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!”
ANDY VARIPAPA - Bowling's Legendary Champion Showman 