Disclaimer: The advertisements appearing above this text are not endorsed by the Tri-City Classic League, or the Tri-City Classic League webmaster, nor were they placed there by the creator of this page. Click on them at your own risk.
TRI-CITY CLASSIC LEAGUE BULLETIN
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2005
SPECIAL BOB NEFF TRIBUTE
|
The lights have dimmed on one of the most remarkable men the local sport, and the Tri-City Classic League has ever known.
Bob Neff passed away Sunday evening in Iowa City, Iowa after complications from surgery stemming from cancer, which was discovered shortly before Christmas. He was 74. With his passing, our league – as well as the entire Midwest bowling community – has lost one of our most respected and beloved players of all time. The career of one of our league’s true superstars has come to a conclusion.
Condolences go out to his lovely wife Pam, and his daughters Vernie and Melissa. We also pass along our sympathies to his best friends and teammates Dan Miner, Chris Lorenzen, Wally Ladewig, Steve Etzel and Wyatt Gillispie. They will continue the Bob Neff’s Bowler’s Corner legacy that began over a quarter century ago. Special thoughts are also with very special friend Scott Wohlwend, and his family, and the Stelly family, and Bob’s frequent doubles partner Eric.
A STAR IS BORN
Bob Neff burst onto the local scene as a scrawny 18-year old way back in 1949, when he first joined the Tri-City Classic League. His name became better known in the late 1950’s when he was involved in a series of exhibition matches at the old Kimber Lanes when some of the nation’s top players came to town. And when he left us – 56 years later – he was still an intense 74 year old who had the enthusiasm and desire of men a half-century younger.
In his later years, Neff remained a successful competitor throughout the Midwest in senior events, and despite being 74, he was still a force in the Tri-City Classic League. His talent never left him; his unmistakable style was one-of-a-kind. When the game was on the line; he was ferociously at his best.
Neff’s passing leaves behind a legacy that will be unsurpassed. His achievements in the game are storied; his contributions to the sport off the lanes seemed to transcend just about every honor he ever achieved on the lanes.
NEFF WAS “COACH” TO COUNTLESS COMPETITORS
He coached many of our league’s current stars from very young ages. Jeff Krager, Kevin Atwood, Pat and Paul Kelley, Craig Steining and Scott Wohlwend – among others – always held special places in Neff’s heart. He claimed that his student’s achievements were just as important as his own accomplishments. Hundreds of others, myself included, were fortunate to have Bob Neff as a mentor and coach.
Over the past 13 years, he conducted junior-adult doubles tournaments which were a highlight of the season for dozens of local junior bowlers, as well as their adult partners. He was an enthusiastic fund-raiser; he almost always had a bowling ball raffle in his pro shop, with the proceeds benefiting the junior bowlers he loved so much. Often, if the raffle didn’t raise as much as he liked, he just tossed the money in from his own pocket.
He conducted free weekly bowling lessons every summer, welcoming anyone with the desire to learn – no matter how young or old. And he didn’t just drill bowling balls; he welcomed each customer as a student of the game as well. He was always willing to assist anyone who needed help with the game.
DOZENS OF LOCAL TEAMS CARRIED “BOB NEFF’S BOWLER’S CORNER” BANNER
One of Bob Neff’s most significant contributions to local bowling was his sponsorship of many, many teams throughout the years in different leagues in the area. He sponsored teams in virtually every type of league – junior, mens, womens and mixed. Over the years, hundreds of players competed under Bob Neff’s sponsorship.
QUAD CITY RESIDENT NEARLY ALL HIS LIFE
Neff was born in Moline, Illinois, on April 24, 1930. In 1961, he moved to Birmingham, Alabama to become manager of a bowling center. He also opened his first pro shop in Alabama. There, he met and became friends with another bowling legend – PBA champion Jimmy Certain. The two paired together for many trips to the ABC National Championship Tournament, once finishing 3rd in doubles.
SUCCESS & LONGEVITY MARKED NEFF’S PLAYING CAREER
In a world which perhaps uses the term “legend” all too often, it can be used to describe Bob Neff’s playing career. An embodiment of style and grace, Neff possessed physical skills which matched his appetite for victory. Both kept him in the game far longer than many ever imagined.
COMPETED IN TRI-CITY CLASSIC LEAGUE IN 7 DECADES
An amazing summation of Bob Neff’s Tri-City Classic longevity is the unthinkable fact that he was a competitor in our league for 7 decades! (1940’s through 2000’s).
During his Tri-City Classic League career, he rolled 3,248 games in our league, accumulating a pinfall total of 658,937. Late last season, he overtook the late Art McMillin for the career pinfall lead in our league. His career average was 202.87.
COMPETED AGAINST & WITH MOST OF THE LOCAL GREATS
His Tri-City Classic League resume is chock full of Hall of Fame credentials. He was currently enjoying his 36th season as a regular member in our league. He was a member of 7 championship teams, including the historic Al Zimmerman Insurance squad which posted a 113 win – 19 loss season (.856 winning percentage) which many regard as one of the greatest teams in league history. He was fortunate enough to bowl with and against many of the area’s all time greats – including Knute and Gerry Anderson, Penny Spaulding, Mike Berlin, Cal Whitmore, Steve Sweat, Steve Etzel and Dan Miner, as well as today’s league stars. He also claimed Tri-City Classic League championships with many local greats who became close friends; these included Bob Cosper, Don Johnson, Gary Goings, Dick Stevens and Von McLane. He also enjoyed a 55-year friendship with local legend Cal Whitmore.
His first team title came in the 1959-1960 season, and his final team championship came in 1980-1981, when his Bob Neff’s Bowler’s Corner squad, with best friends Wally ladewig and Chris Lorenzen as teammates, rolled to victory as another of the league’s all time greatest teams.
TEAM & INDIVIDUAL ACCOLADES HIGHLIGHT NEFF’S CAREER
Neff was a 2-time individual average champion, prevailing in the 1958-1959 and 1959-1960 seasons. He was also runner-up in 1970-1971 and 1971-1972. In all, he enjoyed 14 top 10 average finishes, including 7 in the top 5. These great performances spanned a quarter century (1957-1958 through 1981-1982). He was 52 years old when he finished the last of his 14 top 10 average finishes during the 1981-1982 campaign when he ended up 9th on the final average listing.
In the match play era (beginning in 1973), he led the league on series 13 times. He finished with a career match play record of 1,248˝ matches won, and 1,031˝ matches lost (a .547 winning percentage for his 2,280 matches bowled). In the 1981-1982 season, he won 74˝ matches, while losing just 24˝; the resulting .742 win percentage still stands nearly a quarter century later as the best single season mark in league annals.
AVERAGED 219 IN FINAL SEASON
Last season (2003-2004), Neff averaged 219.59; in his career, this marked his best individual mark ever in our league. This season – in 13 appearances – he was under 600 just once, and rolled 741 on October 28th (256-236-249). This was his 86th 700 in Tri-City Classic competition.
His final series in our league came on January 20 – more than 2 months after his previous series was bowled on November 18. It was obvious to many that he was thinner than he had been, and it probably took all his strength and courage that night to bowl one more time before his surgery. His games that night were 206 – 225 and 213 for 644.
He was inducted into the Tri-City Classic League Hall of Fame in 1995; he always considered this the most important of his Hall of Fame inductions, especially since he was voted in by his peers. A year later, he was awarded the Cal Whitmore Lifetime Achievement Award, given for his contributions to the sport of bowling. In our Tri-City Classic League 100th Anniversary publication in 2000, he was named as one of the 10 greatest players in league history.
TOURNAMENT CHAMPION, HALL-OF-FAMER
Bob Neff was synonymous with championship caliber bowling throughout the Midwest, and the Quad-City area. He was a member of the Davenport and Moline Bowling Hall of Fames.
He also earned countless tournament victories throughout the Midwest, including numerous city, association and state titles. He was a multi-decorated champion in the St Louis area on the Grand Prix Bowling Tour. One of his career highlights was the 1978 Iowa State doubles championship he earned when he and partner Bob Cosper set a state doubles record with 1,411.
CAREER SPANNED COUNTLESS CHANGES IN THE GAME
During this span, Neff successfully adapted to every advancement the game went through. He was a teenager when fingertip bowling balls were all the rage; he was in his early 20’s when automatic pin-spotters changed the game forever. He was still going strong when both bowling ball revolutions that would take scoring into a new pantheon came along – urethane in the late 1970’s, and reactive resin in the early 1990’s. He adapted quickly to both.
NEFF OLDEST 300 AND 800 BOWLER IN TRI-CITY CLASSIC HISTORY
Bob rolled 5 perfect games in Tri-City Classic competition. The first came in 1993 at age 62. A decade later, at age 72, he became the oldest player to roll a 300 in our league when he tossed 12 straight on February 3, 2003. Bob also had 3 perfect games rolled against him in our league (by Doug Anderson, Scott Rains and Jeff Krager).
Neff’s career best in our league came just last season when – just 2 days before his 74th birthday – he tossed a huge 825 series that marked his first trip over the 800 barrier in Tri-City Classic action. His games were 268, 268 and 289, with the action taking place on lanes 15 & 16.
About a month ago, I approached Bob about writing the story of his life. He thought for a minute, smiled and asked why? I responded that I thought he had enjoyed a wonderful life, with definitely enough material for several chapters. He seemed to like the idea, so I hope this tribute will dignify the man I loved so much. Just a week ago, we shared laughs in the pro shop – and now he’s gone.
NEFF TOUCHED EVERYONE HE MET
Bob touched the life of everyone he came across. His pro shop was his pride and joy; he commented many times that he would never retire. He loved doing what he did – drilling bowling balls, talking to customers, teaching people about the sport he loved so much, and competing at the highest level. He led a wonderful, full life, and anyone who was lucky enough to be a part of it knew they were in on something special.
It’s also hard to imagine the Tri-City Classic League without Bob Neff as a part of it. But we will go on, continuing to present a weekly stage for the area’s best competitors. And that’s the brilliance of Bob Neff – that’s exactly the way he would want it. May God take good care of him.
Copyright 2005 Tri-City Classic League Bulletin. Reprinted with permission of author. |