THE WRIGHT WAY / Don Wright

January 2000

A look back, a look ahead;
Oh, those pro wrestling fans!

Well, 1999 has come and gone, and I decided that I would do a column on everything that has happened to me since 1938 and throughout the last millennium.

Just kidding! But, in all honesty, I won’t see as much in this one as I saw in the last one, and it was a heck of time. The good times far outweighed the bad, and the happy times far outdid the sad. I guess it’s supposed to be that way, and as I get older I realize more and more about what’s important and what isn’t.

Here are a few things that were important to me during the 61 years I spent in the last millennium, and they are not in any particular order:

• Bowling, or doing anything with my Dad for the 14 years I had him.

• Working as a pinboy.

• Bowling or doing anything with my children and grandchildren.

• Representing Texas and bowling in the National Family Tournament in Washington, D.C. with my son in 1981.

• Taking my son to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

• Meeting Dick Weber, Bill Lillard, and Ernie Schlegel.

• Attending my first ABC Hall of Fame induction and having the opportunity to meet with some of the greatest professionals in our sport.

• Bowling my first 700 series in the ABC Tournament in Tulsa in 1993 after nearly 50 years of bowling. (Jowdy would tell me it was the equipment and conditions, but I don’t care!)

• Covering Billy Welu’s induction into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame and Museum.

• Knowing Mike Scroggins—a true gentleman in our sport.

• Founding the Killeen-Fort Hood Bowling Association Hall of Fame.

• Bowling friends.

• Bowling with my Sweetie for 38 years.
  
  

Here are a few things I hope for in the new millennium:

• Pete Weber gets back in top form.

• A good television contract for bowling. I don’t care which network, just consistent, on-time programming.

• Professional team bowling.

• Meeting Nikki Gianulias and Leanne Barrette—in my humble opinion, two of the finest bowlers and classiest sportswomen in the game.

• My grandson meets Dick Weber.

• Bowl a 300 game and 800 series. (Yeah, yeah, Jowdy, I know!)

• 38 more years of bowling with my Sweetie.
  
  

* * * *

I have received a lot of E-mail regarding my column in which I stated that bowling should disassociate itself from "professional" wrestling. The majority of the mail agreed with me, but I did have some folks who thought I should be body-slammed. Once I got through their misspelled words, profanity, and quaint sayings about me and my heritage, I had a better feel for the wrestling audience.

But, the bottom line is that Coca-Cola pulled its ads from wrestling, as did the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The decision of these high-dollar giants was spurred in part by consumer groups’ complaints about the show’s violent and sexual nature.

The Army would have spent $1.6 million of its $10 million annual advertising budget.

I guess I am not the only one who thinks wrestling has crossed the line.

See you on the lanes.

Don Wright is a member of the Bowling Writers Association of America. Visit his web site.