Bumstead Bumbles His Way Into Detroit's Hall of Fame - bowling - Abstract

HE DIDN'T SHOW UP FOR his induction into the Detroit Bowling Hall of Fame, but after all, how could he have? Dagwood Bumstead is only real in the comic pages. Whether he's flesh and blood or just the ink drawings of artist Dean Young, in the eyes of the hall of fame election committee Dagwood, along with Young, deserved a combined spot as its first honorary members.

They were joined as new inductees on November 5 by Carmeletha Allen, Marilyn Frederick, David Bernhardt, Mark Voight, Joe Norris, and Warren Teubert, bringing the total membership to 182.

George Prybyla, former proprietor of the 94-lane Thunderbowl Lanes and a member of the hall, was the force behind the move to honor the often-bumbling, but bowling-loving, Bumstead. He cited the character from "Blondie," originally created by Dean Young's father Chic, as being worthy of such a designation because of the attention it brings to bowling. Young even coordinated the induction with a storyline in which Dagwood bowls a 300 at a tournament in Detroit.

"Blondie" celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2000. The strip began in 1930, just before Detroit's elite All-Star Classic League formed, and is read by 290 million readers around the world.

Proprietor Voight was presented with the Judge John D. Watts Award, and Norris, the all-time ABC tournament pin-fall leader, was given the Thomas McKay Award for lifetime service to the sport.

COPYRIGHT 2001 Century Publishing
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group