All summer long the Bowling Museum & Hall of Fame in Arlington, TX has been posting bits of bowling history. Here is a recent posting on a portrait of Andy Varipapa that hangs in the museum’s opening archway to bowling’s fabled past.
Click image to enlarge
The international Bowling Hall of Fame and Museum in Dallas created a special exhibit celebrating the life and career of Andy Varipapa. As part of the exhibit they produced a short video film covering his life and achievements.
You can click the video below. The exhibit room was very well done and you can view a short “walk-around” in the second video.
During a visit to the Bowling Hall of Fame the great Earl Anthony taped this wonderful testimonial video to Andy, celebrating his long career and numerous contributions to the sport of bowling.
Click photo to link to video
When timeless Professional Bowler Association star Carmen Salvino, a long-time very close friend of Andy, laces up his bowling shoes and throws his first ball in competition in the Go Bowling! PBA 60th Anniversary Classic on Tuesday, Feb. 13, at Woodland Bowl, he’ll set a record that will never be matched.
At age 84, PBA’s most famous showman will become the only player to bowl in the first PBA tournament ever held – the 1959 Empire State Open at Schade’s Academy in Albany, N.Y. – and the 2018 tournament at Woodland Bowl that will celebrate the PBA’s 60th year of continuous competition.
He’ll break his own record which he set when he bowled in the PBA’s 50th anniversary gala in Las Vegas at the age of 74. And he’ll improve upon his own record as the oldest player ever to bowl in a PBA Tour event.
For more details, click press release here.
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.
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,
To view a larger version, click on the article, then click again to zoom in.
To view a larger version, click on the article, then click again to zoom in.
ANDY VARIPAPA - Bowling's Legendary Champion Showman 