The Mob and Bowling?

[bobputtick]

Anybody old enough from back in New York or Montreal area to remember Francois L. aka Frank L. and his entourage of black shirted white tied 'associates'. Greatest bowling memories or my life revolve around him. Can't be like that anymore, or can it? If you remember him or those like him, I would love to hear it. When he was on TV Bowling shows back then and that was often, they would get front row seats. Don't see that on ESPN Sunday Morning.

[jjknapp]

I don't know if this guy was mob connected or not, but they called him "The Hawk", because of his nose, and he always had a few 'boys' with him. I was at Skytop Lanes one night, actually around 4am and Jake Charter was bowling a match and Charter was known to sandbag and throw matches. Charter got up in the tenth needing a mark to win the game and dumped the ball leaving a solid 5 pin. I think he was hoping for an 8-10 split. The Hawk got up from the settee and pulled out a gun and said "you better make that F**king spare"... Jake made the 5 pin and quit for the night.

[thecane1]

I remember bowling , the son or nephew of the head of the NY family in the 50s, when he came into Av M bowl late one Saterday night at 3 am in a tux and asked me if I wanted to bowl for 10 a game, and I said yes with only 10 bucks in my pocket, as he pick out a house ball and shoes, and we started to bowl he was usuing a 10 pound conventional house ball and was leaving splits all over the place the first game, but the second game he shot 269 and beat me, the third game I won , he then raised the bet to 20 and then I proceeded to win the next 10 games , when he quit and said he had no money left . Dont think this was an easy match as he owned his own bowling center , and later changed his name to avoid the stigma of his fathers or uncles name when he became a professional singer... he is probably on the hall of fame list as well , will take a peak now, if its there you will know who he is and what center he owned in Brooklyn back in the 50s and 60s .... the cane

[relic]

For the life of me I can't figure out who this guy is?

[thecane1]

Hi Relic, the relatives name was Joe, and if you cant figure out the relatives last name, the guy I bowled is listed in the Hall Of Fame...the cane

[thecane1]

Relic, if those clues dont give you the answer, try a 6 lane bowling establishment on Ave K and Flatbush downstairs and it was in the Midwood section of Brooklyn, and if you still cant figure it out look in the letter S for help in the HOF , it will hit you like a 16 pound bowling ball , the cane

[relic]

Sal Profaci ?

[thecane1]

Good guess Relic, goes by Sally Trent , the last I saw him in the 80s at Roosevelt Raceway...the cane

[relic]

I was watching your video from Deer Park. You looked great and did a really good job, looks like you were meant to be on TV.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mqP3tFtU7k

You should of done the color on the PBA tour, bet you would of had a lot to add to it and plenty of side stories to boot that would of made the shows a lot more interesting.

[thecane1]

Hi Relic , I did the commentating on three events in South Florida, one won by Pete Weber at Tamarac, another won by Palmer Falgren at Forum and another locally big tournament won by a bowling student of mine named Janet Williams , who I introduced to Team USA bowling star of the early 90s Brad Briggs and they married not too long after that and had two beautiful daughters , the older one I remember seeing in a couple of tv commercials. Also since that video at Deer Park , have lost 70 pounds , and you can see some of those photos on Dare To Sing , that I have posted including one in my Eminem outfit rappin, the picture of me in the
SOUNDSOFSTARDOM.COM , go to pictures of the hard rock 88s and you will see photo 210 of my wife and I , as well as photo 233 me singing from the rear and 234 my wife stageside. hope you enjoy that visit and have up dated some of my best songs on Dareto sing as well that you might enjoy...search lenny

[relic]

lenny i checked it out. nice.

awhile back i believe you were heavily involved in the stock market. are you still doing it.

[thecane1]

not since I got married, only dabble a couple options here and there , but nothing like the mid 90s.....lenny

[relic]

I don't know how things are with you but I know I gave up a lot when I got married and in my case it wasn't worth it...