Bowling writers honor Kietz, Woodruff, Marchione
03/18/05
United States
Veteran writer Frank Kietz, retired AMF executive R.R. "Woody" Woodruff and deaf bowling communications pioneer Connie Marchione were honored here March 16 during the 2005 Bowling Writers Association of America convention.
Kietz, Lake Forest, Calif., earned the Mort Luby Sr. BWAA Hall of Fame Award for outstanding dedication to journalism. The 1984 BWAA president has written for both daily and bowling publications in southern California for decades, and was a regular contributor of international stories after covering the AMF Bowling World Cup tournaments. He still writes columns on current bowling events.
Woodruff, Glen Rock, N.J., was presented the John O. Martino Award for a variety of beneficial contributions to the sport, including his efforts in the development of the AMF Automatic Pinspotter. As vice president of marketing for AMF, he was involved in the signing of Dick Weber for that company, a relationship that lasted 50 years until Weber's recent death. He was instrumental in creating the All-American Youth Championships. The Martino award is presented to outstanding contributors outside the BWAA membership, although Woodruff was presented with a BWAA honorary membership many years ago.
Marchione, who became totally deaf at age six, was recipient of the Rip Van Winkle award which honors those who made a major contribution to bowling more than 20 years ago that has been overlooked or under-appreciated. Marchione took up sports writing in 1946 and spent more than 50 years breaking down barriers for the deaf and hearing impaired at local, state and national events on behalf of the National Deaf Bowling Association. The Panorama City, Calif., resident organized the first all-deaf traveling league in 1960 and was selected in 1991 to represent bowling for the American Athletic Association of the Deaf by his peers.
All of the award winners were elected by a national ballot of BWAA members.
Kietz, Lake Forest, Calif., earned the Mort Luby Sr. BWAA Hall of Fame Award for outstanding dedication to journalism. The 1984 BWAA president has written for both daily and bowling publications in southern California for decades, and was a regular contributor of international stories after covering the AMF Bowling World Cup tournaments. He still writes columns on current bowling events.
Woodruff, Glen Rock, N.J., was presented the John O. Martino Award for a variety of beneficial contributions to the sport, including his efforts in the development of the AMF Automatic Pinspotter. As vice president of marketing for AMF, he was involved in the signing of Dick Weber for that company, a relationship that lasted 50 years until Weber's recent death. He was instrumental in creating the All-American Youth Championships. The Martino award is presented to outstanding contributors outside the BWAA membership, although Woodruff was presented with a BWAA honorary membership many years ago.
Marchione, who became totally deaf at age six, was recipient of the Rip Van Winkle award which honors those who made a major contribution to bowling more than 20 years ago that has been overlooked or under-appreciated. Marchione took up sports writing in 1946 and spent more than 50 years breaking down barriers for the deaf and hearing impaired at local, state and national events on behalf of the National Deaf Bowling Association. The Panorama City, Calif., resident organized the first all-deaf traveling league in 1960 and was selected in 1991 to represent bowling for the American Athletic Association of the Deaf by his peers.
All of the award winners were elected by a national ballot of BWAA members.