As they walked through the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame during its grand opening in Arlington, Texas, in early 2010, Jim Goodwin, John Sommer, and a few others immediately noticed that something important was missing. It didn't take long to figure it out. There was nothing there to honor the long legacy of professional women bowlers. On June 29, 2011 as part of The Night at the Campus event during International Bowl Expo, 50 Years of Women's Pro Bowling was unveiled to the world.
Thanks to a new format and return to the industry's largest venue, the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame's major fund-raising event for 2013 could be the best ever. The 24th edition of Salute to Bowling will be held June 26 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Paris Hotel and Casino as part of International Bowl Expo in Las Vegas. It will feature a theme of "Go for the Gold" as it continues its goal to help fund IBMHOF operations.
With the grand opening of the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame's first satellite museum at the National Bowling Stadium, more than 5,000 years of bowling history has rolled into Reno. The IBMHOF teamed up with the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority to bring this exhibit to The Biggest Little City in the World. The new museum is an extension of the IBMHOF, which is located at the International Bowling Campus in Arlington, Texas.
The International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame is again giving the voting power to fans across the world to decide the 2012 inductees into its Celebrity Hall of Fame. This year's lineup of nominees features musicians, professional athletes, media personalities and movie stars who share a common passion - an enthusiasm for the great sport of bowling. Throughout the month of March, fans can vote daily at gobowling.com in a bracket-style competition that pits star against star.
When bowlers, guests, and event staff arrive in Las Vegas May 31 for the first annual Hall of Fame Xtravaganza, they will experience one of the world's premier hotel and casino resort destinations, the fabulous Red Rock Resort. The AAA Four Diamond property, one of Las Vegas' premier off strip luxury resorts located 10 miles west of the Strip; and Red Rock Lanes, home of the annual PBA Tournament of Champions, is a state-of-the-art world class center; as good as it gets anywhere in the world.
Thanks to the work of one artist and the generosity of one bidder, the 2012 Salute to Bowling proved most fruitful to the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame. The 23rd Salute was held Jan. 23 during the 2012 BPAA Bowling Summit at the Meritage Resort in Napa Valley, Calif. It featured free admission courtesy of joint presenters Brunswick and Qubica/AMF, a wine and cheese party, cocktails and beverage, 50/50 raffle and silent and live auctions of items donated for the event. Overall, the evening raised nearly $30,000 for the IBMHOF.
While the first year of the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame (IBM/HF) attracted individuals, friends and families from around the world, a good number of North Texans visited the facility in groups. Through the efforts of Group Tour Coordinator/Gift Shop Manager Anna Murphy and International Bowling Campus Director of Corporate Events and Sales Derrick Rippatoe, an increasing number of school, youth, religious and senior groups have made their way to the IBM/HF.
The long and colorful history of women's professional bowling will come to life next year with the unveiling of a new exhibit at the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame in Arlington, Texas. Called "50 Years of Women's Professional Bowling," the exhibit is expected to open in June during International Bowl Expo and United States Bowling Congress Convention. It will feature the players of the Ladies Pro Bowlers Tour and Professional Women's Bowling Association.
Kelli Briscoe, an avid historian with extensive museum and journalistic skills, is the new curator of the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame (IBM/HF). Briscoe, who in May earned a Master of Arts degree in ancient/medieval history from Southern Methodist University, started in her new position Oct. 18. Among Briscoe's goals are to centralize the IBM/HF's artifacts, create
temporary exhibits and help promote the facility to families and youth
both in and out of the Dallas-Fort Worth area.