Marzano's Miami Bowl: Thursday nights at a landmark Chicago bowling alley

November 13, 2004 2:32 PM

Robert Cutter, Phillip Kuhn and Marlene Kuhn, Thursday night league bowlers: "I take the bus to the bowling alley," says Robert. "It takes me about an hour. I've been bowling 36 years. I've never missed bowling in 36 years. I'm the first one here and the last one to go home. I even beat the sheet maker (the guy who keeps score for the teams). If I have the flu, I'm still bowling. I still come. I've got rheumatisim and I'm still bowling. If I don't bowl I sit on the couch." When asked if he'd ever consider quitting bowling, he said, "Hell no! I gotta be dead first!" ..."Phil and I have been bowling five years," says Marlene. "We've only missed bowling once in five years. We walk here. We walk even when it rains or snows. It's about 4-1/2 miles to get here. I try to do my best. I've got a bad leg. I've got a trick knee that goes out on me. We're going to start up our own team soon: the Klingons. We watch Star Trek all the time. We're Trekaholics. We have a cat named Leonard 'Bones' McCoy."
                                        Marzano's Miami Bowl
posted by y2karl (17 comments total)

"Hey, hey, careful man! There's a beverage here!"

great stuff, thanks karl.
posted by matteo at 2:36 PM on November 13, 2004

That was awesome, karl. Your link output lately has been magnificent.
posted by The God Complex at 3:04 PM on November 13, 2004

Smokey, this is not 'Nam. This is bowling. There are rules.
posted by SPrintF at 3:05 PM on November 13, 2004

I've bowled once. That was enough to see the attraction, but not enough to explain it. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it) I could never find anyone willing to go bowling with me after that, so I never got hooked. Coulda had a monkey on my back...
posted by lodurr at 3:27 PM on November 13, 2004

The Miami Bowl is just down the block from me. Now I know these guys' names!
posted by macadamiaranch at 3:44 PM on November 13, 2004

That is so cool!

I was wondering when any of that tottling town's contingent would check in here...
posted by y2karl at 3:53 PM on November 13, 2004

Nice, thanks!
posted by carter at 4:40 PM on November 13, 2004

Love the SOBS.
posted by semmi at 4:50 PM on November 13, 2004

Support your local bowling alley. And bring back manual scoring.
posted by mrhappy at 5:03 PM on November 13, 2004 [1 favorite]

Great find. Thanks!
posted by ParisParamus at 10:04 AM on November 14, 2004

Last night I got in trouble with the wife's family for mentioning that I thought bowling was, "the most intellectually bankrupt activity on the face of the Earth."
posted by Ryvar at 10:26 AM on November 14, 2004

How could you, when everyone knows that's golf!
posted by lodurr at 10:37 AM on November 14, 2004

no, watching TV wins hands down
posted by matteo at 10:58 AM on November 14, 2004 [1 favorite]

the most intellectually bankrupt activity on the face of the Earth

In the arena of  'sports' alone, two words: synchronized swimming.

Even with the fact that one can smoke and drink while competing, bowling has a much more valid claim to Olympic status. Don't forget Poland !
posted by y2karl at 11:41 AM on November 14, 2004

the most intellectually bankrupt activity on the face of the Earth

In the arena of 'sports' alone, two words: synchronized swimming.

Hell no! Try Professional Wrestling.
posted by semmi at 1:03 PM on November 14, 2004

Chicagoist: After 49 Years, Marzano's is Closing

So, macadamiaranch, this is dated July 19th--what gives ? Is the place still open or what ?
posted by y2karl at 10:03 PM on November 15, 2004

The comments on that page has just led me to another piece of Lost Chicago, Maxwell Street--where I got to go one August day in 1970, lucky me--which, fittingly enough, is the one color series at Photos by Yvette Marie Dostatni.
posted by y2karl at 10:16 PM on November 15, 2004