| This was a report from AMERICAN SOCIETY OF PLANNING OFFICIALS 1313 EAST 60TH STREET — CHICAGO 37 ILLINOIS Information Report No. 110 May 1958. Bowling Alleys Download original report (pdf) The bowling alley is fast becoming one of the most important — if not the most important — local center of participant sport and recreation. Once pretty much a game for men only, bowling now is a popular family recreation, and smart proprietors are turning their alleys into "the poor man's country club." And instead of near-industrial or downtown locations, bowling proprietors are building in the suburbs. The modern bowling alley is a far cry from some of the dingy old ones of pre-war years. Many are luxurious — attractive decor, comfortable seats, air conditioning, elaborate scoring and pinsetting facilities, a snack bar, coffee shop, or restaurant, often a bar or cocktail lounge, sometimes a nursery, and usually parking areas. In fact, investment in a new bowling alley may run as high as $2 million or more, although some cost as little as $250,000. There are a half-dozen or more reasons why bowling has grown in popularity so rapidly: people have more leisure time, cost to the bowler is low, people of almost all ages can participate, the game requires no special physical ability, and as new bowling alleys have been built in the suburbs with better facilities, it has become a socially acceptable sport. Undoubtedly television coverage of tournaments and professional matches has also increased interest in the game. Moreover, women and young people are being encouraged to take part in the game. Special efforts are made to attract housewives to bowling alleys in connection with shopping trips; in many junior and senior high schools bowling has become a part of the physical education program, and school buses are used to take students to the bowling alleys. Junior league (not "Junior League") bowling is encouraged to fill the bowling alleys on afternoons and Saturday mornings; and proprietors also try to attract people who work unusual hours — doctors, waiters, and night-shift workers — who increase business by using bowling facilities in off-peak hours. |
Peoria & Bowling Past
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| Hey folks here is some information about our local area that stems back to the early 1900's and then racing back to the 1987 era when Yes George Brunsman had "HAIR" and Kenny Combs also had you guessed it "HAIR".. These articles contain the first ever back to back 300s in 1906 by a Peoria Clarence Wesley Brayshaw but it was on non-sanctioned lanes "Empire Bowl" and that leaves us with March 5,1924 where it was on sanctioned lanes and has been put in the record books. Article by Bill Adams from Art Land/Journal Star.. Click here for full article |