Irving's Hall of Fame Induction Set for Today

BETTIE IRVING will be inducted Sunday as the 25th member
of the Tulsa Women's Bowling Association Hall of Fame. The
induction will take place at the association's annual open
meeting at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Camelot Hotel, 4956 S. Peoria
Ave.
Also on the agenda for the meeting will be the election
of officers and directors of the TWBA, election of national
and state delegates, awarding of prizes for the recently
concluded city tournament, and the awarding of prize checks
for the Tulsa WBA 600 Club Sweeper.
Irving, who was elected to the Hall of Fame during a recent
meeting of the TWBA directors, didn't take up bowling until
she moved to Tulsa in 1957. She took up the sport at the
urging of her husband Bob, who is now retired after 27 1/2
years with American Airlines.
She was born in Hiawatha, Kan., but moved with her family
to Kansas City at a tender age and lived there until coming
to Tulsa.
Irving's list of bowling achievements is a long, proud one.
She won the city Class A doubles championship in 1969; in
1976, she was on the city championship team, the state championship
team, and won the Riverlanes Classic singles title; in 1974,
she won the Yale Bowl Doubles Elimination crown.
She was named to the All-City team in 1969-71 and '73-74,
the second team in 1976, and was an honorable mention selection
in 1972, '77, '80 and '81. She was Bowler of the Week 11
times from 1964-76.
Irving has bowled in 13 WIBC national tournaments, and cashed
in several. She has finished in the top 10 in numerous state,
local and area tournaments.
From a service standpoint, Irving served on the TWBA board
of directors for eight years, and has been chairman of the
nominating, city tournament, legislative, finance and budget,
and yearbook committees. She served as a delegate to the
WIBC national conventions five years and to the state convention
four years. She has coordinated leagues and taught bowling
for Yale Bowl, Tiffany Bowl, Timber Lanes and Cedar Lanes.
She is currently employed in the grill room at Cedar Lanes,
and has been since the center opened in 1982. Brenda Marshall,
her employer, says, "Bettie has done everything you can
do at a bowling center, except fix the pin-setting machinery,
and she can probably do that, too."
Of her election, Irving says, "It came as a complete shock
to me. I didn't even know I was being considered, and then
one morning Brenda told me I'd been elected.
"When you think of all the others who are in the Hall of
Fame, it's quite an honor to be ranked with them."
Charter members of the TWBA Hall of Fame are Nibs Banks,
Pauline Elkins, Virginia Fenrich, Helen Fitch, Lillian McKeever,
Lois Owens, Mildred Gibson, Louise Martin, Martha Lou Parker
and Betty Widmar.
Added through the years have been Lorna Briggs, Ella Dunbar,
Bernice Glynn, Lova Bedwell, Bea Kinnear, Liz Poshek, Jeanie
Riner, Charlene Couch, Tick Young, Nila Gilmore, Doris Stone,
Nanci Johnson, Donna Zuniga and Pat Navel.
Irving remembers her first bowling league - a daytime league
at Harvard Lanes (now defunct). She remembers how she watched
in awe as the Ladies Majors, including all the city's top
women bowlers, bowled at that house.
She recalls how she was on the TWBA board, when the bid
was presented at Rochester to bring the WIBC tournament
and convention to Tulsa. "We had to give a little skit
up there to make our presentation. It was a lot of fun,"
she recalled.
Bettie and Bob Irving have three daughters and a son. One
daughter, Sue Lee, works at Tiffany Bowl; another, Judy
Irving, works here for American Airlines; and a third, Sheryl
Shuck, lives in Lufkin, Texas. The son, Ed, live in Glenpool....
Mark Francisco included a perfect game in his 812 series
in the Spare Timers League at Tiffany Bowl Wednesday night.
It was the season's highest score reported to the World,
eclipsing the 807 shot by "M&M" Tottress at the same house
a week earlier. Mark had games of 235-277 before closing
with the 300.
The week's best score among the ladies was Paula Drake's
750, also at Tiffany, in the Monday Ladies Draft Trio League.
The series ranks fourth among those reported this season....
Cedar Lanes has announced a March 3-6-9 Doubles Tournament
(automatic strikes in those three frames. Contestants may
bowl anytime between March 1 and 31. There are three divisions
- men's, women's and mixed. Entry fee is $10 per person.
Call any of the staff at Cedar Lanes at 342-1055....
Cedar Lanes is advising its patrons to keep the dates
of June 8-9 open. The rumor is that is when the lady professionals
will be back for another regional tournament....

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Irving's Hall of Fame Induction Set for Today

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