FUN & GAMES
Bowl a Virtual Game in our Virtual Bowling Alley
Walt Steinsiek was born in Passaic, New Jersey, on Nov. 1, 1926. His affection for and devotion to the game of bowling began when he was 12 and a pinboy at a local bowling alley ("alley"—that's what they used to call 'em before they started calling them "centers.")
Even then, though the subject matter wasn't always bowling, Walt was drawing cartoons.
In World War II, he proudly served in the U.S. Merchant Marine, sailing in convoys to Europe on tankers and Liberty ships. He was an active member in the Artists and Writers Club of the Seaman's Church Institute of New York City. He was gifted with a scholarship to New York University's School of Art in 1946.
In 1973, even though at the time it was considered to "too risque" for publication, Walt penned an all-bowling book of cartoons entitled Balls — Bowling, of Course!, that was very well received.
As a sanctioned bowler, Steinsiek helped organize several leagues, many of which are still in existence in the Baltimore-Washington area. In 1980, he conceived, edited, and published the Baltimore (later Baltimore-Washington) Bowling News. After a dozen years of publication, the paper was sold, and its originator retired to Southern Florida.
Walt is a past president of the Bowling Writers Association of America (1988) and a past president and life member of the Southern Bowling Writers Association. He received the Joe Richards Meritorious Service Award from the Metropolitan (N.Y.) Bowling Writers Association and is a member of its Hall of Fame. He also earned the Rip Van Winkle Award from the BWAA. He was inducted into the Greater Baltimore Bowling Association Hall of Fame in 1984 in its meritorious service category, and he was elected to the NCABA Hall of Fame in 2002.
As a dedicated league bowler and fierce tournament competitor, Walt won the Kegler Bowling Club championship in 1971, beating out 650 entrants. In 1984, he was awarded the American Bowling Congress' Sponsor's Award for sponsoring the year's highest-scoring five-man team (3,704 three-game series).
More recently, he served as public relations chairman of the Florida Space Coast Bowling Association.
He and his wife, Jane, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Dec. 18, 2004. They have one daughter, Denise.
Walt's cartoons and illustrations have appeared in bowling publications worldwide. He recently was under contract to the American Bowling Congress to furnish cartoons to be distributed to the bowling media. Many of those cartoons appear in A Funny Approach and A Funnier Approach.
His latest cartoon book, The Funniest Approach!, has just been released, and Walt currently is accepting orders for autographed copies exclusively through this site. Individuals may obtain a copy for $8.95 (postage paid), and discounts will be available for organizations and for leagues that purchase 12 or more copies. Interested parties may E-mail Walt.
Obviously, the love affair between the author and the wonderful and sometimes wacky world of bowling continues. Keep watch on this site and you will see.
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