
DATE: Sunday, May 4, 1997                   TAG: 9705020232

SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER      PAGE: 20   EDITION: FINAL 

COLUMN: AROUND THE ALLEYWAYS 

SOURCE: Paul White 

                                            LENGTH:  111 lines

FATHER AND DAUGHTER INDUCTED TO DUCKPIN HALL

GIVEN HIS daughter's credentials, George ``Buddy'' Spindler figured it would be easier to pass a duckpin through the eye of a needle than to leave Kathy Lischio out of the National Duckpin Bowling Congress Hall of Fame.

But that didn't stop him from worrying.

``I couldn't sleep at all the night before the announcement,'' said Spindler, the man who 32 years ago put the first ball in Lischio's hands at Portsmouth's Collingwood Lanes. ``I wanted it to happen so bad.''

Lischio put her father's anxiety to rest April 26, when she phoned from her North Kingston, R.I., home to say that yes, she was indeed to be inducted into the Hall.

``Oh, and by the way,'' Lischio added, ``You're being inducted, too.''

Seems nobody bothered to tell him he was even being nominated.

``Surprised? You better believe it,'' Spindler said. ``It's one of the best things that ever happened to me.''

The official ceremony came Friday in Richmond, where the NBDC feted Spindler and Lischio as the first father and daughter to be jointly inducted in their Hall's 37-year history.

``I'm overwhelmed,'' said Lischio, who was one of the three people to nominate her 71-year-old father. ``And the fact that we're going in together makes it that much more special.''

Although Spindler's bowling resume - which dates back to the 1940s - includes the top ranking in Portsmouth for nearly 20 years, the area's first 200 game (209 in 1950) and numerous Virginia State, National and Virginia Men's Pro Tour titles, he freely admits to being only the second-most accomplished bowler in the family.

At age 12, Lischio broke the national bantam record with a 468 series. Five years later, she set a women's world record for a 15-game series (2,222) and then eclipsed the world 10-game (1,508) record the following year.

``Now Kathy, she was really something,'' Spindler said.

So dedicated to the sport was the young Lischio that, although 5-foot-11, she declined several invitations to join the Western Branch High School basketball team for fear of an injury to her hand. Instead, Lischio showed her school spirit by zipping herself into a furry Bruin costume and becoming one of the school's first mascots.

The top-ranked duckpin bowler in this area from 1977-1990, Lischio was ranked No. 1 in the nation in the 1989-90 season and No. 2 five other years.

``I think a lot of my talent was natural, a gift, really,'' said Lischio, 37, who gave up competitive bowling a few years ago but still coaches three youth leagues in Rhode Island. ``Plus, I got so much enjoyment out of it. I just loved participating.''

Despite Spindler's accomplishments on the lanes, he said his biggest love was baseball. He pitched and played third base at Wilson High and also for an Army team shortly after World War II. He then accepted an invitation from Portsmouth Cubs owner Frank Lawrence to play professional ball. Hopewell, Americus, Ga.; Edenton, N.C.; and Jacksonville, Fla., were among his stops during a six-year minor-league career.

``I hit a little over .300 every year I played,'' he said.

In 1972, he participated in the first Oldtimers Game at Met Park for former professional players in the area. The special guest pitcher for his team - Cleveland Indians great Bob Feller.

Spindler was also an outstanding softball player, earning MVP honors in the fast-pitch league at Portsmouth's Wythe Street Field in 1951 and 1955.

Horse racing was another Spindler passion. He owned 25 thoroughbreds from 1965 to 1981.

Significant health problems - lung cancer, colon cancer, a double hernia operation - haven't stopped Spindler's active lifestyle; just modified it somewhat. He still plays golf three times a week, maintains a part-time job as a courier.

``The good Lord's been good to me, podner,'' Spindler said. ``And I'm still going.''

BOWLER OF THE WEEK: Charlesetta Weaver of the Friday Misfits League nearly doubled her average of 147 when she rolled a 288 at Pinboys at the Beach.

TENPIN TIDBITS: Richard Hoover rolled the high game (256) and high series (657) in the Senior Citizens League at Pinboys Chesapeake. Herman Sutton was second in both categories with a 232 and a 638. ... At Princess Anne Suburban, Robert Pope rolled a 231-248-244-723 and Brian Bapties rolled a 235-257-217-709. ... Tim Sook led Intensity to a first-place roll-off victory over Legends in the Saturday morning Junior-Major-Senior league with a 265. In the Tuesday Men's Commercial League, Sean Johnson had a high game of 286 and John Confalcone had a high series of 736. In Wednesday Night Mixed action, Marsha Fink had high games of 217 and 203 and the high series of 566. MEMO: Editor's note: Next week will be the last regular bowling column.

Later in the month the All-Metro bowling teams will be announced.

Bowling centers are asked to fax scores by noon on Wednesday. Our fax

number is 533-9004. ILLUSTRATION: Photo

George ``Buddy'' Spindler

Kathy Lischio

Graphic

AREA INDUCTEES TO THE NATIONAL DUCKPIN HALL OF FAME

Portsmouth's George ``Buddy'' Spindler and his daughter, Kathy

Lischio, a Portsmouth native living in Rhode Island, are the eighth

and ninth South Hampton Roads natives inducted into the National

Duckpin Bowling Congress Hall of Fame. They are the first from the

area to receive the honor since 1969. The local inductees, with