Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 18, 1993 TAG: 9303180465
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: KAREN L. DAVIS SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS[
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
SENIORS BOWLING LEAGUE NOT JUST FUN
Thelma Manning began bowling in 1985, about the same time the Goodtimers Senior Citizens' League was forming at All-Star Lanes on Melrose Avenue.With a laugh and a smile, Manning recalls how she "got volunteered" to help with the league.
It turned out to be one of those proverbial matches made in heaven. Manning became the league's secretary, and the Goodtimers league became "the largest senior group I've ever worked with and definitely the best organized," said All-Star manager, Kevin Godsey.
Every Thursday at 1 p.m., 144 senior bowlers on 36 teams fill up the 36 lanes at All-Star Lanes.
Manning keeps the books for the league and won't accept a penny for her trouble. Ordinarily, a league secretary is paid 50 to 65 cents per person, but Manning waives that fee.
"My wants are few. I just don't need it," she said.
To show their appreciation, league members planned a surprise potluck luncheon in Manning's honor at the bowling alley March 11.
Bunny Kinsey, who's been bowling with the league for four years, organized "Thelma Day" with the help of Edna Spencer and others.
"Thelma doesn't take any money for all the work she does for the league, and we felt we needed to do something nice for her," Kinsey said.
"She sends out get-well cards, remembers everybody's birthdays, brings paper goods for refreshments and uses her own money to do all of this," Spencer said. "She organizes field trips and tries to make it compatible for the people sharing rooms. We can't praise her enough for what she does."
Recently, Manning organized two busloads of senior citizens en route to a Virginia State Seniors Tournament in Chantilly.
Why does she do it?
"I have no children except these people here," Manning said.
"My husband says the only reason I took this job was so I could tell people what to do," she jokes.
Her husband, Raymond, doesn't bowl. "He doesn't think he's old enough," she said.
Manning, who will be 80 in November, retired from Norfolk and Western Railway in 1978 as a chief station accountant. She began her career with NW in 1942 as a stenographer.
She took up bowling after retirement because, "I didn`t have anything to do, and I got tired of working at home.
"The reason for this league," Manning said, "is because old people sit at home and stare at four walls and die. This is more than just bowling; it's meeting people and socializing. I'm doing this to keep from growing old.
"Some days you wake up feeling awful. Everything aches. But if you just get out and do something, come out here and bowl, you'll feel better. You gotta keep active to keep from getting old," Manning said.
Her philosophy is shared by other league members, who must be 55 or older.
Louise M. Spicer, 74, bowls three times a week, goes to the national tournaments and works as a private-duty nurse. In the summer, she takes a break from bowling to play and teach golf.
"Thelma is a great organizer," Spicer said. "She tries to make everybody on the league happy. She tries to get in touch with team captains about cancellations and different things that come up. She takes a real interest in her work."
"She's marvelous," said Nancy Montgomery, who recently attained senior status by turning 55. "Thelma knows everybody's name when they come through the door. She knows the lane they'll be bowling on. She even knows where they work and some of their kin."
Ruth Mercer, 62, who began bowling "to have something to do" after her husband passed away, said, "Thelma makes you feel like you're special. She remembers things about you."
Manning's work won't end when the winter league season ends in May. She'll be working with a summer league through August. She's also helping build up another seniors league that bowls at All-Star on Tuesdays at 12:30 p.m.
But despite all that time spent at the bowling alley, "I can't bowl worth a continental," she claims.
She maintains a 114 average. Her top game, however, was 245 out of a possible 300. But that game didn't count, she said, because it was open bowling, not with a league.