The Boston Globe and The Sports Museum have teamed up to provide occasional looks back at the good old days of Boston sports, featuring the responses to prompts posted on the museum’s Facebook page from Rusty Sullivan, the museum’s executive director.
Question
It’s Saturday in New England and many of us are housebound. If this were 30 or 40 years ago, many of us would likely be watching Don Gillis and candlepin bowling. For some reason that escapes us, the show garnered boffo TV ratings. In your opinion, why was candlepin bowling such a hit on Boston television of yesteryear?
Responses
▪ The reason it was such a hit in the Boston area is that it’s a New England/Maritime sport. Creation credited in Worcester. It’s a sport anyone can do as an individual or with a team. Back in the day, it was one of the few sports you could participate in as an adult during the winter.
You could spend a couple hours hanging out with family and friends … and then get up the next morning and go back to work! And it’s a blue collar/Everyman sport and the contestants were people we knew who we could root for (or against). They came from our neighborhoods, they worked with us … and Don Gillis brought them into our homes and made every roll, every pin, every good break, every bad break MATTER.
▪ There were segments for the ladies as well. So it was for everyone.
▪ Every kid surely had a candlepin birthday party, as the size of the ball was kid-friendly. The fact the game is a local hybrid is also a factor for the fact it attracted a sizable TV audience. Its retro appeal makes it ripe for a comeback. NESN should do it with a rotation of celebrity hosts like Denis Leary and Lenny Clarke.
▪ Much of it was Don’s great nature. We all rolled candlepin but never as good as those highlighted on the show. Where’s Stasia Czernicki when you need her?
▪ I loved this show and watched it almost every Saturday with my dad. They are now on YouTube and I watch them occasionally. Good trip down memory lane.
▪ I love bowling and I take my kids often. It’s one of the things I miss doing with everything that’s going on. I wish they would bring back the bowling shows.
(Follow The Sports Museum on Facebook or Twitter to see daily questions and add your responses to be considered for upcoming installments of this feature.)