REMEMBER THIS? That time a pin boy got hurt on the job

From the archives of the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library:

In September of 1960, “Sault firemen were called out at 7:35 p.m. to the Roxy Bowling Alley…” to rescue a pin boy whose “left arm…was caught in a pin-setting machine” (Sault Star, p.2). As you can imagine, it was an experience that the then seventeen-year-old couldn’t possibly forget. Fortunately, the young man was freed from the machine and was “admitted to the Plummer Memorial Hospital…with lacerations and contusions to his left arm” (p.2). Pin boys were and still are responsible for setting pins that are out of range, retrieving balls that are stuck in the ball return, and ensuring pins are being supplied to the pin-setting machine, amongst other job tasks. The management of Roxy Bowl placed a lot of significance on “the all-important pin boys, captained by Ricky Annett”, as they were vital to the lanes’ ability to provide an enjoyable bowling experience (Sault Star, 08 August 1959, p. 15). This could have been witnessed by the number of advertisements in the local newspaper that posted for the position.

Despite this incident, Roxy Bowling Alley was a then-modern 12-lane bowling alley whose aesthetic followed trends of the time. It welcomed bowlers with a ‘mosaic tile façade’, a concourse that would have ‘Terrazzo flooring’ and “decorated in wood panelling” (Sault Star, 08 August 1959, p. 15). With modern decorations and equipment, it was apparent to those who bowled at Roxy Bowl that it was run with pride and consideration. The then manager of the Wellington East bowling alley, Louis Palumbo, attended the ‘Brunswick School of Bowling Management’ to ensure all that was involved in the maintenance of the lanes and leagues was implemented.

One feature that was considered in the construction of the new bowling lanes were shoe changing rooms for men and women. To get to the shoe changing rooms, bowlers would “proceed down a stairway near the door, change into their bowling shoes, and come back up to the alleys via a different stairway” (p.15). The purpose of this was to protect the lanes from grit and grime that may have otherwise entered on outdoor footwear that could harm the integrity of the lanes and approaches or cause injury to those who were to bowl.

During its operation, Roxy Bowl advertised for the various leagues that they offered, including those for youth, men, women, and a mixed league. The most prominent league, however, was the Algoma Steel Classic league, that had “close to 500 Algoma Steel employees” that participated (Sault Star, 14 September 1968, p. 17). To accommodate the volume of bowlers, the league was not held in one evening, but four. Though the number of teams waned over time, those that operated the league stated, “that bowling like other sports follows a popularity cycle and interest in the sport will likely pick up again” (p. 17). Despite the Roxy Bowl no longer being in operation, the Algoma Steel Classic still operates today at our only bowling establishment on Thursday evenings during the Winter months.

In addition to leagues, bowlers were able to represent Roxy Bowl in tournaments, including an ‘Inter-Alley Bowling Tournament’ that was held in the spring of 1966. The competition took place over the course of a couple weekends, the first of which was hosted by both the Churchill and Roxy Bowling lanes, having “Roxy Lanes [leading] in both the men’s and ladies’ divisions” (Sault Star, 02 May 1966, p. 8). The Roxy bowlers continued to roll throughout the 1966 installment of the tournament and were crowned Inter-Alley Champs.

Roxy Bowl, “a bowling spot you’ll like a lot”, really thought about the whole experience of those who bowled competitively, recreationally, or were new to the sport (Sault Star, 15 August 1961, p. 15). Not only were you able to bowl three games for $1.00, but you could also receive lessons from a seasoned bowler, all the while enjoying the comfort of the air-conditioned atmosphere.

Each week, the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library and its Archives provide SooToday readers with a glimpse of the city’s past.

Find out more of what the Public Library has to offer at www.ssmpl.ca and look for more "Remember This?" columns here.