Basement Attracts Recreation-Lovers
Eight Bowling Alleys
Draw Top Crowds
Probably one of the most popu
Jar places in the entire Student
Union building is the recreation
center in the basement.
In fact, business in this area
during the first two weeks exceed
ed that anticipated for the whole
term, Louis Bellisimo, recreation
.manager reported.
Facilities include eight lanes for
bowling, pool and billiard tables,
■ping-pong tables, and a four-chair
barber shop.
Bowling Center
The center of recreation is the
bowling alley, in use from 9 a.m.
to 10:30 p.m. Sunday through
Thursday, and from 9 to 12:30 a.m.
Friday and Saturday.
Brunswick-Balke-Collender com
pany supplied the entire list of
facilities, including the lockers and
«a “Brunscometer,” the gadget that
determines finger sizes for bowling
balls.
The ultra-modern facilities in
clude, for example, semi-automatic
pin carriages. Work of the pin set
ter is limited to merely placing the
pins in the carriages and pulling
a cord that lowers and releases
them.
‘■Range Finders”
Located on each of the eight(
lanes is a series of iblack marks,
■called ‘‘range finders." These are
guides for the bowlers that com
pare with the sights on a gun.
Many ‘‘spot’’ bowlers use these
range finders for sighting their
target rather than keeping their;
eyes on the pins. I
The lanes are constructed of
maple at the front and hack and of
pine in the middle. The hard wood,
assures protection against bound
ing and flying pins, Bellisimo ex
plained.
Another feature of the SU bowl
ing alley is the automatic eye;
called “Tel-o-foul” which switches1
on a light and rings a buzzer when,
a bowler steps over the foul line.
Experience Not Necessary
Experienced bowlers are not the
sole patrons of the alley. Time has:
Just Pull a Cord,
Pins Are Standing
A pin setter's life isn't so bad!
Ask any one of the pin boys
■working at the bowling alleys in
the basement of the Student Union.
First reviewing the actual job,
of setting the pins—all the pin set-’
tors have to do is pull a cord and,
the semi-automatic carriage filled
with the “ten pins’’ lowers to the1
Alley, releases the pins, and then
^goes back into its original position.
Since pin setters do not have to
cope with the problem of lowering
and raising the carriage, it is un
likely that they will be hit by an
over-enthusiastic bowler, Louis
Bellisimo recreation manager poin
ted out.
The “pin boys" have their own
rooms for studying when activity,
on the alleys is slow. Here are
aofas, tables, and chairs, plus spe
cial lockers and restroom facilities
tor their use.
Ten free lines of bowling are of
terred weekly in the Student Union
to the highest scorers for both men
ond women. i \
A novel feature of the SU bowl
ing alley', the “Tel-e-foul," switches
r>u a light and rings a buzzer when
the bowler steps over the foul line.
■ been set aside when students who
either want to learn the game or
improve it may have an opportun
ity, to play.
Bellisimo can usually be found
around the area, offering pointers
. and practical demonstration to
those who want it. For bowlers
desiring extensive lessons, there
has been a cost program set up on
the basis of eight lines an hour.
Shoes Sterilized
Bowling classes under PE 190
are also offered daily during the
week from 9-11 a.m. Intra-mural
: bowling League teams will also be.
using the lanes.
Other facilities include locker
space and a sterilization treatment
for bowling shoes. The lockers, 55
of them, are located in two special
rooms and are available to any
student.
Bowling shoes are sterilized af
ter use by an instrument known as
the Whittaker “Ultra Violet Spe
cialties Germicidal and Therapeau
tic Lamp.” This ultra-lamp, as it is
more commonly called, is designed
to accommodate two shoes that are
exposed to ultra-violet rays by the
push of a button.
Nucleus for the recreation area
is the desk by the billiards section.
From that desk, a single touch-but
ton board controls the entire elec
trical hook-up of the SU basement.
In the concession department,
the desk sells candy, cigarettes,
and books on bowling, billiards,
and pool. Students may also pur
chase their own bowling balls at
the desk.
—Courtesy The Oregonian
BILLIARD ENTHUSIASTS find top facilities in the basement rec
reation area, one of the most constantly busy centers of the Student
Union. Bowling and table tennis are also offered.
Cue Sharks Find Ideal Haunt
For those who would rather re
lax by playing with something
smaller than a bowling ball, pool
and ping-pong tables are also avail
able in the SU recreation area.
Facilities for cue-sharks include
tables for billiards, pocket billiards,
and snooker, that compare favor
ably with any in the state. There
are six pool tables, three for bil
liards, and one for snooker.
All are Brunswick Centennial
tables costing approximately $1,
200 each. They are brushed and
vacuumed daily with a machine
designed especially for the purpose.
—Courtesy The Oregonian
A FOUR-CHAIR barber shop serves students in the Student Union
basement. Leo Deffenbacher leased this center, after owning his own
tonsorial parlor on the campus for 25 years.
i Cues are sanded daily and fresh
chalk supplied.
The tables are individually light
ed in addition to regular room
lighting. Other assets of the pool
section include air-conditioning and
asphalt flooring.
Seven tables are provided in the
ping-pong room for table-tennis
enthusiasts. Paddles and balls are
available to competitors at a rate
of 15 cents an hour.
Louis Bellisimo
Directs Games
in SU Basement
By Jack Faust
The "man to see” whenever any
thing goes wrong in the Student
Union recreation, area is genial
Louis Bellisimo, the short, dark
haired director of the section.
There was a time when Bellisimo
used to bowl 100 games a week,
but the .iob of organizing and su
pervising the SU basement hasn’t
allowed him to bowl that much
since he came to the University.
Bellisimo was bom 43 years ago
in Johnsonburg, Pa., but grew up
in Los Angeles. He bowled there
for 22 years, during which time he
gained prominence in bowling cir
cles and became friends with such
world-famed pin-busters as Ned
Day and Andy Varipapa. ^
During his- lengthy career^Bel
lisimo has rolled four “300” games,
and regularly averaged over 200.
When asked about the present
state of his game, he 3aid, "A 200
average requires the bowler to roll
at least 10 games a day. I’m just
now getting back in shape.”
Bellisimo considers the most a
musing experience he has had at
the SU to be the complaint of a nov
ice bowler. When the young man
loudly protested that the alleys
weren’t level, Lou had to reassure
him that it was possible they were
n’t—but by no more than 1/25 of
an inch.
AS MODERN
as the
BUILDING ITSELF
Furnished by ^
MASON SUPPLY CO.
PORTLAND
OREGON
Success to the Erb Memorial
We are happy to have had a part in your beautiful
building in furnishing the ornamental aluminum
and bronze doors, frames, rails, collets and grilles.
OREGON BRASS WORKS
Portland, Oregon