tiltjlp
PN co-founder
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2003
- Messages
- 3,403
- Reaction score
- 145
- Points
- 65
- Favorite Pinball Machine
- Flying Trapeze 1934
Shortly after moving to the Cincinnati suburb of Delhi Township in the summer of 1959, my new friend Jerry and I hiked the mile- and-a-quarter to a new shopping center under construction. Del Fair Shopping Center was the most noticeable sign that the rural township, known simply as Delhi, was beginning to become part of the new wave of suburbia. While the changes would be slow, Delhi would gradually lose much of the rural, farm like flavor that the local were dreading.
Several of the stores in the new shopping center had yet to be completed, but the bowling alley, which was below ground level, was open. As Jerry and I discovered, even at twelve years old, if we didn’t raise too much ruckus, we were welcome to hang out there and enjoy the atmosphere.
Del Fair Lanes, which had opened a week earlier, had thirty-two alleys, a casual restaurant, pinball machines, and many other amusement devices to attract young and old alike. Before long, it became one of our favorite places to meet and make friends, and in those days before high inflation, it was affordable even for youngsters. As a Grand Opening Special, bowling was only a quarter a game, and shoe rental was free.
One of the things that caught my eye that first afternoon was an old-fashioned popcorn vending machine, just like one I had used in my old neighborhood of Fairmount. Yellow and red, it stood at least four-and-a-half feet high, and had a clear domed top where the popped corn was stored. The popcorn, crisp and salty, was a dime a bag, and fun to buy. A single light bulb kept the popcorn warm, and if you didn’t have the paper bag under the spout when you put in your dime, you’d end up with a small pile of popcorn covering your shoes.
While bowling was the main attraction, there were many other fun things to do at Del Fair Lanes. They had two bowling games, one with small balls you rolled, and one with metal shuffle disks. I seemed to do better with the shuffle disk, and usually won when I challenged Jerry.
Usually during the summer, kids had the run of the bowling alley from when it opened until late afternoon, when women’s leagues took over. Eventually, as we got a bit older, we often picked up pocket money keeping score for league bowlers, since they would rather socialize than keep score. While the pay was only fifty cents a game, the work was easy, and the bowlers often bought us soft drinks and potato chips as a bonus.
Another thing Del Fair Lanes became known for was good and cheap food. For years their menu offered twenty-one shrimp, fries, and Cole slaw for only a dollar. Although I’d never had shrimp in my life, I enjoyed it from the start, and never ordered anything else. Once the owners got to know us, and as long as we didn’t get too rowdy, they’d let us while away an afternoon holed up in one of the corner booths, out of sight of any adults.
Realizing that a good bit of their business came from us kids, the owners and employees were not only friendly, but even went out of their way to make us feel welcome. Occasionally, if there wasn’t a crowd, they would let us bowl a free game. And we never had to pay for shoe rental, which saved us each a dime. But best of all was that they would create special soda pop concoctions for us youngsters.
Calling the soft drink combos Bombs, we could order any flavor combinations we wanted, no matter how horrible they might end up tasting. The only rule was that if you ordered it, you paid for it, and there were no refunds, even if it tasted like poison. I usually drank Pepsi and ginger ale, which was pretty good, but I did experiment. A few times the mixture ended up so horrid that I would simply have to pour it out. Root beer and grape might be the worst taste known to man.
Of course, bowling alleys are made for just that, and we bowled a lot. Jerry was probably a better bowler than I was, but he was a self proclaimed Ladies Man, even at twelve. If certain girls were either watching, or bowling nearby, he was often distracted enough so that I would beat him. And since we always had bets on our total score, sometimes Jerry’s wandering eye cost him dearly in his wallet.
Bowling alleys probably have changed less over the years than a lot of other things. Although prices are much higher, forty-five years have passed. In the scheme of things, an evening at the bowling alley still is an affordable and fun family outing, or a nice casual date. And bowling is one of few sports that you can enjoy alone as well as part of a team.
But maybe the best thing about bowling alleys is that you can enjoy yourself even as a spectator, and there is no admission charge. And unless you happen to be a touring pro bowler, you can have fun throwing gutter balls or strikes. The score of a game really is secondary to companionship and having a good time with your friends.
Bowling alleys might be the most complete entertainment centers for people of all ages and skill levels. From food and snacks to drinks, pinball machines to ball washers, spectators to bowlers, the local bowling alley can be a haven for fun and games. Join a league and maybe win a trophy, or just spend a few hours joking with some friends, either way, good times are sure to roll.
Several of the stores in the new shopping center had yet to be completed, but the bowling alley, which was below ground level, was open. As Jerry and I discovered, even at twelve years old, if we didn’t raise too much ruckus, we were welcome to hang out there and enjoy the atmosphere.
Del Fair Lanes, which had opened a week earlier, had thirty-two alleys, a casual restaurant, pinball machines, and many other amusement devices to attract young and old alike. Before long, it became one of our favorite places to meet and make friends, and in those days before high inflation, it was affordable even for youngsters. As a Grand Opening Special, bowling was only a quarter a game, and shoe rental was free.
One of the things that caught my eye that first afternoon was an old-fashioned popcorn vending machine, just like one I had used in my old neighborhood of Fairmount. Yellow and red, it stood at least four-and-a-half feet high, and had a clear domed top where the popped corn was stored. The popcorn, crisp and salty, was a dime a bag, and fun to buy. A single light bulb kept the popcorn warm, and if you didn’t have the paper bag under the spout when you put in your dime, you’d end up with a small pile of popcorn covering your shoes.
While bowling was the main attraction, there were many other fun things to do at Del Fair Lanes. They had two bowling games, one with small balls you rolled, and one with metal shuffle disks. I seemed to do better with the shuffle disk, and usually won when I challenged Jerry.
Usually during the summer, kids had the run of the bowling alley from when it opened until late afternoon, when women’s leagues took over. Eventually, as we got a bit older, we often picked up pocket money keeping score for league bowlers, since they would rather socialize than keep score. While the pay was only fifty cents a game, the work was easy, and the bowlers often bought us soft drinks and potato chips as a bonus.
Another thing Del Fair Lanes became known for was good and cheap food. For years their menu offered twenty-one shrimp, fries, and Cole slaw for only a dollar. Although I’d never had shrimp in my life, I enjoyed it from the start, and never ordered anything else. Once the owners got to know us, and as long as we didn’t get too rowdy, they’d let us while away an afternoon holed up in one of the corner booths, out of sight of any adults.
Realizing that a good bit of their business came from us kids, the owners and employees were not only friendly, but even went out of their way to make us feel welcome. Occasionally, if there wasn’t a crowd, they would let us bowl a free game. And we never had to pay for shoe rental, which saved us each a dime. But best of all was that they would create special soda pop concoctions for us youngsters.
Calling the soft drink combos Bombs, we could order any flavor combinations we wanted, no matter how horrible they might end up tasting. The only rule was that if you ordered it, you paid for it, and there were no refunds, even if it tasted like poison. I usually drank Pepsi and ginger ale, which was pretty good, but I did experiment. A few times the mixture ended up so horrid that I would simply have to pour it out. Root beer and grape might be the worst taste known to man.
Of course, bowling alleys are made for just that, and we bowled a lot. Jerry was probably a better bowler than I was, but he was a self proclaimed Ladies Man, even at twelve. If certain girls were either watching, or bowling nearby, he was often distracted enough so that I would beat him. And since we always had bets on our total score, sometimes Jerry’s wandering eye cost him dearly in his wallet.
Bowling alleys probably have changed less over the years than a lot of other things. Although prices are much higher, forty-five years have passed. In the scheme of things, an evening at the bowling alley still is an affordable and fun family outing, or a nice casual date. And bowling is one of few sports that you can enjoy alone as well as part of a team.
But maybe the best thing about bowling alleys is that you can enjoy yourself even as a spectator, and there is no admission charge. And unless you happen to be a touring pro bowler, you can have fun throwing gutter balls or strikes. The score of a game really is secondary to companionship and having a good time with your friends.
Bowling alleys might be the most complete entertainment centers for people of all ages and skill levels. From food and snacks to drinks, pinball machines to ball washers, spectators to bowlers, the local bowling alley can be a haven for fun and games. Join a league and maybe win a trophy, or just spend a few hours joking with some friends, either way, good times are sure to roll.
