MyTen Pin Life
I have been involved in the World of Ten Pin Bowling since I was 8 years old!
The button below leads to Leominster Bowl
I have had a tremendous amount of fun working in the bowling industry. It started in 1953 when I was a pin boy in Murrayfield Indoor Sports Club in Edinburgh and the American RAF base at Kirknewton near Edinburgh.
The only breakdown in those days was when a pin boy failed to turn up for his shift. There was no automatic pinspotters and scoring was done on a piece of paper with a pencil. There was no oil on the lanes, the pins were not coated in plastic, and the bowling balls were all black manhattan rubber. There are many stories to tell but one in particular relates to a taxi driver named Ronnie Small, (a giant of a man who had a long backswing and an equally long follow through), He would roll the ball at great speed and flying pins had to be watched out for. If a pin boy was accidently hit with a stray pin, Ronnie would come down to the pit after his game and toss the boy a sixpence (2 and a 1/2 new pence. We were paid 1 shillings and ninepence (approx. 8 & 1/2 new pence) a lane per night, or 3 shillings and nine pence (approx. 17 & 1/2 new pence if you did a doubler (two lanes). We were only supposed to do one or perhaps two nights a week, so we needed securicor to take us home on paynights. This was a lot of money and we hired ourselves out to local pubs in the Edinburgh area that had skittle alleys. Names like The Sheeps Heid, The Hillburn, The Links Tavern and The Ship Inn. Here we were paid by the private party for the evening and if we did a good job we were usually given a bit extra. We either walked or cycled to and from the skittle alleys (as they were all known) in all weathers.
My first introduction to machines or (pinspotters as they became known) was the late 1950's or the early 1960's when I played at Hampden bowl in Glasgow, next it was at Murrayfield when we had Brunswick ones installed around 1968. I then progressed to AMF machines in Glenrothes and this is when the bug to maintain and install the equipment struck me. To be able to build these electro/mechanical marvels, wire them up and then make them work was so rewarding. In subsequent years I managed bowling centres in Murrayfield, Blackpool, and Ayr but the real thrill was to build the pinspotters, make them work, and then train the mechanics or (technicians) as they now like to be called.
I have been fortunate enough to ply my trade all over the U.K., North to Iceland, East to Europe, Russia and Siberia, South to many Middle East countries and West to Ireland including many countries in between.
Again many stories abound here. I have met some wonderful people and my wife presented me with a book on my fiftieth anniversary in bowling. This is a treasure trove of pictures and memories, some of the bowling centres have since gone and sadly several of the people I worked with (not for) have passed on to the alleys in the sky. I have seen tremendous evolvement in bowling pinspotters and the electronic scoring equipment and I like to think I have been able to give a lot back to the industry that I still get a buzz from.
The only breakdown in those days was when a pin boy failed to turn up for his shift. There was no automatic pinspotters and scoring was done on a piece of paper with a pencil. There was no oil on the lanes, the pins were not coated in plastic, and the bowling balls were all black manhattan rubber. There are many stories to tell but one in particular relates to a taxi driver named Ronnie Small, (a giant of a man who had a long backswing and an equally long follow through), He would roll the ball at great speed and flying pins had to be watched out for. If a pin boy was accidently hit with a stray pin, Ronnie would come down to the pit after his game and toss the boy a sixpence (2 and a 1/2 new pence. We were paid 1 shillings and ninepence (approx. 8 & 1/2 new pence) a lane per night, or 3 shillings and nine pence (approx. 17 & 1/2 new pence if you did a doubler (two lanes). We were only supposed to do one or perhaps two nights a week, so we needed securicor to take us home on paynights. This was a lot of money and we hired ourselves out to local pubs in the Edinburgh area that had skittle alleys. Names like The Sheeps Heid, The Hillburn, The Links Tavern and The Ship Inn. Here we were paid by the private party for the evening and if we did a good job we were usually given a bit extra. We either walked or cycled to and from the skittle alleys (as they were all known) in all weathers.
My first introduction to machines or (pinspotters as they became known) was the late 1950's or the early 1960's when I played at Hampden bowl in Glasgow, next it was at Murrayfield when we had Brunswick ones installed around 1968. I then progressed to AMF machines in Glenrothes and this is when the bug to maintain and install the equipment struck me. To be able to build these electro/mechanical marvels, wire them up and then make them work was so rewarding. In subsequent years I managed bowling centres in Murrayfield, Blackpool, and Ayr but the real thrill was to build the pinspotters, make them work, and then train the mechanics or (technicians) as they now like to be called.
I have been fortunate enough to ply my trade all over the U.K., North to Iceland, East to Europe, Russia and Siberia, South to many Middle East countries and West to Ireland including many countries in between.
Again many stories abound here. I have met some wonderful people and my wife presented me with a book on my fiftieth anniversary in bowling. This is a treasure trove of pictures and memories, some of the bowling centres have since gone and sadly several of the people I worked with (not for) have passed on to the alleys in the sky. I have seen tremendous evolvement in bowling pinspotters and the electronic scoring equipment and I like to think I have been able to give a lot back to the industry that I still get a buzz from.
Here is a little bit of information about my bowling journeys. I have worked in many countries in the world over the last 25 years and I have made many friends. There are lots of stories to tell and I do not want to bore you, but here are a couple of them to start with. I was working in the middle east, (an area I love to work in), it was just before Christmas and I was working on my own trying to complete the job when the Crown Prince came in and asked when I was leaving, I said the 23rd.December, he then asked if everything was going to be working ok and I replied "I hope so" He looked at me and said "remember I still have your passport". Needless to say I got my flight. Phew. !!!
Another job in another country and I was installing equipment, unpacking it, moving it into place, fitting it, wiring it up and testing it. On my own, which was the norm, some locals saw me and started to unpack the equipment and take away the packaging. Clearing up was always my last job of the day and it often took some time. So in my limited Arabic from my phrase book, and hand signals, I managed to get them to place the equipment where I needed it, unpack it and remove the waste. I thought great I have cracked it. When I left the building that evening to return to my hotel, I passed makeshift shelters made from the cardboard, tape, plastic and metal banding that had been round the equipment I had installed. This was now their shelter from the wind and cold evening. Quite humbling. !!!
One more, oh, all right then. Every morning I would go on to the site, which had no fixed windows or doors, and I would ask the local man who acted as the security guard, to make tea (in Arabic of course). He would scuttle away and return with a hot drink of tea !!!. One day I went on site and said "I will make the tea", off I went and returned with the tea and he took it but his head was bowed low. I asked the local Arab that I was training, what was wrong, and he told me that Ahmed thought I did not like his tea, and that was why I had made it. I explained that I was trying to show him that I was no better than him and I should take a turn to make the tea. I knelt down and pretended to kiss his feet in apology, he roared with laughter, shouting Mr.Laurie, Mr.Laurie. A close call but all ended well. After a couple of weeks when I finished the job, I gave him some local currency, equivalent to £ 3 sterling, as a thank you for looking after my tools and the tea, he hugged me and was crying, I found out later at the airport, that I had given him almost a months wage.
Sadly Coronavirus stopped a lot of my visits to bowling centres in person , however I have been able to maintain contact by telephone and I have been able to help this way.Not the same as in person but great to keep in touch.
On February 17th.2022, I received a telephone call from a special friend ,nicknamed
"THE BEST DRESSED CHIEF MECHANIC" , Ross Gibson. He advised me I had been inducted into the UK World of Tenpin Hall of Fame. I was absolutely stunned, honoured , thrilled, quite emotional, and humbled at being considered for such an honour by the peers in the bowling industry. Thankyou is not enough to convey my feelings and recognition for doing something I love is a huge bonus.
Another job in another country and I was installing equipment, unpacking it, moving it into place, fitting it, wiring it up and testing it. On my own, which was the norm, some locals saw me and started to unpack the equipment and take away the packaging. Clearing up was always my last job of the day and it often took some time. So in my limited Arabic from my phrase book, and hand signals, I managed to get them to place the equipment where I needed it, unpack it and remove the waste. I thought great I have cracked it. When I left the building that evening to return to my hotel, I passed makeshift shelters made from the cardboard, tape, plastic and metal banding that had been round the equipment I had installed. This was now their shelter from the wind and cold evening. Quite humbling. !!!
One more, oh, all right then. Every morning I would go on to the site, which had no fixed windows or doors, and I would ask the local man who acted as the security guard, to make tea (in Arabic of course). He would scuttle away and return with a hot drink of tea !!!. One day I went on site and said "I will make the tea", off I went and returned with the tea and he took it but his head was bowed low. I asked the local Arab that I was training, what was wrong, and he told me that Ahmed thought I did not like his tea, and that was why I had made it. I explained that I was trying to show him that I was no better than him and I should take a turn to make the tea. I knelt down and pretended to kiss his feet in apology, he roared with laughter, shouting Mr.Laurie, Mr.Laurie. A close call but all ended well. After a couple of weeks when I finished the job, I gave him some local currency, equivalent to £ 3 sterling, as a thank you for looking after my tools and the tea, he hugged me and was crying, I found out later at the airport, that I had given him almost a months wage.
Sadly Coronavirus stopped a lot of my visits to bowling centres in person , however I have been able to maintain contact by telephone and I have been able to help this way.Not the same as in person but great to keep in touch.
On February 17th.2022, I received a telephone call from a special friend ,nicknamed
"THE BEST DRESSED CHIEF MECHANIC" , Ross Gibson. He advised me I had been inducted into the UK World of Tenpin Hall of Fame. I was absolutely stunned, honoured , thrilled, quite emotional, and humbled at being considered for such an honour by the peers in the bowling industry. Thankyou is not enough to convey my feelings and recognition for doing something I love is a huge bonus.