Older/Closed Bowling Alleys

[CoachB]

I grew up in the 80s and bowled throughout the metro area. Bowled at Hilander Bowling Palace (NW Expressway and Independence) and 66 Bowl among others. Many alleys have closed in the last 30 years. Wondered if anyone had pictures or memories to share about some of the long gone bowling establishments around the area.

[Jim Kyle]

Well, my bowling was mostly in the 70s; started at Windsor but toward the end took part in a mixed traveling league, based at Hilander, that went to Windsor, 66, Meridian, Capitol (on SW 29, now gone), and Holiday (on SW 44, also gone). Also did a bit of green-stamp bowling at Planet and SunnyLanes. And toward the end of the traveling league it moved out to Moore and Yukon...

Came back in the senior leagues much later, bowling at Boulevard in Edmond and at Heritage. Had to stop entirely about 10 years ago though due to health problems.

Nationwide, bowling has been seriously declining in popularity for the last several decades. However it's had its ups and downs before, but survived.

The major memory I can share this morning is of a night at Windsor back in the mid-70s. Our late mixed league finished up around 11 and most of us went home, but a few stayed to roll a few extra lines, and didn't go home until the councourse kids had left for the night. When they did leave, they left their beer glases on the top of a low wall separating the concourse from the bowling area. And a few hours later, a tornado came sweeping in from the southwest, took off the roof from the north half of the building, demolished the service station on the corner, and continued on down 23rd until veering north again and doing more damage.

When we went out there the next morning to retrieve our gear from the locker rooms, those glasses from the night before were still sitting atop that low wall -- but fragments of the shattered panel window at the front door were embedded in the panelling behind the control desk!

The 20 lanes on the north side of the house were never the same after that. Made for lots of fun after the repairs and re-opening.

[gjl]

Coronado Bowling Lanes. Late 60s early 70s, I remember going there on Saturday nights for red head pin night. Get a strike with a red head pin and you would win a free game.

[CoachB]

Bowled at many of those centers. Capitol and Coronado were a little before my time. 66 Bowl, Sunny Lanes, Yukon have all closed recently. Moore was destroyed on May 20. A few that I have heard some people that were older than me mention before were Puddin Lanes and Bowlarena. Bowling Green had 2 locations (SW OKC and MWC) that I bowled at. Norman had Three Flags and Sooner Bowl. Not sure if they are still open.

[soonergeezer]

I grew up in the 50s and 60s in the Village. I bowled in several jr. leagues at Puddin' Lanes. When I was pretty young(12 or 13) I would crawl out my bedroom window after everyone was asleep and ride my bike to Puddin' Lanes and keep score for some of the men bowling there. They were usually pretty drunk and would pay me to keep score for them. This went on until one night my dad woke up and saw that I was gone. I don't know how long he had to look for me but he was pissed by the time he got to the bowling alley. The men I was keeping score for could see he was pretty mad and started trying to defend me by telling my dad how smart I was and how they appreciated me keeping score for them. Afraid I was in trouble they all started pulling money out to pay me. I ended up with 15 dollars for what I usually got 5 or 6 dollars for, which back in the early 60s was pretty good money. I didn't get whacked but that was the last time I kept score for the guys. A year or so later I got a job there doing anything that was needed(sweeping, picking up trash, retrieving pins or balls that were stuck) That was one of the best times of my life, making money for hanging out in a place where me and all my friends loved to bowl, eat (they had a great grill there), play pinball, or pool and meet girls. I was really sad when they went out of business a few years after I quit working there. Lots of great memories.

[ljbab728]

Well this goes back much further than 30 years but most of my early bowling was at Capitol on 29th. I think I almost lived there for a few years back in the 50's and early 60's. Much time was also spent at Holiday Lanes and Penn 44. My only experience with pin boys was at Civic Center Lanes downtown, which has been long gone. I also went a few times, for special events, to Northeast Bowl.

[ctchandler]

ljbab728,
I suspect we bowled together back in the 50's. I learned at Capitol and Penn 44 was really fun when it was built, so it became my favorite. Holiday Lanes were a little far away, but across from the original Draper Park Christian church so I did bowl there some. One bowling alley I should mention is one that most of you haven't heard of is the two lane alley in the basement of the old First Christian Church somewhere near NW 5th and Harvey. We took turns setting pins.
C. T.

Well this goes back much further than 30 years but most of my early bowling was at Capitol on 29th. I think I almost lived there for a few years back in the 50's and early 60's. Much time was also spent at Holiday Lanes and Penn 44. My only experience with pin boys was at Civic Center Lanes downtown, which has been long gone. I also went a few times, for special events, to Northeast Bowl.

[ljbab728]

ljbab728,
I suspect we bowled together back in the 50's. I learned at Capitol and Penn 44 was really fun when it was built, so it became my favorite. Holiday Lanes were a little far away, but across from the original Draper Park Christian church so I did bowl there some. One bowling alley I should mention is one that most of you haven't heard of is the two lane alley in the basement of the old First Christian Church somewhere near NW 5th and Harvey. We took turns setting pins.
C. T.

CT, do you remember Ruth and Neal Moeller? They were regulars at Capitol. He worked at the desk there for a while and they also ran the small restaurant there for a while. They and my parents were good friends and they were both excellent bowlers. My parents bowled in several leagues during the years they bowled. I think, other than maybe substituting occasionally or bowling in sweepers, the only regular leagues I ever belonged to were Saturday youth leagues.

[ctchandler]

ljbab728,
No, but that doesn't mean anything, I'm sure I knew who they were but it's been way too long. lots of good memories though, I lived less than a mile from there and used to walk to the Capitol to bowl. I actually took lessons there on Saturday mornings. Didn't help though, I was never very good. Really good head pin bowler that couldn't make spares although the baby split (both sides) was always pretty easy for me.
C. T.

CT, do you remember Ruth and Neal Moeller? They were regulars at Capitol. He worked at the desk there for a while and they also ran the small restaurant there for a while. They and my parents were good friends and they were both excellent bowlers. My parents bowled in several leagues during the years they bowled. I think, other than maybe substituting occasionally or bowling in sweepers, the only regular leagues I ever belonged to were Saturday youth leagues.

[CoachB]

Where was Capitol located on 29th? I have never heard of Northeast Bowl. Any idea when these places shut down?

[Mel]

I always bowled better after about 3 beers. It's sad to see it decline.

[ljbab728]

I always bowled better after about 3 beers. It's sad to see it decline.

Actually, I wouldn't say it's declining since there is a fairly new bowling center in Bricktown and a new one under construction in Midtown.

[ctchandler]

Mel,
I bowled on a team (league bowling) called the "Oly Oops). A play on words, Oly - the song Alley Oop that had recently been released, or bowling alley/Oly - Olympia beer. We all drank Oly while bowling and the league had to ask us to limit out beer frames to two per game or they would kick us out of the league. We stayed in the league, but our scores went down when we had to bowl sober, so we finished last in the league.
C. T.

I always bowled better after about 3 beers. It's sad to see it decline.

[jmpokc1957]

Mel,
I bowled on a team (league bowling) called the "Oly Oops). A play on words, Oly - the song Alley Oop that had recently been released, or bowling alley/Oly - Olympia beer. We all drank Oly while bowling and the league had to ask us to limit out beer frames to two per game or they would kick us out of the league. We stayed in the league, but our scores went down when we had to bowl sober, so we finished last in the league.
C. T.

Olympia beer! Hah! I remember it well. I've passed the brewery( now closed ) so many times going up to Seattle. It looks like they're trying to make office space out of it now. As I recall, it was pretty cheap beer. I don't mourn its passing, our North West microbrews and Widmer Hefeweisen more than make up for it.

[ctchandler]

Jmpokc,
I was a young sailor, no money and back then no microbrews (1961-1963). Oly was ok, but I wouldn't drink it now.
C. T.

Olympia beer! Hah! I remember it well. I've passed the brewery( now closed ) so many times going up to Seattle. It looks like they're trying to make office space out of it now. As I recall, it was pretty cheap beer. I don't mourn its passing, our North West microbrews and Widmer Hefeweisen more than make up for it.

[Jeepnokc]

Olympia beer! Hah! I remember it well. I've passed the brewery( now closed ) so many times going up to Seattle. It looks like they're trying to make office space out of it now. As I recall, it was pretty cheap beer. I don't mourn its passing, our North West microbrews and Widmer Hefeweisen more than make up for it.

I came to age while living at Fort Lewis just outside Tacoma. I can remember several keg parties attended up in the training ground's woods as a wide eye 13 year old where there was always a keg of Olympia Beer.

Oh, and to stay on topic. I meet my wife at Windsor Hills bowling alley where she was bowling on the next lane. She wore a pair of bowling shoes under her wedding dress when we got married.

[Mel]

Does the one in bricktown have blacklight bowling? That is a fun game. Win or lose.

[zookeeper]

Highlander was a grand old alley at one time. It was where Conn's on NW Expressway is now, west of May Ave. across from Baptist-Integris.

[CoachB]

Highlander was a grand old alley at one time. It was where Conn's on NW Expressway is now, west of May Ave. across from Baptist-Integris.

It was also the largest OKC area center that i can remember with 44 lanes if memory serves me.

[soonergeezer]

I bowled in several leagues at Highlander in the 70s and 80s, including one that was sponsored by Trust house jewelers(maybe you remember them,also long gone). At its peak it was a great place. I had several balls I bought and had drilled there, the pro there was really good.

[soonergeezer]

I bowled in several leagues at Highlander in the 70s and 80s, including one that was sponsored by Trust house jewelers(maybe you remember them,also long gone). At its peak it was a great place. I had several balls I bought and had drilled there, the pro there was really good.

[RadicalModerate]

In doing some informal research, in regard to the OP's topic (bowling), I encountered this:

OKC Mod » 66 Bowl

Back where I done come from there was only Olympic Lanes and Thunderbird Lanes. =)
(And the Bowling Alley/SlotMachineCasino in the basement of the local Elks Club)

I was happy to walk away from "Bowling" when I was about fourteen years old . . .
Yet I never expected it could turn into this . . . =)


Still . . . in all honesty . . . every time I drive by a bowling alley I have to resist the urge to disrupt my schedule, pull in, park, rent some shoes and a ball, and start aimin' at the pins . . . (without ever having developed the ProBowlers' twist on the ball =)

[ljbab728]

In doing some informal research, in regard to the OP's topic (bowling), I encountered this:

OKC Mod » 66 Bowl

Back where I done come from there was only Olympic Lanes and Thunderbird Lanes. =)
(And the Bowling Alley/SlotMachineCasino in the basement of the local Elks Club)

I was happy to walk away from "Bowling" when I was about fourteen years old . . .
Yet I never expected it could turn into this . . . =)


Still . . . in all honesty . . . every time I drive by a bowling alley I have to resist the urge to disrupt my schedule, pull in, park, rent some shoes and a ball, and start aimin' at the pins . . . (without ever having developed the ProBowlers' twist on the ball =)

RM, if you were ever a serious bowler you would always have your bowling ball and shoes in the trunk of you car just in case you have a sudden urge like that.

[RadicalModerate]

RM, if you were ever a serious bowler you would always have your bowling ball and shoes in the trunk of you car just in case you have a sudden urge like that.

I was also fond of Putt-Putt Golf.
Back in The Day
Yet I never carried a Driver to play. =)

(all kidding aside: Bowling is a great Activity.
(I'd never refer to it as a sport) (sort of like "Auto Racing" and "Badminton" or "Croquet" or "Billiards")

Edited to Add: In the Vid Clip, above, I originally thought of myself as The Dude . . . then I thought, nah . . . I'm more like Walter . . . Then I saw Donnie just sittin' back and then, I paid attention to the dog (the yapping Pomeranian). I'm not sure where I am in that picture. =)

[Jim Kyle]

Capitol was between Western and Penn, on the south side of the street. It became a bingo parlor after the lanes shut down.