- Southern Bowling Lanes
The owners of Southern Bowling Lanes, which opened in 1941 at 299 North Cleveland, called the place “The Bowling Palace of America.”
Wow, that’s really saying something, isn’t it? But back then, you have to understand that bowling was a sport often undertaken in converted buildings and basements, with poor lighting, no air conditioning, and more inconveniences than a medieval torture chamber. Or so I gather from the glowing press releases about this establishment.
Thank goodness the Southern, built for a whopping $150,000, changed all that. Not only were its 24 gleaming hardwood lanes well-lighted and air-conditioned, it boasted the unheard of luxury of “having no posts to mar the beauty of the alleys.” Despite a rather traditional Colonial Revival exterior (as shown on this old matchbook), the interior featured “the latest streamlined effects,” including such marvels as spacious dressing rooms for men and women bowlers, a restaurant, a ladies powder room, and a gadget called a “teliscore” for keeping track of the games.
The Southern Bowling Lanes’ grand opening took place on August 11, 1941, with “dignitaries of the city, sports world, and other walks of life” singing the “Star Spangled Banner” and “God Bless America.” That was just to open the show. These various celebrities — who included the president of the Memphis Bowling League, the president of the American Bowling Congress, and a fellow named Jim Kelly, identified as “the South’s oldest bowler” — then dedicated each alley, one at a time (all 24 of them!) with grandiose speeches and ribbon-cuttings.