Akron's Firestone Bowl A Rama hosted this iconic series in the 1964-1965 and the 1965-1966 seasons! In this show, two legends face off! Harry Smith vs Nelson Burton Jr.
Best Bowlers Of All Time / Greatest Bowlers Of All Time / Nelson Burton JR / Top Bowlers Of All Time
Championship Bowling Nelson Burton Jr vs Harry Smith 1966
The start of a 30 year stellar career in Bowling. Mastering everything in bowling from Analyst, bowler and the business side of bowling also. A great asset to the game.
If you are talking about Nelson Burton Jr. (he’s so YOUNG here!) – AGREED.
i always enjoyed seeing nelson bowl on tv and of course his great voice and insight along side chris schenkel.
That shot at 10:52 i find fascinating. I always thought it was impossible to convert a 7 10 split by sliding one pin into the other. I think this shot proves it is possible.
its not impossible. its been done plenty of times. just look it up on youtube.
@mike m youre right. i re-read his comment. it isnt possible. the only way it is possible is if its oiled on the pin deck and you hook the ball hard enough to the outer back of the pin and have it slide all the way over. they could have oiled all the way back in the oil days but no oil is put on the pin deck on house shots or sport patterns
Thank you for posting and preserving these great bowling shows, I didn’t miss a week of Championship Bowling when I was a kid, it was aired on Saturdays at 12 noon.
I remember it being on at 2 on Saturday…. had to turn on the set about 5 minutes before… to allow it to warm up. During commercial breaks I’d bowl on my plastic bowling set.
@Jeffrey Stern Yeah, I had the “5-minute TV set” and the plastic pins, too!
@Barry Thomas I used to think that the man who wrote the scores down was actually face down in a box and that he was being held prisoner by the network!
@Jeffrey Stern Understood!
@Barry Thomas It was on Sundays where I lived, too. Back then, there wasn’t much in the way of sports on TV on Sundays, especially away from football season, so bowling probably got more kids as viewers than you might think!
Thank you for the vintage footage. Is Harry Smith still alive? He was totally right about Nelson Burton ‘s future, stated in his characteristic understated way. He seems to have developed a cult following over the years. It’s a shame he couldn’t transition successfully to the conditions of the 70’s. Harry Katz
I think the game is hard enough but how hard could it be having to listen to the announcers in your ears for three full games.?
You can always mute the sound if their voices get on your nerves
I think they’re talking low like they did in golf back in the day. Also, if you’ve ever been in a bowling alley during league play, one can understand how a bowler might develop some ability to tune out background noise.
I have got original Nelson Burton en 64 pro 200 bowling ball. I like to sell it. Who is interested?
To the person who put the thumbs down: What the hell is the point?
I’ve never previously had seen Burton go Brooklyn so many times, maybe this is early in his career.