AT THE TIME OF INDUCTION AS A CHARTER MEMBER IN 1986...

Don began bowling in 1936. He rolled a 759 series and finished the season with a 203 average, both city records at the time. He served three years as Kokomo Bowling Association president (1951, 1952, and 1963).

He operated Play Bowl from September 1950 to 1976 before opening Don Lowry Lanes in 1976 and purchasing Astro Bowl (Don Lowry East) in 1986.

Don was instrumental in the organization of the foundational youth bowling program. He truly believed that bowling is a family sport, established the BPAA's National Family Tournament, and promoted the National Finals to Washington, D.C.  Don felt every youth should have the opportunity to visit the nation's capital, and this was one way to give youth bowlers the opportunity to get there. He was known as the "BPAA's Father of Youth Bowling."

He was inducted into the Indiana Bowling Association Hall of Fame on March 6, 1982.

In 1983, Don was inducted into the National Bowling Hall of Fame and received the Bowling Proprietors Association of America "Victor Lerner Memorial Award." Inscribed on his plaque in the National Bowling Hall of Fame and Museum in St. Louis, Missouri, is "BPAA's Father of Youth Bowling."

CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES:

• 1936 KBA Doubles Hcp with Tom Dresch--1262
• 1949 KBA Doubles Actual with Francis Fisher--1193
• 1957 KBA Doubles Actual with Cloyd Long--1223
• Team titles not listed at this time.

Don was also a Kokomo Tribune bowling columnist for several years.

Don Lowry passed away 12 years after his induction into the KBA Hall of Fame on January 29, 1998.