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Post by Louis Capasso on Oct 29, 2003 20:36:18 GMT -5
Only at Maple Lanes could you find pot games every day.usually 8 to 15 bowlers daily and 20 or more on the weekends plus thursday night after the classic league till
5 or 6 in the morning. Alot of people have said it was not an action house. But if you wanted to see great bowlers and legends bowl, this was the place.The horn Simo Sr, Joe S, Eddie O, Joe M, Spallone,Mike Y ,Bill P Tusa,, and usually a few outsiders would show up for the 10 to 30 dollar a man pot games. 30 a man with 15 guys was serious money in the mid 70's especially for a 15 year old like myself. there were 2 KIDS that bowled in those pot game Nicky Box and me. and we always held our own . but there was great competition there. Imagine having 4 or 5 of the best action shooters around and having the chance at beating them.Those were the best nights of my life!!!! Unfortunatly Going to school the next day was rough.
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old dog
Junior Member
The 60's were the best
Posts: 83
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Post by old dog on Oct 29, 2003 22:07:04 GMT -5
I was in the area and never hung out at Maple, I sure wish I had, watching all you guys would have been great, I'd love to hear more.
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Post by Billy Tops on Oct 29, 2003 22:24:23 GMT -5
Man that sounds like a blast, I also never hung around Maple with all those great pot games, I was to much into watching head to head, what a mistake.
I use to go to Maple occasionally for there breakfast, it was really very good and reasonably priced, I also liked the burgers there, the food in general was all good, a real nice operation for a bowling alley, better than the neighborhood diners and luncheonettes.
I never realized you had such a collection of great action bowlers there everyday, does it still continue.
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Post by Louis Capasso on Oct 30, 2003 14:20:08 GMT -5
I stay in touch with saba there and i still believe there are pot games daily there. there was always good pots there. I remember one saturday Joe M throws the 1st 11 across 21-24 and puts his ball away never throws the last shot,what a character!!! One day after a like tourny Joe tusa wins and I finish third so he was bragging and I call him out. I was about 16 my dad had to sign for the money I won in the tourney. But tusa agrees to bowl this loadmouth kid. Now remember Maple was a Lefty house.I am righty But I picked 15 & 16 which was a good righty pair not as good as 21 and 2. But they were not used and tight off the gutter and i figured we could get 6 games or so before it would even start to break down. anyway tusa shoots 300 and ties me next game I shoot another 300. Tusa was never the same!!!! maple pot games were a great way to make money becouse there were always side bets. snake and me or snake and c bank always some one to rough it up a bit
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Post by Renaissance Man on Oct 30, 2003 18:11:18 GMT -5
On thursday nite after the classic league did many outside guys come down to bowl action, I would think they would have.
Did you bowl much action at Rainbow, if so, who against.
Who do you think was the better action bowler, Roth or Rags, who would you bet on under fair conditions to both or in a home and home match, lets say Maple and Rainbow, or should we give Rags Fortway.
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Post by Louis Capasso on Oct 31, 2003 10:50:17 GMT -5
Ay rainbow I bowled steve fishman the night of the roth & rags against Cliff and daly I think we bowled for 25 a game or so I won 3 straight but I bowled snake there a few times and I bowled mostly 2 years of leagues there in 85 or so thats the year i started bowling again. Here is an action story thats funny> I was bowling in the classic league in garden city in 1979 or 1980 and bowled on a team with keith doran, he was an ok bowler who( in my opinion) thought he was better than he was. well one night I put him 3rd in the line up and he complained all night and than started to egg me into a match. after the league we bowled and I whooped him good 4 or 5 straight. and he kept annoying me after the match so I said listen bowl me (now EX) wife heads up if you can beat her I will give you a rematch. Debbie was a hell of a player. he gat even more pissed off and it ended up with me kicking his butt at garden city and making him apologize to my ex and myself while saying uncle!!!!
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Post by Louis Capasso on Mar 13, 2010 14:52:07 GMT -5
here is the answer to who was better. Rags or Roth..Thats a tough question..Johnny was my IDOL. I was a teenage itch he couldnt scratch...lol... Roth was a close friend from about 1975.. but who would win.. In the early 70's Johnny would have won 75% at Maple.... Roth would have won 75 % at rainbow..Johnny was a much more knowledgable bowler. Mark could just feel the lanes and was a master spare shooter, thats the part that people forget.. Any way for those interested I called Mark Roth the other day and spoke to him for a while, he is doing a little better. He is going through a tough recovery but he is strong.
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Post by mike300856 on Mar 31, 2010 15:55:34 GMT -5
And to this day you can still find them on Saturday afternoons. About 15-20 guys or so, and always looking for 1 on 1 later in the afternoon.
Good times.....
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Post by Zoo Master on Mar 31, 2010 21:30:51 GMT -5
Is the food still good at the food counter. Many, many, years ago, they had the best breakfast and lunch food around...
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Post by mike300856 on Apr 1, 2010 8:15:01 GMT -5
I go there to bowl.... don't care too much about the food. Sorry
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Post by Zoo Master on Apr 2, 2010 14:11:01 GMT -5
I go there to bowl.... don't care too much about the food. Sorry Do you mean you don't care about the food there, or you don't like the food there? |
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Post by mike300856 on Apr 6, 2010 15:59:51 GMT -5
I go there to bowl and make money, F the food
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Post by Louis Capasso on Jun 7, 2010 17:41:08 GMT -5
Nice , back in my day the food was the best and so were the bowlers. On a thursday night after the league you could see the greats in the area plus sometimes get a real thrill. When i was a kid Johnny Petraglia came in with Dave Davis, Skee Forinski, Dennis Swayda, Jack Biondelillo, and Nelson Burton Jr.. I walked in and as usual took the lanes next to them. Johnny was teaching Swayda how to play the Gutter shot. Santini had just drilled me a new Blue Dot.. I must have ripped about 25 racks and Swayda asked John why I wasnt on tour and he said " he is only 15 he will be there in a few years.. To me that was the nicest compliment ever, and remember i was a kid that idolized Johnny and was like under his feet whenever he was there. Mike remember the MANY PBA Champions that came out of Maple Lanes.... Petraglia, Colossi and Myself....plust the list of Great bowlers from that house.. The late Val Macari, Tom Cammelerri, Vinny Lautato.. plus Billy Picone , Bobby Simonelli, Joe Santini, Joe and John G, Joe Micali, Nick Santagata, Debbie (my ex wife) she was one of the best women bowlers I ever knew...plus Ed O'grady the horn, Lenny Rap, and so many more i cant even remember...But dont knock the food...Plus Saba was a excellent bowler back then. threw a tank, as Joe S said to me "this kid reminds me of you"...and in my day I threw a tank. Respect Maple Lanes because there is the best house in the world... And i bowled almost 4 years on tour. seen alot of house. as Dorothy said ... THERS NO PLACE LIKE HOME !!!!"
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