BCBA Hall of Fame fete set Feb. 21
LYNDORA — The Butler County Bowling Association's Hall of Fame banquet will take place Feb. 21 at the Tanglewood Center.
Longtime bowlers Carl Vinroe and Jim Hepler will be inducted into the BCBA Hall, swelling its membership to 42. The fete will begin at 6 p.m.
“It's a wonderful feeling,” Vinroe, 65, said of his induction. “I probably bowled with or against 35 of the 40 members in that Hall of Fame.”
Vinroe has been a bowler for more than 40 years. He served on the BCBA board for 20 years and is a past president of the association.
Vinroe has rolled a perfect game and 803 series at Sherwood Lanes. He carried a 216 average in the 1980's and still bowls in two leagues a week.
“Carl and I were on the board when this Hall of Fame was formed,” Hepler, 53, said. “It's humbling to become a part of it now. I voted for everyone in there except myself.”
Hepler got into bowling while a member of the Cub Scouts. His troop leader took the kids bowling one day and said a trophy would be given to the best bowler of the day.
“Once I heard there was a trophy, I was all in,” Hepler said. “My dad took me to practice two or three times before that. I was all about trophies.”
He won that one.
“Now I've got a basement full of them,” Hepler said, laughing.
Hepler has bowled two 300-games, six 299's and two 800-series in his career. He bowled a perfect game and 800-series while winning the Butler County doubles tournament with Jeff Foringer one year and bowled a 299 at the state tournament in Altoona six years ago.Vinroe recalled bowling in the national tournament one year in Mobile, Ala., and having his equipment stolen shortly thereafter.“A bunch of us flew down there and one guy drove,” Vinroe recalled. “As a favor to us, he drove back with all of our bowling stuff so we wouldn't have to take it on the plane.“His van got stolen and we lost all of those things. My next night of bowling at Sherwood Lanes, I wore rental shoes, borrowed a ball from Ron Henry and bowled my first 800 series.”After watching so many fellow bowlers reach the Hall Of Fame, Vinroe is excited to join them.“I was always proud of my friends for making it in,” he said. “Having watched all of them, it makes it that much more meaningful when you get a chance to go in.“Bowling has taken me to so many cities I never would have visited otherwise ... Baltimore, Tulsa, Las Vegas, Reno, Jacksonville, Wichita, Albuquerque ... even Billings, Montana, which still has saloons and people riding horses in the street. It's been a thrill.”Hepler fondly recalls bowling in the Butler County Traveling League with Hall of Famers the likes of the Henrys, Dee Crowe, Lance Rihn, Ed Kellerman, etc.“I was emcee of the banquet the night I received the Ike Pawk Award for Bowler of the Year,” he said. “That was quite a surprise.“We (BCBA) worked on the criteria needed to get into the Hall of Fame. It's exclusive company. I recognize that.”Hepler participated in the Saturday afternoon kids league at the old Family Bowlaway on Route 8. He would bowl two hours for $1.25 each Saturday before the youth play started.“Then I'd come home and watch the PBA on TV, following Earl Anthony, Mark Roth and all of those guys. I was totally into it,” Hepler said.He went on to bowl high school intramurals, jumping ship to another team his senior year “because they promised to buy me a trophy, win or lose.”Hepler went on to become an assistant coach with Bill Fay as the Butler High School bowling team was formed.“My fondest memory in this sport doesn't involve me even throwing a bowling ball,” Hepler said. “Helping to form that team and being a coach when it won the state championship is far and away my biggest thrill in bowling.”Tickets for the Hall of Fame banquet are available for $20. All current Hall of Fame members may acquire a ticket at no charge. Call Brian Marcellus at 724-290-7833.
