A PIECE OF NOSTALGIA.............

Preparing to clear out my current residence and move to the other side of the UK, I came across an old copy of 'Tenpin Pictorial', an early British tenpin newspaper, which headlined a report on the 1965 European Championships in Birmingham, England.

As you can read, scoring conditions were quite a bit different in those days. Most competitors used just the one bowling ball and, believe me, if you didn't hit your target you didn't get a strike!

This is an abridged copy of the report:

The Top Rank Bowl, Pershore Street, Birmingham burst into life today when the British ladies' team, with grim determination, came from behind to pick up 70 pins and win the European Championships by the slenderest of margins - one pin - from the much-fancied Swedish women's side.

Tommy Black (of England) reported: "The second day's produced a tactical turnabout  in the team order. Muz Rudge moved into number one position in place of Pipp Care, who took number two place; and this decision of team manager Harry Pearson Blackie proved most successful since both girls improved their series totals.

"Right from the beginning it was obvious that the English girls decided in their approach to the championships to ease into winning form. There obviously were intent upon spare conversion rather than going all out for strikes right frm the word go. For example, in the first game 'Muz' Rudge finished with a 168, Pipp Care 168, Rhoda Brewer 182, Gill Hunt 169, and Sue Bland 167, giving an 854 team game. This produced a very good pattern of play.

"The second game," added Mr. Black, "made it obvious that Britain's girls were all out to oust their nearest rivals - Sweden - into second place. They dug their feet in and roared away. Rudge 175, Care 202, Brewer, having a little trouble with splits, 158, Hunt, the same with 144, and Sue Bland anchoring well for 204, producing a terrific 883 for the second game."

The third game ran out with Rudge bowling a steady 184, Care 149, Brewer roaring back into the fight with 171, Hunt reasserting herself with a 191. Bland, in the anchor position, was suffering with splits. They got down to the tenth frame and suddenly realized they were in hairsbreadth pin trouble against the Swedes, who had come right back into the picture with a fabulous 907 game, which proved to be the high ladies' team game of the tournament.

So the match got to the state where everything depended on Bland, who having struck in the ninth frame, needed a strike or double in the tenth. She struck with the first ball but left two pins after the second. She chopped one, but that was literally the plastic-covered maple artifact that gave Britain a resounding victory.

Well, those were the days. some 451 years later you would need to put the figure two in front of most of the the individual scores.

Just for the record, Britain beat Sweden, 5103-5102, over the six team games. Doubles was won by Finland, 2027; Fours by Finland, 4173 and all events by France, 4237.

There were just 10 teams in the ladies' division and 16 in the men's section.

Picture: Great Britain ladies, left to right: Gillian Hunt, Karen Sharpe, Susan Bland, Rhoda Brewer, Pipp Care and Muriel (Muz) Rudge.

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For further information, contact Keith Hale: keithhale679@aol.com