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91-year-old Andy Varipapa a Hit at ABC in Buffalo (1983)
This article focuses on Andy’s participation at what would turn out to be his final appearance at the annual ABC tournament. While this 4th-generation photocopy is hard to read (I’m still searching for the original), I was able to magnify it to copy the caption under the photo as well as the opening quote, shown below from Allie Brandt.
“He did more for the game than any other person, was a great competitor and the finest advertisement I ever saw for the game, Anybody who ever said he wasn’t a terrific bowler had to be a bit jealous because Andy knew how to make money at the game” – Allie Brandt
Photo caption:
Andy Varipapa, who will be 92 March 31, greets autograph seekers at the Niagara Falls Convention Center last night. The world’s greatest trick shot bowler, who was elected to the American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame in 1957, was a popular attraction in the city on numerous occasions for exhibitions and match games. He was among the celebrities present at ABC Hall of Fame ceremonies.
Wheaties ads feature late bowling veteran Andy Varipapa
Wheaties have created in-house retro ads, featuring the late bowling veteran, Andy Varipapa.
Breakfast cereal Wheaties is better known for partnering with well-known sports personalities like Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan. But in its latest campaign, it is spotlighting a professional bowler who was kingpin back in the mid-twentieth century.
Andy Varipapa, died in 1984, but he was known as much for his trick-shot making as his winning. Ads featuring vintage footage of Varipapa ran during a Professional Bowlers Association event that will begin airing on ESPN on Sunday.
The ads were created in-house by brand owner General Mills. They are part of Wheaties sponsorship campaign for a PBA tournament series that takes place in Maine. Wheaties are sponsoring one of the competing teams, whose members will wear Wheaties bowling shirts, alongside other brands such as Geico and Barbasol, who will also be sponsoring teams.
The series contains six 15-second spots. Footage from 1948 of the bowler’s “Grandpa Strength” represents the brand – dubbed as the “breakfast of champions” – with his trick shots. In one spot, a retro American voiceover says: “Grandpa wasn’t allergic to cats or dust or pollen. He was allergic to whiners and losing”. In another: “Grandpa proved his athleticism with trophies on the mantle, not by dancing around like a showboater. Nah, grandpa only danced with Grandma.”
According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, bowling is the top participation sport in America – outside of fitness activities – with about 46.2 million people bowling at least once in a year.
Varipapa was born in 1891 in Cafizzi, Italy, and came to New York at the age of 11. He was a trailblazer and good-will ambassador of his sport and travelled around the US at the height of his career in the 1930s and 1940s, giving clinics and exhibitions. The New York Times had described him as “popular for his trick shots as well as his normal prowess”.
Varipapa’s long list of bowling feats included the highest ten-year American Bowling Congress average and Bowler of the Year in 1948. He was elected into the American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame in 1957 and was also given the PBA award for bowling contributions in 1966.
“In researching the history of bowling, there was one guy above all else who exhibited the spirit of a champion that Wheaties has always admired and applauded, and so he became our hero,” said General Mills Chief Creative Officer, Michael Fanuele.
Andy Varipapa’s Team Wheaties Profile
Click twice on the image below to enlarge.
Wheaties Makes Marketing Strike With Retro Bowling Ads
The Cereal Brand Spotlights Old Bowling Star
Published: March 27, 2015
The Breakfast of Champions is going bowling. Wheaties — known for partnering with A-list sports stars like Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods — for its newest campaign is spotlighting a pro bowler whose heyday was back in the mid-20th Century.
That would be Andy Varipapa, who was known as much for his trick-shot making as his winning. Ads featuring vintage footage of Mr. Varipapa — who died in 1984 — will run during a Professional Bowlers Association event that will begin airing on Sunday on ESPN.
The ads (examples above and below) are part of Wheaties sponsorship of a PBA tournament series that occurs in Maine. As part of the deal, Wheaties will sponsor one of the competing teams, whose members will wear Wheaties bowling shirts. Other brands sponsoring teams include Geico and Barbasol, according to the PBA.
The campaign, which will also get paid digital support, was created in house by brand-owner General Mills.
Air Jordan, this ain’t. But as a marketing play, it’s not a gutter ball, either.
“Bowling happens to be one of those sports that is equally appealing to [baby] boomers and millennials,” said General Mills Chief Creative Officer Michael Fanuele. It is the top participation sport in the U.S. — excluding fitness activities — with about 46.2 million people bowling at least once in a year, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association.
“In researching the history of bowling, there was one guy above all else who exhibited the spirit of a champion that Wheaties has always admired and applauded, and so [Mr. Varipapa] became our hero,” Mr. Fanuele said.
Mr. Varipapa was “the supreme bowler of his time and one of the sport’s best attractions for more than a quarter of a century,” according to a New York Times obituary published in 1984, which noted that he was “popular for his trick shots as well as his normal prowess.”
Andy Varipapa – Stories from the Hall of Fame – 2002
Back in 2002, the History Channel produced a cable series focusing on Sports Halls of Fame, and Andy was one of the feature presentations from the Bowling Hall of Fame episode. It is an entertaining and informative video that includes testimonials from PBA stars such as Parker Bohn III, Johnny Petraglia, and George Pappas. It also includes film clips from actual matches and of course, his trick shots,
President Truman Calls Varipapa to White House – December 1947
From Johnny Petraglia: Andy Varipapa & The Madison Square Garden Exhibition – Memoirs of Johnny Petraglia
When I was 13 yrs. old they built two lanes in Madison Square Garden(right where the Knicks play) Pros were coming in to do an exhibition. I was very excited because at 13 I was consumed with bowling and the history of it. The pros in the exhibition were Don Carter, Dick Weber, Marion Ladewig and Judy Audsley (now Judy Soutar) One side note here. Judy had accomplished so much at such an early age that Brunswick signed her.. So at the age of sixteen Judy was making appearances with the icons of the sport.
The exhibition was tremendous. When it ended, I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to be a pro bowler, I wanted to be like Dick Weber.
After telling my dad about the exhibition he set up a series of five 30 minute lessons with Andy Varipapa. This was tough because Andy was on Long Isl and we were in Brooklyn and we didn’t own a car, so we had to take two trains to get there. At 13 I had a 10 board drift to the left and hit the line stiff legged with my slide foot sideways. Andy asked (in broken English) “You seriously want to be a good bowler?” I said, “Of course, Andy. That’s why I’m here.” He said, “Then you will do what I tell you to do without any questions.” I said of course. He said, “The next shot you throw, after you let the ball go, I want you to bend down until your left knee touches the ground and then get back up, like you genuflect in church”. I did, he said, “Good, do it again.” I did. He said, “Keep doing it, I’ll be back in 20 minutes.”
After 20 minutes, my right thigh and left knee were so sore, I was bending as low as I could so that I only had to drop 3 inches to touch the floor. Andy came back and said, “Good, now you have knee bend, I’ll see you next week, if you’re still bending your knee we’ll go to step 2, if not, you’ll do this again for another 30 minutes.”
The next 4 lessons were taught the same way. Lesson 2 was putting me on the center dot, and scotch taping 2 pencils left and right of the center dot at the foul line. Andy said, “Now walk straight, because if you don’t, you’ll hit a pencil and fall on your ass.” 3, 4 and 5 were:
3 – release the wrist at the center of gravity (in bowling it’s the ankle)
4 – On the follow thru, the elbow must reach the height of the shoulder before it breaks and in the direction of the target.
5 – His most important… At the point of release the cup of the elbow MUST be facing downlane. If it isn’t you’ll have early turn and early turn is death, or as Andy put it… Morte’.
One of my biggest regrets is in the 1978 Long Isl. Open on TV I had the first 11 against Mark Roth. Andy is sitting right behind me, and I choked and hit the nose in front of my coach. 16 years later, when I bowled 300 against Walter Ray Williams in the National Championship in Toledo, Andy was already gone.
cento anni’…Johnny Petraglia
Andy Varipapa mention on “MASH” – 1982
In the Season 10 episode of MASH, “Blood and Guts”, Klinger tells Col. Potter how excited he was to meet Andy Varipapa in his hometown of Toledo.
Interestingly enough, there is actually some truth in this. In the 1950’s Andy was on an exhibition tour that took him to Toledo and met young Jamie Farr as he visited the city’s bowling centers. And Andy’s autographed photo is on the sports wall of the famous Toledo restaurant, Tony Packo’s, that Klinger always mentioned on the show.
In addition, Harry Morgan (Col. Potter) also knew Andy, as Andy was the mystery guest on an episode of “What’s My Line” in 1957. As he was listening to the various clues Harry excused himself from voting because he felt sure that the mystery guest was Charles Atlas. Obviously he was wrong, but it is interesting to note that Charles Atlas and Andy came from the same town in Italy, along with famous wrestler Bruno Sammartino.
Dallas TV Special – 1962
This video shows Andy performing before a packed house in Dallas in 1962. His appearance in the city created such a buzz that his exhibition was shown on local television (which is why the video is a bit fuzzy).
ANDY VARIPAPA - Bowling's Legendary Champion Showman 