Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Owner McDaniel Does His Thing, Bowling, At Kim Bowl
Pro bowler Greg McDaniel , owner of Kim Bowl, strikes a pose behind Lane 6 at the venerable bowling establishment.
Kim Bowl Tuesday morning league bowler Bev Wilson has bowled every season since 1957. This year will be her 59th year of attending the state bowling convention. At 86, Wilson still carries an impressive 150 average. In her prime, she averaged 183, but shoulder and knee problems have recently plagued her. Wilson is a perfect example of how bowling is a lifelong sport.
The Dalles, Ore., is a world away from Kimball, but professional bowler Greg McDaniel made the move from there to Kimball.
In August 2015, McDaniel purchased the local bowling alley, the Kim Bowl. He has spruced up the bowling alley by re-carpeting, painting, refurbishing the lockers and updating the mechanics.
"They are," he said, "still in the process of updating."
The eight lanes support five nights of league bowling, while Friday and Saturday afternoon and evening are open to the public.
McDaniels brags on his league bowlers
"For a small community, we have a very high percentage of good league bowlers," he said. "There are 12 men in Kimball averaging 200 or above. That is very good for this size of town.
"Dozens of bowlers in Kimball have had 300 games and 800 series, which is recognized as a personal achievement in bowling circles.
McDaniel bowled on the PBA Tour when he was younger, but circumstances only allowed him to compete for two years.
"So, as I got closer to 50, we bought this bowling alley for the recreational bowlers and for myself to practice for the senior bowling tour," he said.
The Kim Bowl building was constructed in 1956, and in 1958 the machines to set the pins went in. Those machines are still being used today.
"The Brunswick setting machines are excellent and are still supported," he said. "Brunswick still has schools to learn how to work on these machines."
The automated scoring machines have been in place for 18 years.
"We had hoped to be able to update the scoring system, but a new system would be about $40,000," he said. "We just don't have the revenue for that kind of improvement."
But McDaniel got the next best thing. A bowling center in Ohio updated their 24 lanes of scoring, and he purchased the old system that was compatible with the Kim Bowl's system. With 19 years of experience in the industry, McDaniel takes care of all the maintenance issues on the machines and alleys himself.
Kim Bowl has a concession area with a full menu and is hosting a graduation party this spring.
In June, McDaniel will head to California and Las Vegas to participate in the senior division of the PBA Tour. The tour includes USBC Senior Masters and the Sun Coast PBA Senior U.S. Open.
Then it's back home to the Kim Bowl.
"I love bowling," he said. "That's why I bought this place."
