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BY J.R. SCHMIDT |
| But it was television that made Joe Kristof a household name. The medium was brand new, and televised bowling was just becoming popular. On the evening of February 12, 1955, Joe rolled a perfect game during a telecast from Faetz-Niesen in Chicago. It was the first 300 game ever rolled in a live-TV singles match. Joe won a new Pontiac and earned national headlines. The event was particularly memorable because it happened to be Joe and June's wedding anniversary. "Whispering Joe Wilson was the announcer and he got really excited," Kristof says with a chuckle. "He was crying and shouting, 'What a night! What a night!' And then he told the audience that this was our third anniversary, and that we had a four-year old son. I had to tell him he had it backwards." kAfter the 300, Joe seemed to be everywhere. Whenever a new bowling program hit TV, the word went out to get Kristof. His classic form appeared in glorious color on the cover of a widely-circulated book, Bowler's Handbook. He was a featured on the All Sports Conditioner Spray bottle, with the likes of Sam Snead and Bob Feller. And he rolled exhibitions with June. The Kristofs became nearly as famous a "bowling couple" as Don and LaVerne Carter. In the spring of 1955, Pabst Beer approached Joe about sponsoring a team in the Classic League. He had left Bomar and was bowling with Rudy Habetler's team. As part of the deal, Pabst wanted the magic Kristof-name in the captain's slot. Habetler, one of the nicest men in bowling, agreed to make Joe his co-captain. The Pabst story has an interesting sidelight. "The brewery wanted me to do a lot of exhibitions, so we needed seven men for the team," Joe says. "So for the last spot, I sighned Dick Weber. He was a mailman form Indianapolis, and wasn't well-known. Then I got a call from Pat Patterson that they wanted Weber for the Budweisers. | Well, Dick wasn't going to bowl very much for us, so I mailed his contract back to him. And the rest is history."
The Pabst bowling team earned a lot of goodwill for its sponsor and won a collection of middle-range tournaments, but never captured one of the major tites. Joe's record was similar during these years. Though he added to his impressive list of sweepers and jackpots, the major titles eluded him. The closet he came was second place in the 1955 Masters, when Buzz Fazio nipped him by two pins.
Then, in 1961, the ABC Tournament started a Classic Division for pro bowlers. Joe had become a charter-member of the PBA, so he automatically rolled in the new division. He paired with Don Ellis to post 1331 in the Classic Doubles and claim his long awaited eagle. That was a year of decision for Joe. He was well-established in Chicago, but there were other opportunities -- the PBA Tour was starting to take off, and the National Bowling League looked promising. Meanwhile, AMF was after him to open a pro shop in Columbus, June's home town. Joe finally chose the last option, and never regretted it. After making the move, he continued bowling tournaments and doing exhibitions for AMF. But in 1963 he was involved in a serious auto accident. His right hand never fully healed, and Joe's competitive day's were over. |
He now poured his considerable energies into his business. The Joe Kristof Pro Shop was a trend-setter, one of the first to offer ball-resurfacing and to feature its own stub lane. Precision and personal service were stressed, reflecting Joe's belief that "a bowling grip should be as personal as a finger print." The shop drew customers from such far-flung places as Saudi Arabia, Japan, and Jamaica. When Bowlers Journal visited Joe's operation, they labeled it the "Palace Among Pro Shops."
So went Joe's life. He took care of business, raised his family, and bowled in leagues. In 1968 he was elected to the ABC Hall of Fame. Before he left the lanes he rolled in 40 ABC Tournaments. His lifetime average in the big show was a shade under 193, one of the better marks for 40-year men from his era. About a dozen years ago, the "palace" building developed a leaky roof, and the business was moved to its current Indianola Avenue location, not far from the Ohio State campus. Today the shop is run by Joe's son Karl -- the "4-year-old from the 3rd anniversary." Last February the Kristof's celebrated their Golden Anniversary, along with their three children, three grandchildren and some friends. Officially, Joe is retired. But he still comes in almost every day. Always known for speaking his mind, Joe is critical of modern scoring conditions. "The averages today are ridiculous," he declares, "The pins fly all around. It's not bowling anymore -- it's tiddly-winks!" Looking back on over 60 years in the game, he still thinks the best bowler he ever saw was Ned Day. All things considered, it has been a good run. "I always like the people and I always like the competition," Joe says. "I always liked the game. Where would I have been without it? Bowling has been my life. And it always will be." |
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