ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, December 25, 1996 TAG: 9612260004
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: HOLIDAY
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG
Retirement can mean many things to different people.
It can mean a chance to escape the hustle and bustle of the working world. Or it could mean the opportunity to pick up that hobby you just never had time for.
In the case of 69-year-old Stanley Crawford of Christiansburg, retirement meant finding a new way to have some fun. For almost two decades, Crawford has spent just about every free hour at Triangle Lanes bowling alley. He has competed in countless tournaments, winning many, and has given no indication of slowing down.
He now competes in four leagues that keep him busy as many as six nights per week. When another team in another league needs a substitute, Crawford is usually available.
"He just picked it up and got hooked," Crawford's wife, Lois, said. "It just
came kind of naturally to him."
It all began one afternoon when his daughter suggested he might enjoy a church bowling league. Crawford tried it out and soon found that he was quite a good bowler. Eighteen years later, he hasn't lost his touch.
"He is pretty remarkable," former Triangle Lanes manager Terry Stike said.
"So far this year he has bowled far more games than anyone else we track. The fact that his average is as high as it is for bowling that many games is phenomenal."
In 625 games bowled this season, Crawford has managed to maintain an
average over 180. That ranks him 27th out of around 600 bowlers.
Over the years, Crawford says his technique has remained pretty constant.
Soon after taking up the sport, he learned how to put a nice hook on the ball - a key to consistent bowling.
One of Crawford best performance came earlier this year in the Commonwealth Games when he used that consistent style to take the gold medal in his division. "I just bowled 'em out this past summer," Crawford said. "Bowling is just my name."
You might think that a husband who is so engrossed in his hobby would not be on his wife's good side. But that is not the case with the Crawfords because bowling is something they can enjoy together. Lois Crawford is no slouch herself with a 148 average.
Even with as many hours as Stanley Crawford spends knocking down the pins, he still has time to do his share of the work at home. "He is just great," Lois Crawford said. "He even finds time to do the dishes for me."
If you have an idea for a story or note about recreational sports, call Bill Ray at 381-1664 in Montgomery County or Radford or 1-800-346-1234, extension 672 elsewhere or fax to 381-1656.
LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: GENE DALTON/Staff. Stanley Crawford, 69, ofby CNBChristiansburg has spent just about every free hour at Triangle
Lanes bowling alley for almost two decades. color.
BILL RAY STAFF WRITER