Very few throwbacks exist in bowling anymore. It is a sport that has become so highly specialized and technologically advanced that many say it may be losing a bit of its history.
Perhaps that is why the evening of April 13 was such a special one at the American Bowling Congress Championship Tournament at the Salt Palace.Two pioneers of the ABC Tournament made a visit to the 1996 version Saturday. Greg Griffo of Syracuse, N.Y., and Larry Greenwood of Crystal Falls, Mich., visited the ABC for the 60th and 50th time respectively.
Griffo became only the fourth man in tournament history to compete in the tournament for 60 or more years, joining Bill Doehrman, Joe Norris and Frank Carr in the record books. He has missed only three tournaments since he began competing in Buffalo, N.Y. in 1931.
"The ABC Tournament is wonderful," said Griffo, 86. "It is a real big thrill to come here each year."
This is not the first time Griffo has made headlines at the ABC. Last year in Reno, Griffo became the fourth man to join the 100,000-pin club in the tournament (joining the same three men mentioned above), and he was also inducted into the ABC Hall of Fame. Griffo added a 1,481-pin performance in all events competition this year, bringing his lifetime total pinfall to 102,110.
Among Griffo's fondest ABC memories was the "chance to compete against (fellow ABC Hall of Famers) Charlie Daw, Hank Marino and Ned Day."
Born in Italy in 1910, Griffo has carried an average of 188 through his ABC Tournament career and shot his high ABC series of 702 in 1934.
Larry Greenwood celebrated his 50th tournament by receiving a plaque and gold pin from the ABC, becoming only the 38th man to celebrate 50 years of competition in the tournament.
Greenwood began his run in 1946 in Buffalo. His best performance came in 1962, when he posted an all-events score of 1,796 pins in Des Moines, Iowa. Overall, he has averaged a little over 176 and has knocked down a total of 79,512 pins in the ABC.
Greenwood has missed only one tournament during his run, that coming in 1954.
"I couldn't find a team to bowl wth," said Greenwood, 84, "If I had known then what I know know, I could have been a substitute. I feel terrible that I missed that year."
"I've spent over half my life bowling in the ABC," said Greenwood, "and all of them were great." "Bowling is something I've done all my life. It's my vacation, my hobby, my exercise. It has kept me going," Greenwood said.
Greenwood has competed with the same team, the Duvilio Spigarelli group from Crystal Falls, Mich., for most of the last half century, and after recent knee replacement surgery he hopes to be at the ABC for years to come. "I can bend and slide like a teenager now," said Greenwood.
The longevity in the sport for these two men is amazing. Throughout the years, both men have bowled tournaments in 21 states. Griffo has visited 39 cities, Greenwood has been to 37.
What does it take to maintain the interest and longevity in the sport? "You've got to be in good condition," said Griffo.
Neither man plans on making Salt Lake City the last stop on their ABC run. Both say they hope to be in Huntsville, Ala., next year.
NOTE: These won't be the only two men celebrating milestones in the ABC Tournament this year. Lou Capo of Clairton, Pa., is scheduled to bowl in his 50th ABC when he visits Salt Lake on May 12.