Kansas State USBC BA
2007 Hall of Fame Inductees
Larry
Hiner
Larry Hiner was
born in Wamego, KS. on June 27, 1946. He has been a life long
resident of Kansas and moved to Coffeyville in 1967. He
recently retired form John Deere Works at the Coffeyville facility
as a Manufacturing Engineer.
Larry has been involved
in bowling in southwest Kansas since his arrival in Coffeyville
having bowled in multiple leagues and associations. He Has
served on the Coffeyville Bowling Association board of directors
continually in all capacities since approximately 1970 including
several terms as President, Secretary/Treasurer and Board Member.
He has also served on the Independence Bowling Association board of
directors and was instrumental in combining the two associations
when Coffeyville lost their charter due to fire in the Coffeyville
bowling center. He has been a league officer serving all
offices in many leagues since 1970.
Larry has competed in
all local association tournaments and won numerous titles in all
categories and has been awarded the ABC Merit Award several times
for league and association high average. He has competed in 34
ABC/USBC National tournaments, 37 KSBA State tournaments. , 38
Greater Ozarks Open tournaments, and numerous Southwest, Oil Capital
Opens, Tulsa Opens, and other regional tournaments.
Larry has been credited with 1-300 game, 3-299 games, 3- 298 games
and has a high series of 796 and 790. He has booked a
continuous 200 average since the late 70's with a high average of
217.
Larry was appointed to
the Kansas State Bowing Association in 1979 serving Southeast Kansas
and maintained his directorship from that region until 1996 when he
was elected Vice President. He served as Vice President
from 1996 - 2000. In 2000 he was elected President and served
in that capacity until 2004. He also served on the Kansas
Bowling Council and YABA Managing Board for several years. He
currently serves on and chairs some of the Kansas State Bowling
Association committees.
Larry is a member of the
SEK Bowling Association's Hall of Fame and now he can join the elite
tonight, as we honor him into the Kansas State Bowling Hall of Fame.
We would like to thank him for all his hard work and man countless
hours of dedicated service ha has given southwest Kansas and the
KSBA. Congratulations on a well deserved honor.
Leroy Padget
Leroy Paget was born November 4, 1912 near Ford, KS. He was raised
along with his brother Cliff and sister: Gladys and Nellie on a
small farm along the Arkansas River. Leroy's early years after
high school were spent working on the railroad before eventually
spending 31 years working for the Coca-Cola bottling company in
Dodge City.
Leroy stated his bowling
career in 1960 at a newly constructed eight lane bowling center in
Greensburg, KS.. Eventually Leroy started bowling in Dodge City
where he was an active member of the local association for over 40
years. Leroy spent several years working evenings at the Plaza
Lanes bowling center. During this time, he spent countless
hours instructing and helping bowlers.
Leroy has always been a
true pioneer of the sport as he and 2 to 3 other bowlers would often
take 1 to 2 days and travel around Kansas and surrounding
states bowing in as many different centers as possible. This
lead to countless friends and acquaintances scatted across a large
area. Leroy will always be remembered for his tireless efforts
to help preserve the sport of bowling and make it better for those
that followed.
Even though Leroy hasn't
been able to continue with bowling these past few years, he remains
active by pursuing his life long passion for music. He and
some of his closest friends still travel area nursing homes playing
and singing the old favorite tunes.
KirbyCain
Kirby was born in Topeka , Kansas June 28, 1960 and has been a
resident of Kansas for almost 47 years. He started bowling in 1970
at Gage Bowl North, where he has worked for 22 years. He has
been an individual to do everything at Gage North except cook!
He has been involved in all levels of bowling: youth programs,
league bowling, tournament participation & pot games after league
play.
Kirby has been a
participant in every Kansas State Bowling tournament and Topeka City
tournament since he became a member of the ABC/USBC. He has
participated in 15 ABC/USBC National tournaments (with a 36 place
finish in singles in Reno with a 747). He also has
participated in the The Greater Ozarks Open tournament, The Oil
Capitol Open, The Hoinke and the Gardner Classic where he has two TV
final appearances. He has been a member of three Topeka City
Team Champions (1994, 1998, 2004), in 1982 he was an All-
Events Champion of the Beartrice tournament, competed in 12 Topeka
Top Ten and was named bowler of the year in Topeka for the 1986-86
bowling season. Kirby has
served on the Topeka Bowling Association Board of Directors, a
Treasurer for 15 years and is currently the Association Manager (6
Years): He was awarded the L.D. "Tommy" Thompson award in 2004 for
his contributions to bowling above and beyond the norm in bowling.
Kirby has a high lifetime average of 229 (right handed) 214 high
average (left handed). He has 2-800 series to his credit (804
& 803 both right handed); he has 16 - 300 games (14 right handed & 2
- Left handed), 2 - 299 , 1 -298 game and 5 - 290 games.
He finished 3rd in the Gardner Classic, while bowling left handed in
the 2005-06 bowling season.
Please welcome Mr. Kirby
Cain into the Kansas State USBC Hall of Fame. He is a fine
bowler, gentleman and on important part of bowling in the Topeka
community. He is very deserving of this honor!
Craig Trapp
Craig Trapp was born in Topeka, KS. in 1952 and has lived there his
whole life. He attended Highland Park High School and
graduated in 1970, He has a bride of 33 years; Melanie and two
beautiful grandchildren; Taylor (age 2) and Addison (age 1).
Craig started work at
Topeka Blueprint & Supply Company, Inc. in 1970 and in 1996 he
became the president and purchased Topeka Blueprint Company, which
helped sponsor many bowling teams and bowling functions in the
Topeka community. He started bowling at the age of 7 at Meadow Lanes
under the famous youth instructor Wayne Sanders and later bowled
with Wayne as a team member in several leagues. Craig has won
numerous titles as a prep and junior bowler in city and state
competitions. He joined ABC adult leagues in the early 1970's
and had his first 700 series (718) in 1976. His first honor
score was a 300 game in 1978, at Gage Center Bowl while competing in
a tournament against the late Dale Euwer. This was the 5th
ever 300 game bowled at Gage Center and Craig eventually won the
tournament. (Back then you won $300 for a 300 game and
received a Gold Ring, with real diamonds from ABC, boy have
times changed). Craig
served on the Board of Directors for the Topeka Bowling Association
from 1990-1993 and served as either President or Secretary of
different classic leagues for many years in the Topeka area.
In the 1970's and 80's he traveled through out the Midwest as a
member of the Budweiser team from Topeka, where they participated in
many tournaments in Missouri, Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Kansas.
They won tournaments and lost tournaments but mostly learned a lot
about bowling on different lane conditions, bowling centers and
traded what they learned form this sport , between friends and
teammates. Craig has
7-800 series to his credit 14-300 games, 1-299 game, 3-298 games and
6-290 games to his credit. He is a Topeka City Singles and
Scratch All-Events winner in 1995, a nine time Topeka City Team
Champion back to back Division I Kansas State Bowling
Association Team Champion (2002-2003), Topeka City Top Ten Champion
in 2003 (he qualified 8 times in this event). and a member of the
2nd place National 3 man High Series team score award in 2001 with a
score of 2350 his high lifetime average is 228.
Please welcome Mr. Craig Trapp
into the Kansas State USBC Hall of Fame as you can see he is a
deserving i ndividual of the prestigious award. Congratulations
on a fine bowling career and may you keep the ball rolling.
Justin Hromek
Justin Hromek was born February 28, 1967 in Andover, Kansas
and has been resident for 40 years and an ABC/USBC member for
21 years. Justin started bowing at the age of 7 at Rose Bowl
East and at the age of 9 bowled his first 600 series and at the age
of 13 bowled his first 300 game. In 1982, he was featured in
Sports Illustrated magazine "Faces in the Crowd" and in 1985
was awarded the "Chuck Hall Star of Tomorrow Award" by the American
Bowling Congress. (this award annually recognizes star qualities in
a make high school athlete or college student who competes in the
sport of bowling). In 1982 he won the Coca-Cola National Youth
Championships and in 1985 a 2nd place finsh.
Justin bowled for the Wichita State bowling team from 1985 through
1989. He was a member of the National Collegiate Championship
Team in 987 and was the Tournament MVP at the 1988 National
Championships. He was a First Team Collegiate All- American
and was further honored by being selected to the Bowler's Journal
Amateur All-American Team in 1988. He brought home a gold
medal in the First International Youth Bowling Championships in
Manila, Philippines.
Justin joined the Professional Bowlers Association in 1989 and
bowled on the National tour until he retired in 2005. His
professional resume includes three National Tour titles and three
PBA regional titles. In 1992 he won his first career PBA Tour
title in his first televised appearance in the PBA Touring
Pro/Senior Doubles Tournament in Belleville, Illinois. his
winning the 1994 US Open Championship in Troy, Michigan. In
his 14 years on tour he cashed in 205of 333 events and was 3-11 in
14 televised final appearances with a 220.46 average. He
made 109 match play appearances and had career earnings of
$580,000.00. He was also awarded the Steve Nagy Sportsmanship
award in 1999, 2000, and 2002. This prestigious award is voted
on by fellow PBA members and is given annually to the PBA
professional who demonstrates the highest degree of sportsmanship on
Tour.
Justin lives in Towanda,
Kansas with his wife, Kristi and two sons; Jerod and Matthew.
He is employed at Thunderbird Bowl, where he is co-operator of the
Pro-Shop. He currently is bowling in one league a week and is
averaging 239. He has 30+ PBA 300 games, 40+ sanctions 300
games, with 9 - 800 series to his credit (with 829 as his high).
Please welcome Mr. Justin Hromek into the Kansas State USBC Hall of
Fame. He is a very deserving young man who has performed on
and off the lanes and a great addition into the Kansas State USBC
Bowling Association Hall of Fame. |
