From: wcbulko@rapids.austin.ibm.com (Bill Bulko)
Newsgroups: alt.sport.bowling
Subject: Re: House Closing
Date: 3 Sep 92 14:10:09 GMT
Organization: IBM AWD, Austin

Gudmundsen@a1.relay.upenn.edu (Tom Gudmundsen) writes:
> Is bowling still percieved as that sport that only fat slobs and beer
> drinkers do??? 

ostubble@agsm.ucla.edu (Otha Stubblefield III) writes:
> I think so, and my opinion is based on 1) conversations I have with
> non-bowlers, and 2) the portrayal of bowling on TV (non-tour).  Most
> non-bowlers that I talk to automatically talk about drinking beer and
> how to make the ball hook.  TV and movie writers and directors seem to 
> have this silly notion that anytime someone goes bowling, they have to
> put on some stupid looking ancient bowling shirt, even if they are 
> just going to practice.

My wife is a non-bowler (well, I never said she was *perfect*) from
San Francisco.  The first time I visited her family there was nearly
ten years ago.  When her mother found out I was an avid bowler, she
suggested we go bowling.  (And from that moment on, we were friends!)
However, her father seemed dead set against the idea.  We went anyway,
but the whole time we were getting ready to leave, he kept giving us
warnings to "be careful", "park in a well-lighted place", etc.

I thought his behavior was ridiculous until we actually arrived at the
bowling center.  We were greeted with the sight of someone urinating
on the side of the building.  Everything was filthy, and smelled of
beer and smoke -- including the people.  I was appalled, since this
was nothing like the places I tend to frequent.  (I mean, sure, people
DO drink beer and smoke in bowling alleys, but this place was a disaster!)
What really shocked me was that my wife said she took us to one of the 
*nicer* bowling centers in her area.  (Sorry, I don't remember the name
of the house.  Somewhere near Tanforan Park?)

Suddenly I understood why she always wrinkled her nose at me when I
talked about bowling.  Regardless of what bowlers and bowling alleys
are really like, her family had THIS perception of bowling.  Although
my wife now knows that not all bowling centers are like this, she
still has a negative view of bowling that I will probably never be
able to overcome.  It's sad, because I've been bowling for over 25 years,
and I never would have bet I would be married to a non-bowler.

This incident just reinforced what I think is the problem that bowling
has:  it has a very bad public image.  Bowling alleys are viewed as
places where juvenile delinquents hang out, where only working-class
people go, and where no "respectable" person would be seen.  

Speaking of the way television and movies portray bowling and bowlers:
you've hit a personal gripe of mine.  Why is it that TV characters bowl
great scores all the time, but we have never seen one who rolled the ball
like a real bowler?  Consider:

1.  Diane Chambers in the "Cheers" episode when they challenged Gary's
    bar to a bowling match.  After being insulted, she throws on some
    shoes, marches up on the lane (without warming up!) and instantly
    throws one of those patented made-for-TV 2 MPH domino-effect strike
    balls.
2.  Jill Taylor on "Home Improvement".  She bowls like the Bowling Poster
    Child, but still beats her husband (a "serious" bowler) and has
    everyone watching her.
2.  Any "Laverne and Shirley" episode from the early seasons, when it
    was actually set in a bowling alley.  Laverne was the owner's
    daughter, but bowled like a beginner.

There are tons more. . .the only time I've ever seen a good bowler
on the screen was in the movie "Dreamer", where Tim Matheson starred
in a story about a young bowler trying to make it big.  (Anyone else
see this movie?)  Matheson can really *bowl*.

I understand the meaning of the phrase, "dramatic license". . .but
come on!  Even golfers get better breaks than this on film.  I wish ABC,
WIBC, and the PBA would lobby Hollywood to improve their portrayal of
bowlers.  :-)

					Bill

===============================================================================
	     Artificial Intelligence:  the art of making computers
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Bill Bulko                                                      AUSVM1(WCBULKO)
AIX Communications                                wcbulko@rapids.austin.ibm.com
Austin, TX  C3C/905                                                  T/L 8-0703
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Newsgroups: alt.sport.bowling