John Manis - Bowling

Year Inducted: 2012

Born November 1, 1949 in Port Huron, Michigan, John began bowling at Emery’s at the age of 5 years.  He was a member of the Port Huron Northern High School team in 1967 and the Detroit Teen Masters in 1968and 1969.  John worked at the Port Huron Lanes for five years, Viking Lanes for ten years and then moved to West Palm Beach, Florida.   He has worked at the Verdes Tropicana Bowl from 1980 to the present time.

While living in Port Huron he bowled his first 300 game at the Port Huron Lanes in 1969 in Match Game Doubles and his second 300 less than a month later in Match Game Singles.   He won the Match Game Singles 4 times in 1968, 69, 76 and 79, the Match Game Doubles twice in 1969 and 1980 and the Mixed Doubles 3 times in 1976, 77 and 79 as well as the Port Huron City Doubles in 1974. He was All City Team for 10 years.  In 1979-80 John’s average was 201.

Since moving to Florida he won the P.B.A. Regional Citrus Open in Crystal River, FL in 1982 as an amateur.   John bowled two years as a P.B.A. member and bowled in two U.S. Open National Tournaments.  He bowled a 278 triplicate which is still a Palm Beach record and bowled a 300 game in High Rollers in Las Vegas.   He bowled a sanctioned Sport League 300 in 2009.   John has won four Florida Senior Scratch Titles including three 300’s and one 800 series.   He was inducted into the Palm Beach Bowling Hall of Fame in 2000.