Where did it all start?
Back in the mid 60's when I was in grade school, my dad bowled on two leagues. I used to go with him. I'd do my home work and just hang around. I got to know the guys on the leagues and pretty much did what kids did back then, played pin ball, ate pizza and drank soda, or pop as we call it!!
One evening the owner of Champion Lanes, Gus I think was his name, asked me if I ever saw how the bowling machines worked. I told him I hadn't, so he took me back to have a look at the Brunswick automatic pinsetters. I was amazed. Well, every week at Champion Lanes, I'd do my homework then go in the back of the lanes. It was great. Champion Lanes was a neat place, two floors! Once in a while the pin guy would let me "fix" a problem. Ball on lane 14, we'd go to lane 14 and most times the pins were just in the way preventing the ball from getting grabbed by the ball wheel, but I got to trouble shoot and fix it!
For some reason I became fascinated with the notion of somehow building one of these beasts. I would spend hours just watching the machine do its work. The head mechanic even gave me a parts manual for the machine. I don't think I have it anymore.
Since then I have seen the AMF machines, but I really think I've always had a special liking for the Brunswick pinsetter with its single motor, all mechanical design - pretty neat.
Well, I think those days had everything to do with my interest, fascination and desire to design a home rec room type bowling alley.
