For over a century, Chillicothe and bowling went together like baseball, hot dogs, and apple pie. The sport’s popularity soared in the second half of the 20th century and became an integral part of Chillicothe’s social scene.
    Bowling rolled into the 1900s with Bill Kreig and Alex Lakis each running their own Ten-pin two lane bowling establishments in the downtown business district. There also was a Duckpin bowling alley at one time.
    It was not until 1940, when Lewis Barker opened Barker’s Bowling Palace, a 4-lane bowling alley at the corner of 4th and Maple, that Chillicothe bowling would hit the fast lane.
    Joe Augustine bowled the first perfect game in Chillicothe at Barker’s on Nov. 22, 1941. Lewis Barker rewarded Mr. Augustine with a new bowling ball, bag, and bowling shoes. Cory Smith, Augustine’s grandson, is pictured with the ball that Joe won that night in 1941. “I remember finding the ball in a closet when my grandmother passed away in 1999. I wanted to make sure it did not get thrown away, so I hung on to it.” Says Smith. The 300 was Augustine’s first game of a 703 series, which also included a 211 and 192.
    Technology lifted bowling out of the gutter in Chillicothe to even greater heights in 1961, when Mel Dierdorff and Barney McWilliams opened the Chilli Bowl featuring twelve lanes with automatic pin spotters. On Nov. 8, 1962, Richard “Dick” Smith of Chillicothe, son in-law of Joe Augustine, would bowl the first 700 series in Chilli Bowl history while bowling with his dad, Van Smith, brothers Bob and Russell, and brother in-law Walt Giugler. Dick had games of 268-231-214 for a 713 series.
    Dick Schaefer, in 1964 narrowly missed perfection at the Chilli Bowl, when his final throw left the 1-2-4-7 pins standing. Schaefer ended with a 296, a new high for the alley, but ironically enough his team would lose the match by two pins.
    Chillicothe native Randy Phillips, bowling on April 6, 1986, against longtime friend and fellow Chillicothean and Peoria Bowling Hall of Famer Rob Johnson, bowled his elusive 300 game at Mt. Hawley Bowl in Peoria. The two 21-year-old bowlers at the time, had been bowling together and against each other for the past 14 years. Phillips would say after the feat, that it was Johnson’s 799 series in March that would inspire him to bowl his perfect game. The Chilli Bowl would not give up its first 300 until Sept. 30th, 1986. Johnson would get his own inspiration from Phillips accomplishments months earlier. While bowling on lanes 3 & 4 that evening with his teammates—Ron Gotch, Rollie Hayward, Bob Story, and John Hammer—he finally bowled his own 300. Rob rolled a total of three perfect games at Chilli Bowl and twenty-one overall in his career. His career high series was a phenomenal 876, with games of 279-298-299. Johnson would later turn pro in 1987 for a brief stint on the tour.
    Sadly, bowling in Chillicothe has slid into the gutter of history. After 53 years in operation, Chilli Bowl closed its doors in 2014. After its closing, Johnson was able to get and preserve as a keepsake the pin deck from alley three the night he made history. The doors are forever closed, but the memories will live on.

 

 Rob Johnson

Cory Smith