You never know what you’re going to find as you go through the family archives. Who needs the Nathan’s hot dog contest? From the early 1940’s here’s bowling’s “Italian Connection” of Andy Varipapa, Hank Marino, and Joe Falcaro vying for their own spaghetti championship in a New York restaurant.
Somewhat reminds me of one of the dinner scenes in “The Godfather”. Hmm….
From: Bob Dennis
I met Andy Varipapa in the early 1960’s at Lewis and Clark bowling lanes in Seattle, Washington. I happened to be the highest average bowler at L & C lanes and I was selected to bowl a three game exhibition against Andy in the evening. I do not remember the exact date, but the place was packed. I lost to Andy that night, but we both shot over 650. I was looking at all the stuff that I had accumulated and found a picture of Andy that he autographed and gave to me.
Baseball and bowling have mixed well for a long time, and Andy often interacted with some well-known personalities. Here he is performing his trick shots and coaching baseball greats Yogi Berra, Robin Roberts and NFLer Alan Ameche on a 90-minute CBS Sports Spectacular presentation “America Bowls” in 1960. Network TV in prime time? Those were the glory days…
Earlier that year Andy gave an exhibition at the Grand Opening of Berra-Rizzuto Lanes in Clifton, NJ (see photo). When they sold the business in the 1980’s (which became Astro Bowl), Yogi came up with another great Yogi-ism in a bowling commercial, “Some days it’s so quiet in the bowling center you can hear a pin drop!”
At the kickoff dinner prior to the PBA National Championship in New York at Garden City Bowl in 1966, PBA Founder Eddie Elias presented Andy with an award to recognize his enduring contributions to the Sport of Bowling.
Click on plaque below for larger view
The page below comes from the 1974 PBA Tour Guide. The article talks about the growth of the PBA Tour from its beginnings in 1959 to 1974. The photo shows Andy Varipapa, Lou Campi, and PBA Founder Eddie Elias blowing out the candles on a bowling ball as they celebrate the 2nd Anniversary of the PBA Tour in 1961.
Click on photo for larger view
Here is the actual photo and caption from the New York Times on October 24, 1968. Below the photo is the full text of the article.
Click photo to enlarge
From the New York Times – October 24, 1968
The site was the concrete, sun-drenched plaza in front of Madison Square Garden on Seventh Avenue and 32nd Street; the participants included Dick Weber of St. Louis and Dave Davis of Phoenix, Ariz., and the spectators were smartly dressed Manhattanites instead of the Dutch burghers of New Amsterdam who used to watch bowls during their lunch hour at Bowling Green. Weber and Davis, two of professional bowling’s outstanding competitors, put on a two-game exhibition at a regulation alley set up by AMF Pinspotters to publicize Bowling Week, proclaimed by Mayor Lindsay.
But the main purpose was to call attention to the $80,000 National Championship of the Professional Bowlers Association, which will run at the Garden Dec. 1 to 7. Davis, a 26-year-old southpaw, won the initial championship here last year.
Emile Francis, the New York Rangers’ general manager, and Dick Tiger, the former world middleweight and light-heavyweight boxing champion, also rolled a couple of balls. Andy Varipapa, one of bowling’s big names, titillated the onlookers with a few trick shots.
Here is a copy of Andy’s letter of acceptance from Executive Director Eddie Elias into the PBA in January 1959, entering in the second wave of incoming members which included his son, Frank Varipapa.
While the PBA came around too late for Andy to make the most of it, he participated in 5 or 6 tournaments until he retired from competition in 1962 at the age of 71. He was a proud member and supporter of the PBA, always present at tour stops when they came to town and regularly interacting with members and fans.
Click on the letter to see a larger version. Also check out the impressive list of bowling luminaries and champions under the Officers list on the left side.
Venturing once again into the family archives, I’m following up my previous picture with a more regal one. Here’s a great photo of four of bowling’s Italian-American Hall of Famers…Carmen Salvino, Andy Varipapa, Joe Berardi, and Johnny Petraglia. Photo taken at the 1981 Brunswick World Open in Chicago, where Andy was honored on his 90th birthday.
You never know what you’re going to find as you go through the family archives. Who needs the Nathan’s hot dog contest? From the early 1940’s here’s bowling’s “Italian Connection” of Andy Varipapa, Hank Marino, and Joe Falcaro vying for their own spaghetti championship in a New York restaurant.
Somewhat reminds me of one of the dinner scenes in “The Godfather”. Hmm….
February 17, 1957
Click image to enlarge
ANDY VARIPAPA - Bowling's Legendary Champion Showman 