Bob Johnson

Meritorious Service

Bob Johnson
City: Spirit Lake
State: Idaho
Inducted: 2019

Bob Johnson has been at the forefront of telling bowling’s stories since he began writing about the sport for the Pacific Bowler newspaper in California at the age of 15.

In 1975, he was honored with the Robert E. Kennedy Award as California's top high school journalist (undergraduate). Johnson went on to serve as editor of eight national bowling magazines - including Bowlers Journal International, Bowling Center Management and most recently Small Center Management - and has been honored with more than 100 national writing awards for his work covering the sport and industry.

Johnson has written one book and contributed chapters to two others. He edited and wrote most of the 300-page Bowlers Journal 100th Anniversary issue.

He served as an administrator for the World Bowling Writers for eight years and was a USBC Hall of Fame committee member for 20 years.

In 2009, Johnson was selected as the Bowling Writers Association of America (now International Bowling Media Association) Luby Hall of Fame Award recipient. In 2019, he was inducted into the PBA and USBC Halls of Fame. In 2023, he was inducted into the California USBC and Orange County USBC Halls of Fame. He also is a recipient of the Mid-America Bowling Writers' Golden Quill Award.