USBC Hall of Famer John Archibald dies at age 85
January 04, 2011
John Archibald of Webster Groves, Mo., a United States Bowling Congress Hall of Fame member, died Jan. 3. He was 85.
The veteran bowling writer worked for more than four decades for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. After his retirement in 1990, he continued to write bowling columns for various publications until 2009. He was inducted into the USBC Hall of Fame in 1996 for Meritorious Service.
Before his induction, Archibald discussed how he tried to find the most human item to start his stories.
"I want to hook the reader, whether a bowler or not, and minimize the lingo and stats," he said. "They turn off most people. I always try to remember the longer I write, the more readers I lose."
He began working for the Post-Dispatch as a sportswriter after graduating from the University of Missouri in 1949. After covering sports for 20 years, he became the newspaper's first television critic in 1971, and then turned to feature writing in 1977.
But the one constant during his career was his coverage of bowling. After he moved from the sports department, he continued to write bowling columns for the section. He covered major tournaments such as the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America All-Star events, the World Invitational, USBC Masters and the Firestone Tournament of Champions.
For 25 years he wrote the yearly bowling summary for Encyclopedia Britannica's Book of the Year. He also wrote a book, Bowling for Boys and Girls, which was published in 1963.
During his career, he won more than 50 bowling writing awards, including six PBA writing competition awards. He was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame for Meritorious Service in 1989. Archibald also served as president of the Bowling Writers Association of America in 1970 and is a member of the Greater St. Louis Bowling Association Hall of Fame.
Archibald also was a bowler and was honored by his league, the 63-year-old St. Louis Press Radio TV League, in September 2010. The league voted to rename it the John J. Archibald Press Radio TV League to recognize not only his career as a journalist but also his 60 continuous years as a member of the league.
Visitation will start at 4 p.m. (Central) on Wednesday at Gerber Chapel, 23 West Lockwood Avenue, Webster Groves. The funeral will be at 11:30 a.m. Thursday at Gerber. Burial will be at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.
The veteran bowling writer worked for more than four decades for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. After his retirement in 1990, he continued to write bowling columns for various publications until 2009. He was inducted into the USBC Hall of Fame in 1996 for Meritorious Service.
Before his induction, Archibald discussed how he tried to find the most human item to start his stories."I want to hook the reader, whether a bowler or not, and minimize the lingo and stats," he said. "They turn off most people. I always try to remember the longer I write, the more readers I lose."
He began working for the Post-Dispatch as a sportswriter after graduating from the University of Missouri in 1949. After covering sports for 20 years, he became the newspaper's first television critic in 1971, and then turned to feature writing in 1977.
But the one constant during his career was his coverage of bowling. After he moved from the sports department, he continued to write bowling columns for the section. He covered major tournaments such as the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America All-Star events, the World Invitational, USBC Masters and the Firestone Tournament of Champions.
For 25 years he wrote the yearly bowling summary for Encyclopedia Britannica's Book of the Year. He also wrote a book, Bowling for Boys and Girls, which was published in 1963.
During his career, he won more than 50 bowling writing awards, including six PBA writing competition awards. He was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame for Meritorious Service in 1989. Archibald also served as president of the Bowling Writers Association of America in 1970 and is a member of the Greater St. Louis Bowling Association Hall of Fame.
Archibald also was a bowler and was honored by his league, the 63-year-old St. Louis Press Radio TV League, in September 2010. The league voted to rename it the John J. Archibald Press Radio TV League to recognize not only his career as a journalist but also his 60 continuous years as a member of the league.
Visitation will start at 4 p.m. (Central) on Wednesday at Gerber Chapel, 23 West Lockwood Avenue, Webster Groves. The funeral will be at 11:30 a.m. Thursday at Gerber. Burial will be at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.