Candlepin Bowling - Fran Onorato vs. Tom Olszta

[@richyasi7424]

Another winner from Wolfman! Clearly Tom and the family took good care of their videotapes, because this piece of candlepin history looks and sounds amazing. Hopefully we can look forward to more gems from the Olszta archives in the near future. Fingers crossed! 🤞

[@karenschneider2851]

They probably converted all the tapes to DVD.

[@dyskover]

I remember bowling at a small establishment on the second floor of a building in 'downtown' Milford N.H. It was owned by Louis Kregos, who always had a cigar in his mouth and wore a pork pie hat. I had two uncles who bowled in leagues and they both averaged 120. This was back in 1958. Scoring today is easier, imho, but it's all 'relative'.

[@kylebertulli4435]

It's fun to see the old guys win sometimes. But to win 22 matches in a row is unbelievable. While Olszta was the best in the 80s and 90s, Onorato was one of the best in the 60s, 70s, and early 80s. One of his biggest accomplishments was bowling a 1472 in Biddeford, ME in 1979-1980 under tougher scoring conditions. He was over 160 pins above second place. The guy could bowl.

[@guitarzan5328]

Very unusual to see Tommy off his game in this match. Lots of missed single pins which he usually bullseyes no problem. Still though, 22 successive weeks in a row is no record to be sneezed at. A well deserved standing ovation indeed. Kudos, T.O. 👏🙌

[@NikoPuharBowling]

We get to finally see the infamous show

[@stevenboese1480]

I was exactly one month shy of my first birthday when Mr. Onrato first appeared on this show that was 61 years ago this coming December.

[@steveperry1344]

fran was a legend and tom is THE LEGEND.

[@christopherangel6690]

Great match

[@karenschneider2851]

You need a degree in advanced geometry to bowl candlepin.

[@shannonezzat9691]

The Bret Hart/Tom Magee of the candlepin bowling world

[@michaelwilkinson2008]

When did Fran pass away? Thank you for this upload! I never thought we see this one ever uploaded but here it is! Thank you Mike!

[@kylebertulli4435]

@michaelwilkinson2008 he sadly passed away I believe in 2002.

[@karenschneider2851]

Fran bears a resemblance to an older Rocky Marciano.

[@Zurround]

I saw him fail to win a stepladder tournament where each match is just one string but I think this is the first time I saw Tom Olszta lose a 3 string one on one match.