When Johnny Perkins’ Playdium opened July 8, 1940, in St. Louis, Missouri, it was described as “the nation’s showplace of recreation.” The center featured twenty lanes and a cocktail bar. During the m ...

“Unlimber the can opener, Junior. Mama’s going bowling.” The 1952 Women’s International Bowling Congress in St. Louis attracted women from all over the country, including 90 from Minneapolis alone. Th ...

Missouri has long been home to well-organized bowling. The Missouri State Bowling Proprietors’ Association likely circulated these pins to its members.

Gus and Hugo Mueller of St. Louis, Missouri, were jacks of all trades. In addition to operating a bowling alley, they also managed other recreation centers and possibly grocery stores. They likely got ...

Myrtle Schulte of St. Louis, Missouri, was a mainstay of American women’s bowling for half a century. In 1931, she ran away with the singles and all-events titles at the Women’s International Bowling ...

The 29th Women’s International Bowling Congress met in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1946. For the first time since 1942, the WIBC held elections for officers, a sign that Americans were turning their att ...

What bowling superstars signed this souvenir pin?

The 1963 BPAA All-Star Tournament, hosted in Kansas City, Missouri, boasted an impressive lineup of 288 male and 144 female competitors. St. Louis, Missouri, showcased its bowling prowess at the event ...

The 1963 BPAA All-Star Tournament, held at the Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri, from January 16-26, featured bowling legend Buzz Fazio, pictured here during an interview. While Fazio did ...

St. Louis, Missouri, folk artist Victor Joseph Kunz painted what he knew, from local landscapes to bowling alleys. This painting of three bowlers presents a familiar sight in St. Louis given the immen ...