ANDY VARIPAPA

There was only one Varipapa. That’s how contemporaries described Andy Varipapa, a bowling phenom known for his trick shots, high scores and 17 instructional bowling films. Born in Italy in 1891, Varipapa dabbled in a number of sports before going pro in bowling. In addition to consistently topping scoreboards, including claiming back-to-back wins at the BPAA All-Star tournaments in 1947-48, Varipapa could roll two balls at once and kick a ball down the lane for a spare. He remained a constant ambassador for the sport, even after his official retirement, though he never gave up playing for fun.

Selected images of Andy Varipapa are available for purchase in the International Bowling Museum & Hall of Fame’s print shop.