Do you want to write the bowling column?
The question was posed to me 16 years ago by Dayton Daily Newssports editor Ralph Morrow. This rookie writer jumped at the chance.
It was then that I first met Don Smith who was, at the time, theDayton Bowling Association secretary treasurer, a position he heldfor 14 years.
He made my first few bowling seasons, learning my beat, morepleasant and educational. Don made me feel welcome in the tight-knit Dayton bowling community. I wasn't a bowler, but I felt welcomeamong them and, for that, I always will be grateful to Don Smith.
The DBA Hall of Fame member, inducted for meritorious service in1996, died of kidney failure Jan. 23 at Hospice of Dayton. He was80.
This is not an obituary. That has been done. But Don made such animpression on local bowlers that I wanted to devote this week'scolumn to sharing some of those memories.
In their words
Dan Beemsterboer: 'I don't remember Don when he was running theassociation. All of my dealings with him were when I joined theboard. Don was one of the first people to make me feel welcome andtalk with me from the getgo. I would usually stay after the meetingstalking with him about bowling history and the old-time bowlers (Donat this time was in charge of the veteran's section of the hall offame).
'Some of my fondest memories were talking with him at theMontgomery County Common Pleas Court. Don used to volunteer a coupledays a week and I used to see him when I went to court to filedocuments. He was a great guy.'
Dave Penrod: 'I have many stories about Don in regard to howkind, considerate and caring he was -- and how well he treated hisfellow man, not me in particular, but everyone he came into contactwith. Don was a true gentleman.
'He got involved with the DBA around the same time I hadaccumulated enough skill to bowl award scores. In those days, thelanes had to be checked after every award score was bowled. So, whenDon took over for Bill DeHaven, he assumed the unenviable positionof having to check the lanes. The lanes could not be checked untilall the activity was finished for the day, so Don's lane-checkingduty meant many, many late nights away from his family.
'I remember sticking around one night after one of my awardscores, and when Don walked into the bowling center, I apologized tohim for causing him to have to drive out late to check the lanes. AsDon typically did, he simply smiled and laughed and said, 'Noproblem, don't worry about it, keep on shooting great scores.'
'That was Don's everyday level of class, and Don's everydaywonderful, pleasant demeanor. The 'other person' always came firstin Don Smith's world. So, in my opinion, Don Smith was as good a manas has ever walked this planet.'
Bud Orsi: 'I remember when the Reds hired Sparky Anderson andpeople said 'Sparky who?' That's kind of what I thought when DonSmith applied for association secretary treasurer -- Don who?
'He was such a low-key guy, not one of the popular bowling namesof the time, but so easy to be around. He kept his cool even whenothers didn't. He was good at his job and he was a good person.'
