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Monday 7 May 2018

The old bowling shoes

When was the last time you went bowling? My husband and I went last week with our daughter and the kids. No school for Sylvie and a rainy day meant some indoor activities. Bowling was one option.


And hasn’t it changed! Glow bowling is new to us 





but electronic score keeping makes it less interesting for me. We only ever had five pin bowling and now ten pin is available in every lane. A bumper in the gutters preventing gutter balls when kids are bowling keeps the kids interested. Birthday parties still happen at the alley but alcohol is available to the adults now.


My husband and I bowled in the early 1970s when we were dating. His parents were bowlers too and we went with them sometimes. One Christmas they gave us matching bowling shoes so we didn’t have to rent shoes at the alley.


When we married, we moved to a town where we couldn’t bowl so the shoes went to the back of the closet. They've been there for over forty years now and moved between provinces with us. I used them briefly a few years ago. My husband hasn’t used his in all that time.


Here they are, vintage bowling shoes.





They are still comfortable and get the job done. Nothing like the bowling shoes today, they are a testament to my husband’s reluctance to dispose of anything which is in excellent condition and may be needed in the future.  


“See? They did come in handy,” he said. 


They didn’t help us much though. Our seven year old granddaughter, Sylvie, handily beat our scores. 





There’s always next time.


40 comments:

Anonymous said...

I haven't bowled in about 40 years! Those shoes still look new - maybe they will be luckier next time.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

Pack rats LOVE it when they're finally vindicated, don't they, lol? I'm the world's worst bowler -- I could use those gutter bumpers when I bowl!

DJan said...

Those shoes do look comfy! And I used to bowl, but I've never had my own shoes. Today's shoes don't seem anywhere near as nice. And I hope you take it up again and show me how it's done! :-)

Anvilcloud said...

I once had a pair similar to that in the same time period. IIRC they eventaully fell apart with too much basement time.

Tabor said...

I bowled for a year in 6th grade for free as I was a "pin-setter." Never got bowl much after that as I had very little spending money and so I never really developed the skill.

Bill said...

Very cool, Marie. I used to bowl candle-pin when I was bowling back in the day. Didn't have shoes but had a bowling bag with three balls. I can't imagine glowing bowling. :)

PerthDailyPhoto said...

I actually can't remember the last time I went bowling Marie but top marks to your husband for his foresight in keeping the bowling shoes, a brilliant move as far as I'm concerned as I hate putting my feet in shoes that other people have worn 😀 Looks like a lot of fun.

William Kendall said...

I bowled maybe once or twice around the age of ten, but that's about it. There was an alley in the town near where I grew up. That operation might well still be there.

Barbara said...

Amazing. I didn't know about the glow in the dark bowling alleys. I haven't bowled in a couple of years. Last time was an adult birthday party. No one had been bowling in a long time so we were equally bad. It was great fun. Now that I think of it I should do it again. And like you said, great rainy day amusement.

Joanne Noragon said...

No date was ever able to teach me to bowl. No one has tried for years and years.

Celia said...

Fun to see your bowling shoes. My husband to be and I bowled in college. There were lanes in the student union building and it was cheap entertainment then. He kept up with it, I just occasionally. Years and years ago. :-)

photowannabe said...

We haven't been bowling in more years than I can count.
Hubby and I used to bowl when dating and when the kids were young.
We even had our own balls. Lots of good clean fun.

Elephant's Child said...

Glow bowling? Wow. That is new to me, and would be great.
It is over forty years since I went bowling. I could have done with the gutter bump too. I don't even know if there is a bowling alley in town. And suspect not.

Debbie said...

we went a few years ago and i broke 2 nails, we have not gone since. i like the pictures of the glow bowling, we recently discovered glow golf, that was fun!!

the times are a changin'!!!

Kay said...

Oh my! I haven't gone bowling in decades. I don't think I'd know what to do. Glow bowling looks like a lot of fun and so different.

Rhodesia said...

Ols shoes no matter what are always better then new. Have not bowled since we left Africa and we did not do much then :-) Take care Diane

Rhodesia said...

Not sure what happened, typed a comment and it vanished! Love old shoes of any kind in preference to new. Have not bowled since we left Africa and did not do much then! Take care Diane

Marie Smith said...

Let’s hope so. Lol

Marie Smith said...

The gutter bumpers helped us a lot too Debra.

Marie Smith said...

Hip and knee problems will keep me from bowling regularly Jan. Not sure I’d like it on a regular basis but time with the kids is great.

Marie Smith said...

We kept these in the closet in our room AC.

Marie Smith said...

Pin setting days are long gone Tabor. Interesting job though.

Marie Smith said...

I think it’s called glo bowling Bill. That will tell you how far behind the times we are with glow bowling.

Marie Smith said...

Lots of people feel the way you do PDP about the shoes.

Marie Smith said...

Some of the old lanes are still in operation around the country William.

Marie Smith said...

A great activity with the grandkids or otherwise Barbara.

Marie Smith said...

It is a specific skill set Joanne.

Marie Smith said...

It is easy to get out of the sport Celia.

Marie Smith said...

It really is good clean fun P.

Marie Smith said...

There are some across this country yet EC.

Marie Smith said...

I have never heard of glow golf. That’s a new one for me.

Marie Smith said...

Fun for the kids for sure Kay.

Marie Smith said...

Yay for the vintage shoes Diane.

Marie Smith said...

The comment registered above Diane.

Catarina said...

It seems your granddaughter had a great time. : )
Bowling is not really my thing. I tried a few times when the social committee planned bowling nights.

As for the shoes... they look pretty good!

Marie Smith said...

Bowling isn’t for everyone, Catarina. My in-laws loved it more than we ever did.

Danielle L Zecher said...

I like the vintage bowling shoes! They look much nicer than the rental ones I've seen. I think the last time I went bowling was about 15 years ago. I'm honestly not sure why we don't go. We keep saying we want to. Now your post really makes me want to go.

Marie Smith said...

I hope you do better than we did Danielle.

Jenn said...

We enjoy bowling once in awhile. Our town has 5 Pin only with glow bowl available too and it's attached to a Pizza Hut so bowling and pizza seems to keep the kids entertained.

Marie Smith said...

A great way to pass a few hours and keep the kids active, Jenn.