I lived my preteen and teen years when it was the in-thing of going to drive-ins. The big screen was nice, but I enjoyed eating candy and popcorn while sitting on the car’s hood. It was strong enough to hold my three siblings and me. My mother, the usual driver, preferred a yard chair over the hood. (LOL)
When the drive-in closed for the winter, we went to the small theater in Washington, Illinois.

I have memories of only one movie from that time. The movie was “The Conqueror,” starring John Wayne as Genghis Khan. I remember being impressed when someone shot John Wayne with an arrow. I marveled at how realistic it looked, sticking from his shoulder. (I imagine my grandkids would laugh at this special effect.)

I regularly spent one weekend day at the theater on Market Street in San Francisco, California. I could take a bus into town round trip for fifty cents. The theater charged twenty-five cents and allowed me to stay through as many movies as I could tolerate in one day. Lunch was often popcorn and candy. These prices fit nicely in a budget, my monthly pay of ninety-three dollars before taxes.
I spent one day enjoying two movies that I remember. The first was “Hawaii,” and the second was “The Sound of Music.” I like almost every Julie Andrews movie.

I am skipping to the recent past, fifty years. I like action movies. The more action, the better. There are too many action movies to list since what would make the list today would be displaced by a new one tomorrow.

The are several series that are particular favorites. Starwars and Startrek rank just below the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies. The marvel series has excellent visuals but would be a distant third to me.

So, that is a quick summary. Sorry if my choices conflict with yours, but they are mine. (LOL)

My Father Francis Leo Knott

I especially want to thank the men who remain active in their children’s lives. I read an article the other day that said there are 18.5 million children who do not have a man in their lives. I am thankful I had several.

I wrote about my father in another (read here) post relating his influence on my childhood. Now, I would like to mention several uncles who played an important role.

Uncle James Harris, my mother’s brother, rented a room from us. I was five when he moved in. Uncle James worked as a machine operator at Caterpillar and rarely missed a day. I remember how he loved to watch the Friday Night Fights and wrestling. His hobby was gunsmithing. He instilled a respect for guns in me and my siblings.

Uncles Robert and (read related post) Donald Harris also worked at Caterpillar. Uncle Robert lived in Peoria and was a deacon in his church. I remember how much he loved my mom and dad’s cooking. He never missed a holiday dinner or any excuse for Sunday dinner.

Uncle Donald lived for a time on Peach Street, near us in Beverly Manor. My brothers and I played with his sons until they moved across town. It was to far to see them often. Yet, Uncle Don was a regular at the house, spending many hours with Uncle James in his gunshop.

You will notice that I don’t list how they impacted who I am today. Instead, the example they gave daily as god-fearing, hard-working men guided me through my formative years.

I thank God they were in my life.

Men don’t have to be the father to impact who a child becomes. However, being there to set an example, listen when a child wants to talk, and answer questions are all important to a child’s development.

Can you be the man for one of the 18.5 million children who need a man in their life?

Welcome. You know that I enjoy, well, maybe addicted to, bowling if you follow my blog. I bowl multiple times a week and have bowled in competitions in several states and foreign countries. I was a member of the Professional Bowlers Association for a time and won money in several regional tournaments. (No, I never won an event.)

Have you wondered how it all started? How did it grow and persevere over the years?

The story became one afternoon in my freshman year (ninth grade) at Spaulding Institute, a Catholic high school in Peoria, Illinois. Those who know me will realize I am speaking of 1961.

The school had an afterschool activity called bowling, ten-pin bowling. So I joined some classmates at a local bowling alley, where I learned the game’s rules and bowled some games. Unfortunately, I have no recollection of my scores for those games.

I was sidelined by a dislocated shoulder while playing flag football in the P. E. (physical education) class a few days later. I was on the offensive line (all 100 lbs. of me) against a 200 lb, or more, offensive lineman. He hit me, and my shoulder said “ouch” in a shrill voice.

I didn’t bowl again until taking a date to a bowling alley in 1969. As I sit here, I can’t remember how well I did or who she was. Time dims some memories but not others.

Now it was 1971. I am stationed in Hawaii, and my brother’s ship is in port. Cletus, also in the Navy, would be here for several months. He and a friend convince me to bowl in a league with them at a Pearl City bowling alley. The Navy base started an intramural league about the same time, and I joined the Electronics Maintenance team.

Then, I was bowling at least twice a week, often three times. I went the whole hog with having a bowling ball drilled to fit my grip, shoes, and a bag. I don’t remember much about my average in those leagues, but it was in the intramural league that I had my first 600 series. I was hooked on the game now.

The Navy moved me to Corpus Christi, Texas, to attend Del Mar College. I mainly had morning classes which allowed me to spend afternoons and evenings at Gulf Bowl. Soon, I bugged them so often that they hired me to work the customer counter. Besides working there, I bowled in leagues almost every night and weekend. Sometimes, I competed in both the 6 pm and 9 pm shifts. I rarely got home before midnight seven days a week the first year I was there. Saturdays and Sundays had me working or practicing.

Good coaching was another advantage to working at Gulf Bowl. They sent me to a coaching class before I could coach some local high school bowlers. Also, Heather, a very knowledgeable coach, took me under her wing. I improved significantly under her tutelage, having my first 700 series and several high scores. Unfortunately, the Navy saw fit to move me to Iceland before I had a 300.

My days of bowling twice a night and every weekend day changed on one Saturday night. I was working a lights-out promotion when two attractive young ladies came to the counter. After taking their money, I sent them to their lane. I had free time after the shift started and found myself near them. Being a bit forward, I chatted with who I thought the prettiest and, finally, asked her for a date. To make a story short, Lori and I began a whirlwind romance that found us at the altar just over six months later.

Dates with Lori battled with my bowling. Compromise, she joined me in a couple of leagues—becoming my life-mate and bowling partner. We have bowled together in Corpus Christi, Iceland, Italy, Florida, Panama, and Maryland over the past 48 plus years. And we both bowled in tournaments in Germany, but not together.

Lori was a novice bowler when she and I began bowling together. However, she improved quickly and won multiple “I beat my husband” awards when we were in Iceland. I have had to work diligently at my game to stay ahead of her, but even today, she gets a laugh when she outscores me.

Now you know the details of my bowling life until I met my wife, and the details of my game time since are less detailed—mainly from the paired view. Perhaps, one day, I will get into more details of the years since 1974.

Keep in your mind that this is how it started. But, this is not a complete story. I haven’t my last game yet. Nor has Lori. Although age and sore joints challenge us today, we still manage six to nine games weekly.

I write to share a part of my life with you. I encourage you to share yours with me via the comment form.