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Facts and Events
| Name[1] |
Joseph Frank Kristof |
| Gender |
Male |
| Birth[2] |
8 Dec 1920 |
Toledo, Lucas Co., Ohio |
| Marriage |
12 Feb 1951 |
to June Marie Zimpfer |
| Residence[5][6][10] |
2002 |
4290 Meadowview Ct., Columbus, Franklin Co., Ohio |
| Occupation? |
2003 |
Kristof Pro Bowler's Shop, 3049 Indianola Avenue, Columbus, Franklin Co., OhioKristof bowlers pro shop |
| Death[3] |
22 Nov 2003 |
Riverside Methodist Hospital, Columbus, Franklin Co., Ohio |
| Burial[4] |
Nov 2003 |
St. Joseph Catholic cemetery, US State Route 23, Lockbourne, Franklin Co., Ohio |
| Other[7][11] |
2003 |
Bio-hist |
| Other[8][12] |
23 Nov 2003 |
Columbus, Franklin Co., OhioObituary |
| Other[9][13] |
26 Nov 2003 |
Bio-hist |
| Reference Number |
|
25466 |
References
- ↑ June Zimpfer Kristof. Zimpfer/Kristof/Krumm family information, Recipient: Kristina Kuhn Krumm,Address: Columbus, Ohio, Author E-mail: LegAsee777 at aol.com.
- ↑ June Zimpfer Kristof. Zimpfer/Kristof/Krumm family information, Recipient: Kristina Kuhn Krumm,Address: Columbus, Ohio, Author E-mail: LegAsee777 at aol.com.
- ↑ Obituary. (further information available upon request).
- ↑ Obituary. (further information available upon request).
- ↑ June Zimpfer Kristof. Zimpfer/Kristof/Krumm family information, Recipient: Kristina Kuhn Krumm,Address: Columbus, Ohio, Author E-mail: LegAsee777 at aol.com.
- ↑ Franklin County, Ohio Auditor, Url: www.franklincountyauditor.com.
- ↑ Kristof Pro Shop: Owned by PBA Pro Joe Kristof, Url:http://www.kristofproshop.com/magarticle1.html.
- ↑ The Columbus Dispatch, Location: Columbus, Ohio
section B page 6 column 6.
- ↑ American Bowling Congress, Url: http://www.bowl.com/
http://www.bowl.com/bowl/abc/common/news/record.html?record=7537.
- ↑ This home was built in 1962. It has 1,729 sq. ft and six rooms. There arethree bedrooms, two fireplaces and two full baths. Value in 2002 was$143,000
- ↑ "THEY USED TO SAY THAT NO bowler could be as great as Joe Kristoflooked.
He was the finest stylist of bowling's golden age, with thegraceful perfection of a Michelangelo statue come to life. Pick up aninstruction book in the '50's or '60's, and chances are you would findline-drawings based on Kristof's classic form. Watch him in action, andyou immediately understood the meaning of the old cliche,Poetry-in-Motion.
Joe Kristof is now 81 years old. He hasn't bowled seriously innearly twenty years. But visit his pro shop in Columbus,and you willfind he still carries himself with elegance. The memories are there, too-- vivid and sharp.
He came out of the Hungarian East Side of Toledo, Ohio. As a14-year-old schoolboy, he wandered into Larry Gazzolo's lanes one day in1935, intent on trying another sport. Joe put his first four shots inthe gutter, then switched balls and finished with 121. And did anyoneever learn bowling quicker? His next tree games were 200,212, and 256.Young Master Kristof went to work for Gazzolo and began perfectinghis game. The exquisite form that would become his trademark wasdeveloped through observation, trial-and-error, and long, unglamorouspractice.
Always looking for an advantage, he quickly found a way to make thebest use of that time. "Gazzolo allowed us a half-hour ofpractice," Joe says, "I had the pinboy set up the 5-pin only. Then, thelast five minutes, I would shoot at the full set. That way I could getmore shots." The payoff was a 200-plus average and a 300 at the age of17. At the time, he was the youngest bowler ever to roll a sanctionedperfect game.
He began impressing the big boys in 1943. World War II was on, Joewas in the Army Air Corps, and came to Chicago on leave to bowl thePetersen Classic.
With the country's best bowlers gather together, there were plenty ofafter-hours matches going on. He soon found himself rolling againstex-Petersen champ Vince Mikiel. "I beat Mikiel five or six times,"Joe recalls, "Mort Luby (Sr.) was there. He like to bet on matches, andasked me if I'd mind bowling the next day. So he set up three matches.The first was with Junie McMahon, the second was with Paul Krumske, andthe third was with Connie Schwoegler. Well, I took all of them. I don'tknow how much money Mort finally won." After that, Luby stayed intouch with Joe. When the war ended and Luby was helping put together theLustre Creme Shampoo team, he advised sponsor Harry Daumit to signKristof. So in 1946 Joe moved to Chicago. Lustre Creme wascaptained by Buddy Bomar and featured an all-star lineup. Joe stayedwith Bomar for the next eight years through various sponsors and changesin personnel. The Bomar teams became a power in the Chicago ClassicLeague, and were always ranked among the country's best. For two years,they held the BPAA Team Match-Game title. In the 1949 matches Joe rolleda 300, one of the few perfect games ever in that event. He won anumber of individual tournaments, including the Midwest Singles, theDu-Bowl, the Petersen 2-in-1, and the Blong Classic. At the All-StarTournaments, his greatest success came off the lanes. In 1949, the BPkAAinaugurated a Women's Division in its showcase event. One of the bowlerswas a yound lady from Columbus named June Zimpfer. Joe met June, andromance developed. They were married in 1951.
But it was television that made Joe Kristof a household name. The mediumwas brand new, and televised bowling was just becoming popular. On theevening of February 12, 1955, Joe rolled a perfect game during atelecast from Faetz-Niesen in Chicago. It was the first 300 game everrolled in a live-TV singles match. Joe won a new Pontiac and earnednational headlines. The event was particularly memorable because ithappened to be Joe and June's wedding anniversary. "Whispering JoeWilson was the announcer and he got really excited," Kristof says with achuckle. "He was crying and shouting, 'What a night! What a night!' Andthen he told the audience that this was our third anniversary, and thatwe had a four-year old son. I had to tell him he had it backwards."kAfter the 300, Joe seemed to be everywhere. Whenever a new bowlingprogram hit TV, the word went out to get Kristof. His classic formappeared in glorious color on the cover of a widely-circulated book,Bowler's Handbook. He was a featured on the All Sports Conditioner Spraybottle, with the likes of Sam Snead and Bob Feller. And he rolledexhibitions with June. The Kristofs became nearly as famous a "bowlingcouple" as Don and LaVerne Carter. In the spring of 1955, PabstBeer approached Joe about sponsoring a team in the Classic League. Hehad left Bomar and was bowling with Rudy Habetler's team. As part of thedeal, Pabst wanted the magic Kristof-name in the captain's slot.Habetler, one of the nicest men in bowling, agreed to make Joe hisco-captain. The Pabst story has an interesting sidelight. "Thebrewery wanted me to do a lot of exhibitions, so we needed seven men forthe team," Joe says. "So for the last spot, I sighned Dick Weber. He wasa mailman form Indianapolis, and wasn't well-known. Then I got a callfrom Pat Patterson that they wanted Weber for the Budweisers. Well,Dick wasn't going to bowl very much for us, so I mailed his contractback to him. And the rest is history." The Pabst bowling teamearned a lot of goodwill for its sponsor and won a collection ofmiddle-range tournaments, but never captured one of the major tites.Joe's record was similar during these years. Though he added to hisimpressive list of sweepers and jackpots, the major titles eluded him.The closet he came was second place in the 1955 Masters, when Buzz Fazionipped him by two pins.
Then, in 1961, the ABC Tournament started a Classic Division forpro bowlers. Joe had become a charter-member of the PBA, so heautomatically rolled in the new division. He paired with Don Ellis topost 1331 in the Classic Doubles and claim his long awaited eagle.That was a year of decision for Joe. He was well-established inChicago, but there were other opportunities -- the PBA Tour was startingto take off, and the National Bowling League looked promising.Meanwhile, AMF was after him to open a pro shop in Columbus, June's hometown. Joe finally chose the last option, and never regretted it.After making the move, he continued bowling tournaments and doingexhibitions for AMF. But in 1963 he was involved in a serious autoaccident. His right hand never fully healed, and Joe's competitive day'swere over. He now poured his considerable energies into hisbusiness. The Joe Kristof Pro Shop was a trend-setter, one of the firstto offer ball-resurfacing and to feature its own stub lane. Precisionand personal service were stressed, reflecting Joe's belief that "abowling grip should be as personal as a finger print." The shop drewcustomers from such far-flung places as Saudi Arabia, Japan, andJamaica. When Bowlers Journal visited Joe's operation, they labeled itthe "Palace Among Pro Shops."
So went Joe's life. He took care of business, raised his family,and bowled in leagues. In 1968 he was elected to the ABC Hall of Fame.
Before he left the lanes he rolled in 40 ABC Tournaments. Hislifetime average in the big show was a shade under 193, one of thebetter marks for 40-year men from his era.
About a dozen years ago, the "palace" building developed a leakyroof, and the business was moved to its current Indianola Avenuelocation, not far from the Ohio State campus. Today the shop is run byJoe's son Karl -- the "4-year-old from the 3rd anniversary." LastFebruary the Kristof's celebrated their Golden Anniversary, along withtheir three children, three grandchildren and some friends. Officially,Joe is retired. But he still comes in almost every day. Alwaysknown for speaking his mind, Joe is critical of modern scoringconditions. "The averages today are ridiculous," he declares, "The pinsfly all around. It's not bowling anymore -- it's tiddly-winks!"
Looking back on over 60 years in the game, he still thinks the bestbowler he ever saw was Ned Day.
All things considered, it has been a good run. "I always like thepeople and I always like the competition," Joe says. "I always liked thegame. Where would I have been without it? Bowling has been my life. Andit always will be."
- ↑ "KRISTOF Joseph F. Kristof, age 82, Riverside Hospital, November 22,2003. Survived by wife, June Zimpfer Kristof; sons, Karl J. Kristof, KenW. Kristof; and daughter, Kristina M. Russell. Also survived bygrandchildren, Kara Ann Kristof, Chelsea Kristof and Jasmine Russell.Owner and founder of Joe Kristof Bowlers Pro Shop. Veteran of World WarII. Member of St. Patrick's Church. Member of the American BowlingCongress Hall of Fame being inducted in 1968. Charter member of theProfessional Bowlers Association. Member of Ohio Bowling Council Hall ofFame. Member of Birmingham Hall of Fame in Toledo, OH. Family willreceive friends Monday, November 24, from 4:30-8 p.m. at the WEIR ARENDFUNERAL HOME, 4221 N. High St. (268-3593) where service will be heldTuesday, November 25, time to be announced. Interment St. JosephCemetery."
- ↑ "One of bowlingś great stylists, American Bowling Congress Hall of FamerJoe Kristof of Columbus, Ohio, died on Nov. 22. He was 82.
Kristof, a star in the era pre-dating the formation of the ProfessionalBowlers Association, was a member of the Kathryns and Tavern Pales teamsof Chicago that won the Bowling Proprietorś Association of America teamchampionships in 1947, 1948 and 1949. He also was captain of the famedPabst team from 1955-59.
Kristof finished second to fellow Hall member Buzz Fazio in the 1955 ABCMasters. He won his only ABC title six years later, teaming with Hallmember Don Ellis for the 1961 Classic Doubles crown. In 1966, hefinished fourth in Classic doubles and all events. He competed in 40 ABCTournaments and held a 193 average over that span.
After making his name in Chicago and bowling on the exhibition tour forAMF, Kristof moved to Columbus where he opened a state-of-the-art proshop which is still in operation today.
Kristof was inducted into the ABC Hall of Fame in 1968 and was a PBAcharter member. He also is a member of the Ohio Bowling Council Hall ofFame.
He is survived by his wife June, sons Karl and Ken, daughter KristinaRussell and three grandchildren."
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