By GENE CONARD
Tribune columnist
May 11, 2008 10:53 pm
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The game never changes.
League nights come and go, seasons pass and good things happen to keep memories fresh. But when the last pin topples and the lights dim for the final time, the game of bowling still boils down to friendships and special moments — grand mementos that forever remind that good times, laughter and happiness beat any score sheet.
This became vividly clear Saturday night at the Continental Ballroom during the 11th annual Kokomo Joint Bowling Hall of Fame Banquet in which four well-deserving bowling humanitarians — Jack Monroe, Betty Flook, Lynda Lucas and Robert Webb — were inducted into the Hall of Fame, boosting its roster to 123.
In addition, Bradley J. Robins, the multi-talented, 18-year-old son of Randall and Julie Robins, was awarded a $1,000 City of Firsts USBC Don Lowry Memorial-Kay Kelly Scholarship. As a Western High School senior due to graduate this year, he earned an academic honors diploma thanks to a 10.32 GPA on a 12.00 scale to rank 37th in a class of 182 while pursuing a curriculum of psychology, sociology, alcohol/drugs information and construction.
He was earlier the recipient of a $1,000 Red Stuart Scholarship and a $250 “Bud” Fridlin Scholarship, the three grants of which will go toward his enrollment at Vincennes University this fall where he’ll seek a degree in law enforcement.
“I knew what I wanted to do when I was 6 years old. I have to thank Jack Monroe and Lynda Lucas who’ve meant a lot to me. They do more than people realize, and not just in bowling,” said Robins, a talented bowler with a 269 single, 746 series and 197 average who’s been in the youth program 13 years.
It was a perfect night in which handicaps and three-game series were out of style; foul lines and telescores were absent and the best and the least finished in a tie for first. Surprise and shock were common denominators. Monroe, Flook, Lucas and Webb showed little if any stagefright, just a marvelous touch of grace and humility.
Monroe, who retired as a supervisor for General Motors and was honored for special services on what was his 76th birthday, was introduced by son Cory who offered, “You don’t often get to present a family member to the Hall of Fame, and I’m extremely proud to present my dad.”
Sans moist eyes and quivers, Monroe remarked: “Gary Trent called and told me while I was driving to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and I remember saying, ‘You’ve gotta be kidding. Are you serious?’
“Bowling’s been great to me. It’s a great exercise, but I’ve made a lot of great friends, especially the young kids,” referring to his 25 years of tutoring youngsters at Lowry Lanes. “The best thing is these kids go on and have success which is what it’s all about. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for them.
“I have to thank my wife, Jan, for putting up with me. I work all day, bowl at night and spend Saturdays with the kids. But she supports me all the way . I also have to thank Tex Thornton who taught me a lot,” Monroe finished.
Flook, who along with husband Ron have raised three bowling daughters, Teresa, Vickie and Cheryl, was nominated by Dee Thompson, presented by vice president Barb Godlove and honored for meritorious service that dated back to 1980-82 when she was secretary of the Kokomo Women’s Bowling Association — one of many positions and committees she served for several years.
Godlove, who dropped Flook’s nickname of “Smooth,” remarked: “She’s as smooth today as she was back then and a blessing to all of us as a friend.”
Flook was something of a “bowling gym rat” in that she bowled in every center in Kokomo, Recreation Lanes, Sycamore Lanes, Cedar Crest, Don Lowry Lanes East and West and Eagle Lanes. In her spare time she served as director, delegate, treasurer and assisted on numerous banquet, rule and prize committees.
On the lanes she more than held her own with high singles of 246 and 277, a series of 657; as part of doubles and team championships and a Mr. and Mrs. Eagle title in New Castle she and Ron won as partners with Skip and Sheryl McGovern.
“I was informed of this by Nancy Turnbull and Mary Bailey,” Flook said, “and I was totally surprised. I asked them, ‘Why and for what?’
“I’m not as competitive as I used to be,” Flook continued. “Now it’s just for fun. But to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, it’s something you don’t know how special it is until it happens.”
Lucas, honored for special services after 16 years as youth director and Level 2 coach at Lowry Lanes for which she was named Indiana YABA Coach of the Year in 2003, was introduced by husband John who dubbed her “one of the very best in the entire country.”
“I was so shocked when Gary (Trent) called and told me I was being inducted,” Lynas said. “I’m just overwhelmed.
“I don’t know what to say other than it’s definitely an honor. I have to give the credit to the kids and their parents because I couldn’t do it and wouldn’t be here if not for them.”
She wasn’t exactly a novice at the game as her 179 average and high single of 250 would indicate. But her main joy was, has been and apparently will always be those youngsters who can’t wait to get to the foul line. Every Saturday finds her at Lowry Lanes from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. working with boys and girls ages 3 to 22 teaching the basic fundamentals in a very motherly way.
“The kids are very receptive and disciplined,” Lucas explained. “We take 150 kids (ages 6 to 22) to the state every year to compete with kids from all over the state, and the parents are all so special. But I feel like I know as much about their kids as they do.”
Like his three Hall teammates, Webb — honored for special services and presented by President Jon Kelley — was more than surprised when Trent notified him of his ensuing honor. “It caught me totally off-guard,” he said. “I thought he was joking.
Webb learned and developed his exceptional bowling skills from the young age of 18 as a Marion High School student in 1968 to tournaments in California, the Philippines and Canada. His credentials are glaring: 17 games of 289; series of 804, 806 and 728; numerous 750-plus efforts and averages of 225 and 221. He was wounded while serving in the army in Vietnam in 1972 which cut his bowling career short.
He came to Kokomo in 1983, and while shooting occasional 200 games and 600 series, his main endeavor was serving on various association and league committees; assisting in the annual We Care Tournament and serving on the Board of Directors.
“When Bob Reel asked me to be on the board I didn’t know what the board was,” Webb laughed. “He told me to be ready to spend a lot of time, follow through and enjoy what I was doing. To me bowling is a sport of passion, and I still continue to bowl though not like I used to. But I’ve really enjoyed these years in Kokomo, and I just want to thank everybody.”
It was another grand finale to the bowling season, and the Hall of Fame is four names richer — so much for good times and special moments.
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