Behold, the power of YouTube. If not for YouTube, how else would we be able to watch a professional bowling event from 1979 that took place at Fresno's Cedar Lanes? The Fresno Open was a nationally televised and everything.
Yeah, I don't care much to watch people bowl either (unless it's on the Wii), but these videos are great, if only for the '70s outfits and facial hair. Special shout out to Guppy Troupe, who has to be both the most stylish and best-named professional bowler ever.
The only sad thing is that Cedar Lanes hasn't updated anything inside that building since this video was shot.
Funny! My comment is the flipside of Whiplash's:
I love the fact that when you walk into Cedar Lanes it is exactly like stepping back into 1979...or even ...like 74. You almost expect nothing but El Camino-driving guys with sideburns to be there.
It's got flavor, for sure.
Hey Mike, I know how we like it when Fresno is mentioned in tv shows, ads, and movies. I was wondering, are there any plans to archive all the old stuff? I've been trying to compile a list of movies with Fresno. Here's what I have: Born in East L.A.,Karate Kid 2,Con Air, 12 Monkeys, View From the Top, Biker Boyz, Zodiac, Milk, and the newest being Monsters Vs. Aliens.
Thanx
Did you see that lady smoking at 1:10? LOL olden days for sure.
I'm going to go ahead and say the chances I watched this match live on CBS were about 99.9%.
Hey, I grew up in Rockford, Illinois, where it was illegal to not be an avid bowler. Plus, we only had 4 channels then, and 1 didn't come in so well.
I loved bowling, and actually hated Sam Flanagan because he was so good (and so slow). Earl Anthony was everyone's favorite, but especially mine cuz he looked like my dad a bit.
Those were good afternoons...watchin' bowling on TV. Yep. Sure were.*
*I plan to keep telling myself that for as long as I can.
PS--Guppy Troupe wasn't really that great...he rarely bowled in the midwest.
I like the vintage, dusty, outdated atmosphere at Cedar Lanes. A few Suppressors were in a league there last year (and before anyone throws down a challenge, we're none too great). My only complaint is that the returns are murder on expensive balls. Its like trying to retreve your balls from a wood-chipper!
The only thing that surprises me is that Cedar Lanes hosted this, because - from what I remember as a kid with a mom who bowled nine days a week - Mid-State Bowl was actually the tournament hot spot. Maybe we should forget Running Horse/PGA and NASCAR and try to become a pro bowling tour event again and save the local economy one oversized wrist-brace at a time!
Scintillating.
Love those pants on the Gupster and the Al Bundy pants on Flanagan.
'...wide collars, fat-white stitching, consort hair-spray for men, sans-a-belt slacks, the scent of pall-malls
and
'BRUT'
hangin' heavy in the air...'
...uffdah!...
...HOW did I grow up those fierce times and NOT run off, cranked to oblivion with the an outlaw M.C.
Had to pipe in on this discussion. Proud to say my dad built Cedar Lanes back in the Fifties. My mother still owns it. Believe me, it's never, ever been a business that's made money. In fact, most years it's been in the red, but my dad loved to bowl and host the tournament, and my mother keeps it open because it's such a big part of Fresno history. I grew up in those lanes playing Asteroids while my parents and whole family bowled in the leagues. In fact, a lot of the people you see in the background of this video are my relatives. Thank you SO much for posting this! It's a huge walk down memory lane.
Does anyone remember how wonderful the filet mignon, blue cheese salad, and cheese toast was? Always went great with a Shirley Temple.
I'm also really glad it still has a lot of its original mid-century fixtures.
~C
...the most elegant,
intelligent,
beautful,
and yet down to earth woman I've met
in, like,
45 years (and two coasts???)
-grew up in a bowling lanes...
..okay,
I fold.
(no more bowling jokes,
like, ever
from yours truly...)
(somehow?
I feel a little better about being into Mendelssohn, (AND) tractor pulls...)
Cindy, I swear,
-you write an autobiography?
I'm stayin' up all night readin'.
Hats off to the Wathen family. I had no idea!
I do miss the fishies in the front, but I imagine *that* got to be a pain t o keep up. It always reminded me of some fish pond (not sure if my memory is accurate here) that y ou see in one of those 'romping' moments in a Monkees episode.
I miss going there for lunch, where my friend and fellow referee JoAnn Denny was the cook forEVER.
I, too, had no idea the family ties, Cindy. Good for the Wathen family, bad for you(?). This may be your inheritance someday. An old school bowling alley (with too much oil on the lanes) ;-)
The insurance company made us do away with the koi pond. Too many people accidently fell in. I miss that as well. Not to mention climbing on the stack of bowling ball poles nearby...
WT, it is a quirky history, is it not? Thank you for the kind words.