near 48th Ave.
I too remember Dave, his daughter and of course, Jimmy Coyne. Jimmy asked me to bowl on his team one year. I can’t remember the name of the league, but their biggest league was on Thursday nights.
An Organized Me
/ September 9, 2014I remember a bowling alley on Main Street in Kew Gardens Hills called Regency Bowling Lanes. It was entered through a small doorwary that led you down a flight of stairs and into the bowling alley which was under all of the stores. Does anyone remember that?
Vinny
/ September 10, 2014No one said anything about Three Star Lanes on 18th Ave and 86 st?
Carmelann
/ September 19, 2014Please give me more information. Did you live there? What’s there now?
Vinny
/ October 6, 2014Yes I lived in the area. I also worked at 3 Star Lanes…(Pin Chaser) I think it’s a PC Richards now…
Robert
/ September 11, 2014My Dad owned Ave M Bowl in Brooklyn and Elmhurst Lanes in Queens since 1958 and sold them back in 1983.
He saw the business start to turn with malls popping up, video games, and had the insight /gift to see the future- people would rather one day jump on a computer then bowl.
Back in 1978 he worked with RCA to put the 1st 2 automatic scorers in his ally’s.
He passed away in 2011 and ran 2 of the best centers. I worked in both and will never forget .
Those were the days…
Robert Knobel
Howard Knobel’s son.
clifford nordquist
/ September 19, 2016I started bowling at Ave M in 1958 when it opened, I was 14 at the time and virtually lived there for the next 10 years along with Bernie bananas, Mac $ Stoop etc. I loved bowling heads up action matches which I did daily at Ave M, in the early 1960s Howie made a deal to back Mac & Stoop in action bowling if they could bring the late night action to Ave M which they did in spades, Ave M became the biggest and best known action house in the country 6 nights a week, the big action was at Central Lanes on Saturday night. All of the great action bowling legends like Richie Hornreich, Mike Limongello, you name them they were at Ave M nightly from all over the east coast and beyond.I was in my glory, never ran out of someone to bowl for big money… Cliff
Larry
/ May 16, 2017My high school (Murrow) had their bowling class at Ave M in the 70’s.
Dr. Charley Eichler
/ September 19, 2014I noted Three Star on my lengthy list of bowling centers in Brooklyn that I had bowled at. Changing neighborhood of immigrants does not support having a bowling center in the area. A store went in there when they closed. I am not sure what is thre now. I am at 95th and 3rd Avenue.
Vinny
/ October 6, 2014Yes you did…My bad…
Don Hetman
/ September 23, 2014Someone mentioned Bowl-a-way, on 108 street and the Long Island Expressway having 72 lanes. I believe that Bowl-a-way had 108 lanes.
Before Bowl-a-way, the hose with the most lanes, that I remember was Ridgewood Lanes,located on Irving Ave., and Cooper St.
In the 60’s, there was a show that was televised from Ridgewood Lanes, called, ” Make that Spare “.
It was on every Saturday night, and it had all professional bowlers competing for prize money.
The format went something like this:
Each bowler would shoot at 4 different spares worth points. The 2,4,5,8 ( the bucket ) was worth 10 points. The 1,2,4,7 ( the fence ) was worth 10 points. The 1,2,4,10 ( the washout ) was worth 25 points, and the 5,7 was worth 50 points.
Whoever got the most points, won $1000.,and got the opportunity to shoot at the jackpot spare, the 6,7,8,10, worth $10,000. The winner came back next week to face another challenger.
I remember Don Carter winning his match, and making the jackpot spare, the first time that he was on the show.
Dr. Charley Eichler
/ September 24, 2014Is that Metro-Forest Bowling Academy that was in Forest Hills from at least 1944-1959?
Steven B
/ October 27, 2014LICITY Lanes on 47th avenue in Queens. Stadium Bowling which was on Queens Boulevard and 41st Street downstairs from the Stadium Bar. Tri-Jays (aka Dungeons) on 43 avenue between 45 and 46 streets. it was downstairs below a Bohack Supermarket with 6 pool tables and 8 lanes. the lanes were hand set and you had a choice of regular, barrel pins or duck pins.
Art Allard
/ November 12, 2014I’ve been gone from NYC since 1976 but I’ll never forget The Dungeons. I learned to bowl there. I had my first 200 game on alley 3 and was congratulated by mgmt with my first beer at their little bar. Are any photos ( inside naturally ) available ??? i would love to get copies.
I also recall an upstairs combo at Q Blvd and 46th street. I didn’t like the alley setup but the pool table arrangement was great.
joan Diamond
/ November 19, 2014Green Acres Bowling Alley
Image courtesy of Anthony Basile
https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=10201378834686403&set=oa.452771041510590&type=3&theater
Albert Glutz
/ December 4, 2014Does anyone remember the 3 small bowling alleys in Rego Park in the 50s. Tony Sparando’s, Tribowl & Foxy’s?
Andrew Ward
/ January 7, 2015I wonder if anybody knows what was the closest bowling alley to Park Avenue in Brooklyn in around 1914? I am guessing that it’s the bowling alley Al Capone worked in as a pin boy.
Edward M. Denton
/ January 24, 2015I bowled at Cardinal lanes on Saturday mornings, in the 1970’s as a child, for league that was sponsored by singer Arthur Prysock. SP9-5000! I still remember the light blue league shirts with the black lettering.
Carl Deitchman
/ October 24, 2015I believe Cardinal Lanes opened in the very early 60s. Was that it’s original name?
I remember Stardust Lanes accross the street.
Chris Liotta
/ April 12, 2017I remember the Prysock league !!! I think it may have moved to Bellerose Lanes after Cardinal closed?
ruth
/ February 17, 2015what was the name of bowling alley off queens blvd in forrest hills was on side street might have been a night club at same location
Dr. Charley Eichler
/ February 19, 2015Hollywood Lanes’ parking lot was on side street off Queens Blvd. It was in basement but I do not remember what was on ground level. That is my guess!
Steve Rychlenski
/ May 29, 2020i remember Hollywood bowl Norm Ginsburg ran the pro shop.he taught me a lot,he was helluva shooter
Dan Rutter
/ February 22, 2015College Point Lanes 22-12 College Point Blvd. Closed 1990. I worked there for 7 years started bowling there in 1974
Michael Gleason
/ March 5, 2015I remember Tri-Bowl on I believe 63rd Drive in Rego Park. Owned by Red Hoffman. I think they closed up in the early 80’s 12 alleys in a basement and lots of fun to be had!
Chris cullen
/ April 24, 2015There was a bowling alley on Flatbush avenue and Rogers ave called Kings Lanes. Spent a lot of time there
Allan
/ November 8, 2015I bowled EVERY Saturday at Kings Lanes (usually one complete sheet of 12 games and sometimes started a second sheet)! Games were 50 cents back then and you could bowl all day, no one bothered you! It later became a YMCA – not sure what it is now. There was a small “diner” on the corner (Rogers Avenue) where you could get a burger or something to eat although as I remember, it was not a favored place for whatever reason, and hardly anyone was ever in there but if you were hungry, it was convenient! Those certainly were the days – remember listening to the Righteous Brothers while bowling and of course, putting your ball in the ball cleaning machine at the end of the day and paying for the “extra” polish to make your ball shine. Uhhhhhh, bring it all back, I miss it!!!!!!!
charles miller
/ July 23, 2016My father owned Kings Lanes…It was a great place
Allan Prescott
/ July 27, 2016Hey Charles! Great remembrances of Kings Lanes! Would like to hear more; email me @ nitebeat@yahoo.com. Thanks, Allan.
>
charles miller
/ July 23, 2016My father owned Kings Lanes…It was a great place Flatbush and Farragut .
Allan
/ July 25, 2016Kings Lanes! Bowled there EVERY Sunday afternoon (all 14 games) which if I remember correctly, was one complete sheet! Ahhhh, the days of pencils and having to KNOW how to keep score. I remember listening to the Righteous Brothers “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” piped in on the house speakers while bowling! I STILL have the ball from that period (purchased in 1965) and re-drilled twice as my hands got bigger! Great memories! Ate lunch at the corner luncheonette on Flatbush & Farragut after the bowling session. This was back when that area was “quiet” and safe!
sugariebakeshoppleasanton
/ July 25, 2016Walnut lanes…in Great Neck…anyone remember that one. There was a fellow there, Dave that serviced the machines..knew him for years. The small restaurant there was nice as well. I remember watching the small black and white TV there the day our three Apollo astronauts were killed in the capsule fire.
On Jul 25, 2016 11:47 AM, “LI & NY Places that are no more” wrote:
> charles miller commented: “My father owned Kings Lanes…It was a great > place Flatbush and Farragut .” >
John schramm
/ April 27, 2015There was a bowling center on sunrise hwy in amityville(closed by 1980) , north Babylon lanes ( deer park ave) (closed late 70s) , maywood bowl (109 & 110) , century 110 lanes in Huntington, brentwood bowl ( brentwood) , captree lanes (brightwaters) and oakdale lanes (oakdale)
John schramm
/ April 27, 2015I remembered a few more, rocky point bowl (caldor shopping center now kohls, down stairs), bowl a land (known as bowl a hole , portion road lake ronkonkoma) west Hampton bowl , riverhead lanes ( corner of rt 25 & cr 58 not the new one at cr 58 & cr 105 ) , club 91 peconic ave riverhead , greenport bowl (greenport) , mattituck lanes , Maggio’s (patchogue) , a small six lane house on division street in east Islip, stony brook bowl ( later sports plus , home of a couple of pba tour stops ) and last bay shore bowl (closed last year) rip long gone but not forgotten
rhhalford2@aol.com
/ September 9, 2019Bowling alley in North Babylon was Sunset Bowl. Captree Lanes was on Union Blvd., West Islip, not Brightwaters… There was another one on Union Blvd West Islip, Mikes= 8 lanes
Barbara Miller Solomon
/ May 29, 2015We bowled at Jamaica Rec every weekend. Now it is part if York College’s parking lot. There was also a bowling alley on Hillside Ave right off 169th Street. Jamaica High Schooll’s bowling team used the lanes as well as youth leagues in the area.
Carl Deitchman
/ October 23, 2015I think you’re talking about Utopia Lanes. I was on the Martin Van Buren team back in 1961-63 and Jamaica High was our arch rival.
Chris Liotta
/ April 12, 2017Utopia was on Union Turnpike a few blocks east of St John’s, on the south side of Union roughly across from the Sly Fox Inn…it was underground and accessed by a storefront door in a row of other stores…. in 1986 when I tried out for the St John’s University Bowling team that was our home house !
Duhmel
/ October 18, 2018Hey Carl, I was researching old bowling alleys for a post on Facebook in the Queens Village in the ’60s and ’70s Group and came across your post. Do you know what ever came of Stu Beck? I lost track of him in the late 1960s. Marty Melnick (duhmel)
Claire Serant
/ June 7, 2015Looking for pictures of St. Albans Bowl for a book on the history of St. Albans, Queens for Arcadia Publishing’s “Images in America” series. Does anyone have one? Does anyone know where it was located on Dunkirk Ave and who the owners were? How long was it there and when did it close? Please help. Current residents I have spoken with don’t remember the facility. Please email: stalbanscds@gmail.com
Claire Serant
York College
Bobbi
/ August 8, 2015There was a bowling alley just South of Jamaica Avenue, just across the street from the Queens Village Railroad Station. I can’t remember the name. It was small and employed “pin boys.”
Dennis Gildea
/ January 28, 2016Belaire Rec?
Carl Deitchman
/ October 24, 2015Does anyone remember Hyde Park Lanes on Hillside Ave. in Hyde Park. Lots of action with good pot games on Friday night & Sunday mornings?
Don Hetman
/ October 25, 2015Carl,
Are you talking about New Hyde Park Lanes on New Hyde Park Road just north of Hempstead Turnpike ?
By the way, I remember you from Van Wyck Lanes in the ’60’s. I worked there and bowled there a lot.
You were a great bowler when $ was on the table.
Carl Deitchman
/ October 26, 2015Don, you’re right. It was New Hyde Park Lanes. It seems like a lifetime ago. I left New York in 1965, spent 1 year in L.A., and then moved to Portland, Or. Been here since.
Don, tomorrow is my 71st. BDAY. What a great present you’ve given me. It’s special to be remembered. Do you recall the GM, Bob Levine?
Don Hetman
/ October 26, 2015Carl,
” Happy Birthday “, and many more.
Right now I’m living in Spring Hill Florida. Been down here for 13 years. Still bowling. The game has changed drastically as I’m sure you know.
I remember Bob Levine, Richie Delehanty and Bert Winkler. They all worked at Van Wyck. Also, do you remember Mike, Kenny, Chuck, Big Marvin the pin chaser ? There were always a lot of us there all of the time. Do you also remember some of the guys from ” Americana ” ?
Those great days are gone, but we will always have the memories.
Carl Deitchman
/ October 27, 2015Don, thank you. This IS a RUN down memory lane. I remember Richie Delehanty. He worked the desk. I recall Bert Winkler, and Mr. Walter Pearson. Walter was always very kind to me. Sal the bartender, his wife Kathy and the other waitress, Adele. Mike, Kenny, Chuck – sorry. Big Marvin. Walked with a strange gait. Almost as if his ankle was disconnected. I can never think of him without thinking of Cassius Clay. He was the only one(I knew) who thought Clay could beat Liston and he bet on Clay. I remember he walked a little taller after that fight. Americana Lanes. Two things. I bowled a young kid, younger than me, named Bobby Pomerico at Van Wyck and then at his home, Americana. I think we split. I bowled there one more time and was met in the parking lot by three guys and 1 knife. All they took back was the $180.00 I won. I was always grateful for them because they taught me there were just some places I just should’nt be.
It’s amazing what we can remember. An what we choose to forget.
Anyone else?
Don Hetman
/ October 28, 2015Carl.
Do you remember Jim Dolan ? He worked the desk and managed Van Wyck and Turnpike. He was an ex Irish cop, always dressed in a suit and tie. He always looked like he came off of the cover of G.Q. He was great to work with, and also a good bowler.
Are you still bowling ?
Carl Deitchman
/ October 29, 2015Don, been racking my brain. Was Kenny the cook at Van Wyck? I left Van Wyck and went to work at Turnpike c1962. The manager then was Shelly Herman. He always dressed impeccably, but I don’t remember a Jim Dolan. His asst. mgr. was Eddy Beck, and he too always dressed. Smoked a pipe, even when he bowled. Didn’t help. Don, I bowled the first half of the 2012-2013 season, and then finally had to quit. Back problems. My last night I was playing inside, started with the first 6, and then thru the ball in the gutter at the arrows. Figured it was time. I can still golf 2-3 times wk., but that’s because I have less ego as I was never very good anyway. Have you read Pin Action, by Gianmarc Manzione, the story of Ernie Schlegel?? It just came out last year and I think you’d enjoy it. This is a TREAT.
Don Hetman
/ October 29, 2015Carl,
The cook at Van Wyck was Willie Harrison, a tall thin black man.
Kenny Nordman was one of the many of us that hung out and bowled there all of the time. Some of the others were : Mike Catanzarite, Chuck Manza, Pete Julian, Bernie Baker and so many others.
I think Jim Dolan became the manager of Turnpike after Shelly around ’66 or ’67.
Do you remember Rosalie Biemer ? She was the day manager at Van Wyck in the mid to late 60’s.
I did read Pin Action.
Have you ever checked out the website called, ” ActionBowlers.com. I know that you will really enjoy it. Some of the stories will make your hair curl. Let me know what you think.
Carl Deitchman
/ October 30, 2015Don, what an incredible memory. Willie Harrison. I’ve thought about him many times over the years, I just couldn’t remember his name. He always made sure I ate. Good guy, good cook. He could always make me smile. I remember the names Chuck Manza & Pete Julian. I also recall Rosalie Biemer. She was the day mgr. just before I left Turnpike. Do you recall Jan Bobroy. He was about 2 yrs. older, worked at Turnpike, had a strong game. Never seemed to lose a pin in count. I bowled him a couple times and then we thought it best to team up. Besides, he had a license and a car.
Don, I found the site we’re on thru actionbowlers.com. This was one of the sub topics.
I have not had a chance to read some of AC Butch’s stories as yet. I will.
justforfunjackie
/ October 30, 2015Hi Don, Remember us, Jackie & Claudia? We used to bowl with you at some of these Alleys.
You used to tell us, “Up Your Nose with a Rubber Hose” to get us to follow thru. I still use that. I left you some pictures on Facebook. You can contact us thru there. Would love to catch up with you. Hope all is well and Happy Birthday next week!
Don Hetman
/ November 1, 2015Carl,
I don’t remember Jan Bobroy. If you teamed up with him, he must have been very good.
When you check out actionbowlers.com, they have some great stories of some of the all time great action bowlers.
I met two of them down here. Hank Behrbom, who bowled a lot of doubles with Mike Kilgannon and Lou Spadaro, who bowled a lot of action in a lot of the Brooklyn bowling alleys. The stories that they tell are amazing.
I accepted your friend request on Facebook, thank you.
If you want, you can e mail me through Facebook if you prefer.
Carl Deitchman
/ November 2, 2015Thank you – I will.
Michael
/ November 21, 2015Amazing thread though depressing. I’m in my second season of league bowling, I guess I was not there for the glory days. Still I lived 4 blocks away from Lexmark, I never bowled, but played arcade there. Jamar Lanes on 59th and Bay Pkwy was the first alley I bowled at, my mom took me and my brother there. Never got to go to Melody, amazing that 2 major houses be so close to one another. Then my parents bought a house in Rego Park and we were walking distance to both Hollywood lanes which I went once with my brother, and Woodhaven which I been too many times.
William Lyons
/ November 21, 2015Thats LeeMark lanes in Brooklyn.
Allan
/ November 23, 2015I used to bowl on the Monday night “680” league at the Avenue M bowl in Brooklyn (McDonald Avenue & Avenue M). The guys I bowled with were in what I would call the “lower tier” of the available leagues that would bowl on that night, I don’t remember exactly what the reference was that separated us from the other leagues. Our averages were in the 175 – 225 range. I would surely love to connect with those guys again. Of course, with the passage of time, I don’t remember the names and have faint visual recollections of their faces. However, if anyone bowled at this house on the referenced “680” league / Mondays, feel free to let yourself be known. It would be great to share some memories of those great times.
Michael
/ December 9, 2015Here is a find, a newspaper from 1961 http://fultonhistory.com/Newspaper%2014/Long%20Island%20City%20NY%20Star%20Journal/Long%20Island%20City%20NY%20Star%20Journal%201961/Long%20Island%20%20City%20NY%20Star%20Journal%201961%20-%200250.pdf
Lists a lot of alleys with addresses
Norwood Bowl at 35-17 30th Avenue is a pool hall today, that just reopened. Must of been small alley. Interestingly the property of Whitestone Lanes was put up for sale recently, asking price $60 mil. Meanwhile there is also an article about building a new alley in LIC at 10-22 46 avenue.
jamesfcusker
/ December 21, 2015THE LANES ABOVE WOOLWORTHS 5TH AVE 86ST BROOKLYN WAS “SHOREVIEW” RUN BY WALTER AND CHARLEY THORNE IN THE FIFTIES AND 60S, THE YEARS I LIVED IN BROOKLYN BEFORE MOVING TO NJ IN 1962. LEEMARK AND DYKER WERE MY HOME LANES.
Dennis Gildea
/ January 28, 2016@Bobbi, there used to be a bowling alley that fits your description if memory serves me right. It was on the North side of Jamaica ave. around 212th St. that had a yellow awning and was downstairs. It’s name was Belaire Rec…
Tom
/ January 29, 2016There was a bowling alley in Uniondale that was called Planders. Not sure of the spelling.
Gregory Bartow
/ November 30, 2018Plander Lanes was on Jerusalem Abe in Uniondale. There’s a WalMart there now.
Suzanne
/ November 9, 2020Yes ! My Dad was on a team there in the 60’s I went with him. I just passed there recently and it’s gone. Good memory.
Paul F
/ January 31, 2016Oakdale Lanes and their Sunday morning $5 “Rent a Lane” deal was a staple in my life growing up. Usually around 8 of us would pile into two cars at 8:00a.m. and drive from Port Jeff down to Oakdale and bowl 4 to a lane for 3 hours. It would come to around $.25 a game once all was said and done. You’d have to call them Monday morning when they opened to get a lane the following Sunday; if you waited any longer the house would be sold out. Closest thing to that today is E. Islip Lanes – $.99 games Sunday mornings 9am to 11:30 and the place is packed. I take my daughter as often as we can go.
Our fallback, in case we couldn’t get a lane at Oakdale, would be Oscar’s in E. Islip. Above ground ball return, 16 lanes, in the back of the building. The only place I saw in the ’70’s as a bar first, alley second, though it sounds like that was the rule in the ’50’s and ’60’s in Brooklyn and Queens (a little before my time).
Great times and they’re still out there – just gotta know where to look.
Don Hetman
/ February 3, 2016Tom,
I believe that the name of the bowling alley in Uniondale was Plander Lanes.
It was located on Uniondale Ave.
sugariebakeshoppleasanton
/ February 23, 2016Anyone remember Walnut lanes bowling ally??
There was a fellow that worked there…David…I remember watching the snoopy cartoons there in the dining room….Great memories…late 50’S…EARLY 60’s
Susan
/ March 8, 2016Hi. I’m actually looking for the names of a few bowling alleys that were around in the late 2940s-1950s. Owned by a family in Brooklyn New York. I hope you could help me out. Thank you so much for your time.
Sincerely
Susan
bob
/ March 13, 2016…….and VICTORY BOWL on 32nd. ave., in Bayside. Queens. (Zombies)
Harry Thompson
/ March 31, 2016Sunrise Bowl, Bellmore
Tammy Beck
/ May 1, 2016My mom worked at parkside lanes in brooklyn ny in the sixties . Russo was the owner and my mom was a waitress there. Her name was sandy Beck.
Mary Ann Dillon-Markle
/ May 8, 2016I am looking for anyone that bowled at Cardinal Lanes (Jamaica Av/Francis Lewis Blvd) in the early sixties?
Carl Deitchman
/ May 31, 2016I did occassionally. I remember a doubles match I had with Connie Tschinski (??) who worked accross the street at Stardust Lanes, c1964. I had bowled AGAINST Connie the 1st. time at Van Wyck. We had an extremely high scoring match for 7 games. I had walked into Cardinal Lanes one night and a couple of guys were looking for a doubles game. I called Connie and he came over after his shift. We did very well.
It’s been so many years, but I think I remember borh Cardinal & Stardust having an odd number of lanes.
Allan
/ July 25, 2016Kings Lanes! Bowled there EVERY Sunday afternoon (all 14 games) which if I remember correctly, was one complete sheet! Ahhhh, the days of pencils and having to KNOW how to keep score. I remember listening to the Righteous Brothers “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” piped in on the house speakers while bowling! I STILL have the ball from that period (purchased in 1965) and re-drilled twice as my hands got bigger! Great memories! Ate lunch at the corner luncheonette on Flatbush & Farragut after the bowling session. This was back when that area was “quiet” and safe!
William Lyons
/ July 25, 2016I remember Kings Lanes, I bowled in Leader Lanes on Coney Island Ave.
Allan
/ July 25, 2016I bowled at Leader Lanes too! I remember it was always dark and had a bar which was rumored to be frequented by “questionable” characters from time to time!
Nick
/ September 9, 2016Glendale Bowling alley – Myrtle Ave and 72street – 10 lanes.. We hung out for years as kids and teenagers and set up pins. My friend Joe (about age 15) set up 100 games in a day! We made 17cents a game. We could practice for free and set up pins for each other. Great Times!!! – Nicky D
Don Hetman
/ September 12, 2016Nick,
I remember a bowling alley on Myrtle Ave. where Cooper Ave. intersected. It had 10 lanes downstairs, with over ground ball returns and you could either bowl regular pins or duck pins.
I went there in the mid 60’s and bowled my only game of duck pins.
Was this the same place ?
vic
/ October 18, 2016My grandfather Vic Maroni owned Acme Bowling. My email is vrod321@yahoo.com
Vic
/ October 18, 2016Hi Frank,
Sadly my grandfather Vic Maroni passed away last July at age 94. I have many pictures of all 3 of them at the bowling alley. Send me your email.
Walter
/ October 26, 2016My parents owned Kew Forest Recreation on Metropolitan Avenue in Kew Gardens from 1947 to 1967. 10 Alleys downstairs.
Bob Hoffman
/ December 1, 2016My Dad was Red Hoffman who owned Tri Bowl Lanes on 63rd Drive in Rego Park. There were 12 lanes in the basement . Was a bowling alley brat all the way through college I worked for him there too. He was a pro bowler back in the 40s and 50s and even bowled a 300 in Glendale Lanes. Too many memories to jot down as my Dad knew all the bowling legends of that era.
repsac3
/ December 30, 2016My dad, Sal Casper, managed Cardinal Lanes in Queens in the early 60’s. (Pretty sure “Manager – Bowling Alley” is listed as his profession on my August, 1964 birth certificate, in fact.) He also drew the logo that was on the sign. (My parents pointed it out every time we drove by on our way to visit my grandmother in the 70’s.)
(Found this post while looking for pictures & stories about Hollis in the late 40’s –>. Someone found & sent me a few pics of my dad & his crew from the 40’s/50’s that he said he found on a blog…but now he can’t find it again… I’m not having much luck, either…)
Frank
/ March 4, 2017Some of these post bring back great memories.
I actually pinchased at diplomat bowl, bay ridge lanes and Elmwood lanes.
Here’s my list of centers that are no more,
Leemark lanes (Brooklyn)
Connie’s ocean recreation (Brooklyn)
Kenmore lanes. (Brooklyn)
The original gil Hodges lanes. (Brooklyn)
Mill basin bowl (Brooklyn)
Jaymar lanes (brooklyn)
Long island centers,
Riverhead lanes
Rocky point bowl
Stonybrook bowl
Oakdale lanes
Maggios rec (Patchogue)
Bowlerland (ronkonkoma)
Maywood bowl
Werner’s lindenhurst bowl
Walt Whitman lanes
Falcaros Amityville bowl
300 pro bowl
County line bowl (farmingdale)
Brentwood bowl
Jericho lanes (Woodbury)
Awesome memories!!!
William Lyons
/ April 12, 2017Also Maple Lanes and Leader lanes Brooklyn
John Schramm
/ April 12, 2017West Hampton lanes is now gone
John Schramm
/ April 12, 2017Missing in Suffolk County was Sunset Lanes on Deer Park Ave in North Babylon , Captree Bowl on Union Ave in West Islip , Mattituck Bowl on ST RT 25 in Mattituck & there was an 8 lane center on Main Street in the village of Greenport ( do not remember the name of that center)
Chris Liotta
/ April 12, 2017what’s listed as Elmont Bowl was actually called Elmont Bowlaire on Hempstead Turnpike. The former Argo Lanes then International Lanes is now called Dani’s Strike Zone and downsized from the former 28 lanes to I think 24…..
Chris Liotta
/ April 12, 2017the Elmont Bowl photo posted is of Dani’s Strike Zone…. does anyone have a photo of Elmont Bowlaire to post? it was in the same building as Barney’s restaurant
frank podstupka
/ April 12, 2017Hi Chris
I’m Frank Podstupka. I bowled for St. John’s in 1963. Our home house was Bowlmor in the lower part of Manhattan. Bowled with Tom Kuster, Al Passano, George Buck, and Dick Biondi.
John Chojnowski
/ November 12, 2020Hi I bowled for st Francis college in 1963 . Pretty sure we bowled you guys at Bowlmor on Sunday mornings . I was averaging 190 at Licity lanes and 176 at bowlmor Frank Santore drilled my bowling balls . Great times
frank podstupka
/ November 22, 2020Hi John Thanks for the reply. I’m sure we did butt heads. Best wishes to you. Frank
Him petrinec
/ April 30, 2017There a way lot more at least 400
Dom Gallo
/ May 23, 2017Anyone remember Greenpoint lanes in Greenpoint Bklyn……Also Pavilon Bowl in Valley Stream and Rocklyn Bowl in Rockville center….
Someone said his father was Sal Casper from Cardinal Lanes. I worked for him a few years later when he moved to Green Acres Bowl.
Frank
/ June 27, 2017I remember Greenpoint bowl that was owned by cy bloodstein he also had bayridge lanes.
I remember rocklyn bowl my father was the mechanic there in the 60’s, it had 2 levels, I got a lot memories of that place.
Andrew Ward
/ September 5, 2017You and your correspondents might be interested in my post on medium.com about Al Capone’s early (and brief) career as a pin-boy in a Brooklyn bowling alley ca 1906.
Don Hetman
/ September 5, 2017Dom, I remember Greenpoint bowl, and Rocklyn Bowl. Where in Valley Stream was Pavilon Bowl located ? The only bowling alleys that I remember in Valley Stream were Green Acres, and Franklin Bowl on Franklin Ave.
Betty
/ May 20, 2020My father owned pavilon bowl in valley stream back in the 60s
Dom Gallo
/ July 14, 2017Bowled 1 match in Rocklyn bowl. Couldn’t hit that house. I bowled against Ray Chel and Norman Horowitz. I practically lived in Green Acres Bowl. Thurs. nite action was awesome. They demolished it in 1982. Moved to Argo lanes which became International Lanes when Pat Como bought it. But no Action. I’d give anything to have bowling back the way it was in
the 60’s and 70’s. You bowled low 220’s and won matches. I bowled in the Ripley Major Classic in the 60’s on Bert Goodman’s team in Strand Lanes. The best bowlers in Brooklyn and L.I. bowled in that league and nobody could average 200. Those days and lane conditions are gone.
John Schramm
/ August 20, 2017We can add another bowling center to the list , Shirley amf lanes closed their doors last week (august 2017) received a phone call to come down before Sunday and clean out my locker. Any idea about say Sayville bowl , looks like they are splitting the house in half
Dom Gallo
/ November 10, 2017Hey Don Hetman….Pavilion Bowl was located on Merrick Rd. 1 block east of S. Terrace Pl. in Valley Stream. A white building with about 24 lanes on 2 sides. About 2 miles east was another bowling alley called Valley Stream Rec. also on the S. side of Merrick Rd. Those were the good old days back in the 60’s.
Don Hetman
/ November 11, 2017Thank you Dom. They certainly were the good old days, and great memories, which no one can take away from us.
Dom Gallo
/ November 18, 2017Yes Don…This generation of good bowlers couldn’t imagine what existed back in the 60’s. All the great action houses and all the degenerate gamblers, bookies and loan sharks. It may sound bad, but it was an exciting time. Everyone was always scheming and looking for the edge. Just talking about those times always puts a smile on my face. I guess, even at the age of 70, I’m still a little twisted. lol !
Wayne Cholost
/ November 18, 2017Hey, twisted one…We spent the 60’s together at Green Acres. How you doing, get in touch.
Paul F
/ January 28, 2018A taste of those times stills exists in The Bronx: Van Nest Lanes. Textbook early ’60’s era Brunswick neighborhood house; 16 lanes still very much intact. Right down to the MANUAL ONLY scoring.
Almost museum like; an absolute treasure.
Shirley Innella
/ January 29, 2018My first bowling Alley that I bowled in was Regals on 5th Av. between 7th and 8th St. in Brooklyn, Plaza on Sterling Place and 7th Av. bowled in a traveling league out of Regals at the Strand, State, Park Circle, Elmwood, Ave M, Bay Ridge etc. After their demise I bowled at Paradise on 4th Ave. between 27th and 28th St. and ran the First tournament for the Brooklyn Eagle there . Wonderful memories.
Jane markowski
/ October 22, 2018Shirley, Did you bowl at Plaza Bowling Alley? Students at St. Francis Xavier Academy (once on Carroll Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues; now Berkeley Carroll) bowled there once or twice a week. I never bowled there but would like to share some photos …or memories…with my classmates. Can you help me?
Shirley Steiner Innella
/ November 4, 2018I bowled at Plaza in the late 50’s and early 60’s the pictures I have don’t show to much of the bowling alley. I can remember that when you bowled on Alley one you could just about shake hands with the people coming into Plaza, it was very distracting to say the least. I remember that the manager was Ernie don’t remember the owners name. I had the pleasure of bowling Marion Ladawig in an exhibition there. She was Women Bowler of the year 9 times. There was also a plane crash near there in 1960 and they used the Bowling Alley as a morgue. Hope this will help you. Sincerely an old bowler Shirley
Dom Gallo
/ February 11, 2018Hey Wayne…I haven’t been on this site since Nov.17. Just saw your reply. How you doing?. How do we get in touch ? Hope to hear from you.
KIM
/ February 14, 2018MY DAD WORKED AT PARKSIDE LANES IN BROOKLYN –1960’S -1970’S
Kim
/ February 15, 2018My father worked at Parkside Lanes in Brooklyn 1960’s-1970’s
Anna M Smith aka Brown
/ March 1, 2018Plander lanes is right! I am niece of Anna Plander…I graduated from Uniondale high..my dad was Hempstead police lieutenant..Donald m brown…Anna Plander lived with Meta and Elmer Brown. .Anna was sister…I am named after Anna as she never married and had children due to polio so she requested I be named after her…they are buried in greenfield cemetery… good memories…Elmer Brown was fireman….
Kim Bauer
/ May 19, 2018What was the name of the bowling alley located in Huntington Station on route 110? Was it 110 Lanes? Does anyone remember? Did the bowl there?
joseph borrelli
/ August 11, 2018my dad Tony Borrelli used to manage Bowla -Bowla later called champion lanes on Washington ave next to the A&P in brooklyn cica 1960. anyone out there remember?
Duhmel
/ October 18, 2018Anybody remember the bowling alley in Queens Village right across from the LIRR station at Springfield and Jamaica Blvd. It must have closed around 1960. Only place that I bowled that had pin boys.
Mark
/ June 20, 2019Triangle Lanes in Richmond Hill
Marcia
/ August 11, 2019Does anyone remember the bowling alley’s name that was on Linden Boulevard in Brooklyn, not too far from Brookdale (Old Bet El) hospital?
Charles Miller
/ November 8, 2019Kings Lanes Flatbush Ave & Farragut Rd. Brooklyn NY
Al
/ February 20, 2020I bowled every weekend at Kings Lanes then went to the small diner on the corner for a burger. I still have the bowling ball I used there (purchased in 1965), no longer useful on today’s lanes but a keepsake to remind me of the simpler times of long ago. Bowling seems to be enjoying a bit of a resurgence these days with the PBA tour now back on TV (FOX) I believe, with a whole bunch of newbies featured in the finals. Myself, I go back to the Earl Anthony, Pete Weber (and Dick Weber), etc. days when the PBA tour was on every Saturday and at night a whole bunch of us would go out and bowl. Good times! Today, bowling seems to have gotten pretty expensive, with most houses charging by the hour instead of per game. It usually works out to about 8 or 9 dollars per game when I go, a far cry from the 50 cents per game at Kings Lanes in the mid 1960s! Share YOUR remembrances!
Brassrat
/ June 7, 2020How about Squire Bowling alley in Great Neck, it pre-dated walnut lanes
Sheila Salka
/ October 17, 2020old bowling alley near kings plaza circa 2970
Steven
/ December 7, 2020Does anybody remember the bowling alley in island park ny? It was before they had automatic pin setting. Owner was Dudley.