Ernie is interviewed by The Phantom

 

PBA Hall Of Fame: Ernie Schlegel

Year Inducted: 1997
Induction Category: Veterans/Senior

Schlegel joined the PBA in 1967 and gained a reputation as an animated performer and a fan favorite. He gained the nickname "The Bicentennial Kid" because of his colorful red, white and blue outfits and sunglasses he wore when he appeared on telecasts in the mid-1970's. He captured his first title in Overland Park, Kan., in 1980, and added another title later that year in Portland, Ore. He would wait four more years before winning his third title in Garden City, N.Y. and backed that up with a win the following year in North Olmsted, Ohio. His next win came in 1989 in Pinole, Calif., in a telecast that will always be remembered as the day the lights went out. Schlegel, who was fifth seeded, won his first two matches and was battling Ron Williams in the semifinal match when an electrical short caused the lights to go out. Always a steady performer on the PBA Tour, perhap's Schlegel's greatest triumph came at the 1995 Touring Players Championsip in Pittsburgh. Schlegel defeated tournament leader Randy Pedersen in one of the most exciting and memorable matches in PBA history as he delivered a fiery performance that few will forget. As if to prove that he is getting better with age, Schlegel captured the 1996 American Bowling Congress Masters event.

Erinie vs Fats & Deacon

 

Ernie Schlegel was one of the top, most famous, most successful action bowlers of all time...

He was also one of the most controversel action bowlers...

Stories that were posted to our forum about Ernie Schlegel

Tributes & Story Message Board

Greatest Action Bowlers

There was plenty of action at Inwood, but it was a small house, and it's action days coincided with the action at Gun Post, which was THE action house in the sixties in the Bronx, so the action wasn't as often at Inwood as it would have been. Yes, plenty of people came to Inwood to bowl Ernie Shlegel , and most of them ended up wishing they hadn't. The problem for them was that Ernie was practically unbeatable down there. First of all, Chris Kourabas, who owned Inwood, would let Ernie practice all day long for free, and he did. Secondly, the shot at Inwood might as well have been designed for Ernie, because he threw a full roller, practically a straight ball, and he was very accurate. A shooter throwing a big hook would struggle, while Ernie would just go straight up and in just a little. Inwood was in Washington Heights, just across the bridge from the Bronx, near Dykeman and Broadway, Academy Street. Harry Bar, on this web site, used to have his pro shop at Inwood.

As for Ernie's ball, I could never understand how he could beat the top guns. But actually the truth is that throwing a full roller straight up and in is one of the best balls that anyone can throw - IF - and I say ONLY IF - you are incredibly, unbelievably accurate on every shot, because there is no room whatsoever for error. If you are not dead perfect in the pocket, you will never carry the five. When you throw a big hook, even if you're a little light, you can still strike with a mixer, or, more often, if you have enough ball, you will strike with a sweeper, where the five takes out the seven. But Ernie never threw a sweeper in his life, for the reason I stated above - if he was light he could never carry the five. The only way he ever struck on a light hit was with a mixer, what he called "scrambled eggs." So if you throw that kind of ball and line, you have to be perfect. The thing was that when he was on, Ernie usually WAS perfect, so when he was on, he could beat anybody.

I never really thought Ernie was throwing a load, though I wouldn't put it past many of the guys those days. Really, a load wouldn't do a whole lot of good for a shooter throwing that kind of line, though it certainly couldn't hurt any. It was the guys throwing the big hooks that sometimes used a load, though someone like Ralph never needed to, because he had a ton of ball already. The one guy who ALWAYS threw a load was Iggy Russo, and still he generally got beaten by the real top guns.

Iggy Russo was sleazy and I wouldn't put anything past him.
I remember a story about Iggy needing a ten pin to win a big match. The foul lights wern't on, so Iggy walked down the alley and and threw the ball by the masking unit and made the 10.... the shit really hit fan on that one.
PS... I bowled with Ernie, he did throw loads....

I would have to say that the biggest success story of a guy who was just a hustler has to be Ernie Schlegel. He really never worked except here and there for a bowling alley and only so he could practice for free. He's come a long way from his modest beginnings as a janitor's son.
Most of the other action bums that I knew had legitimate jobs during the day and went to the action on the weekends, like myself.
It's a great subject Butch lets see if anyone else can come up with some names and how they have succeded.


Ennie was a resident of newburgh when central was at it's biggest in 1967. so the question has been answered. The horn was better, since he could play any part of the lane, from the gutter(leader lanes in brooklyn) through the fourth diamond-which not many could in those days(lemon could and naturally ralph who could hook the whole lane). seaview located in canarsie. seaview and colony and avenue m also in brooklyn were the biggest in the very early sixties. philly marino was the king at seaview and colony.



Mainly Gun Post and Central.

Ernie's red ball was a Jubilere. I had one also. About two years ago Ernie was in Jersey for the Petraglia PBA stop. We were meeting for dinner and he asked me if I still had my old ball. Anyway, I brought it and gave it to him. He wanted to plug and redrill it to fool around with.
 

Berardi did better in the pro's but Ernie is by far the better action bowler. Joey bowled some action but not a lot. He joined the pro's at a very young age. Remember there is quite a bit of oil on the pro tour and Ernie never threw a lot of ball so it was much tougher for him to carry. There aren't many guys around who are as accurate as Ernie and if he could carry like some of the others he would have been SUPER TOUGH on tour.
I'm ready DEGEN...................just let me know when.

also i was very close friends with the horn and joe s and both also agree ernie was a tough match now in my opinion ernie had the heart of a lion. i never saw him in the sixties but the seventy's he was still tough. the man could go down and in better than anyone . plus he had charisma. when i went on tour I had red white and blue linds made for me just like ernies in 1976. the problem with most posts on this site is the newcomers have little or no respect for the oldtimers. I have gotten alot of trash from a few people on this site but there were few people that could throw a bowling ball like I could high track with alot of revs with a perfect approach and the 1st bowler with a high backswing.
ernie you once told me if you threw my ball you would win most all the tournements you bowled in. to me that was a great compliment . you are and always will be one of my idols, keep bowling. Lou C

Dear Stevie,

I just spoke to quite a few of my colleagues who was there with me when Ernie was shooting action at Gun Post Lanes with his red ball. We all agree something was up with his bowling ball.

Ernie was very accurate, I agree there with you. I should have just made reference to 'The Bell' when they had thier action matches, so for this I do take back the statement that he was a poor action bowler.

I see all these younger kids talking trash on how good they are at Action Bowling. Stevie, how old are you and where are you from? Have a nice day.

Former Action Bowler
Vito D.
 



Anyone who ever saw Ernie knows his whole game was being accurate. You couldn't be accurate with a loaded ball in the 60's because we used to put lead or mercury in and had no idea of what would happen when we threw it. It was more for fun than serious bowliing.

Ernie is bowling Mike Chuchillo from Patchogue one night at central. Nothing less than 240 for Ernie the first six and wins them all. the next game, he needs a mark in the tenth. he missed the head pin, left the 124 and then missed it to the left. Ernie came back laughing. The next game 240 plus, match over. he never went into his pocket for the game he lost.

ExAlleyRat, come on, Ernie was smart not a crook. He would bet only 20 and lose, then freeze out the back, bet big and win. That's different that taking the money and not betting it. Most of it was just feeling out the pair and his opponent until he was confident.

I know because we went partners many times at Central, Gunpost and various other houses all over... Stevie Wonder

lenny,how's the buff doing these days.FRUIT SALAD. I check out the action bowlers site every once in awhile and have to laugh about the things they say about who was the best.mike was good, so was ritchie and ralph dewey jake kenny joe s,kidder but who went home with the money was the best and you know and for sure i know ,that when you don't know when to quit that makes you a slight Fish not a tuna because all of these mentioned could bowl. Enough said about bowlihg. if you here from buff tell him i said hello. www.tournament 900@aol.com,you got married and i didn't get an invite HA,HA looking at another site i seen red bassetts name he was blinder than a bat but could hit a gnats ass at 40ft.haven't heard his name in at least 15,20 yrs. brings back the memories of good times and good action and the sun coming up and time to go home and sleep. bowl on the old mans tour now just won my first title in brentwood (northern)ca. still bowling and beating the kids on the regional level(just finished 2nd) hope to do the same on the jr. tour this winter starting in jan.say hello to all my critics on the net that think the other guys were the best just tell them whose still here doing it and who is not that should prove that my knowledge and skill is beyond theirs, rubber,plastic,soaker,bleeders,lt48's urathane ,2piece 3 piece and now the load as I call them,getting better with age,the modern era the old era whatever action is action when to get on a lane and when to get off is the sign of who the best is not some one who lets himself get beat to the tune of all his money thats a fish,tuna,and more then 5 in a row more then once is the ultimate WHALE you chase them with a passion. now that the record is set to the cane who does alot of the reporting to the action people,each person that said they made alot of money on me in the middle that is not true I took all bets and my memory is good,exact dates not so sharp on but matches right on win or lose,i never lost to ritchie, twice to mike in singles,but never lost in doubles and that was a whole bunch of times. when mike and i were partners we were unbeatable then he listened to his so called friends and said you want to bowl me and that was his downfall,i'm into making money not beating someone just taking their money. I didn't like taking mikes money but his buddys now that was a different story.
here is the story from the horses mouth, in an e mail i received today. if you dont know who wrote the letter , you dont know bowlers , or action bowlers.
out of all the action bowlers mentioned on these boards he has to be the best for longevity . 45 years that i know , so the money is still coming in as you can read.
how many action shooters, whether it was the count gengler , iggy or anyone else you know can make this claim?
i dont know one n y or other state, maybe if there is another action shooter with at least 46 years action, want to take ernie on please leave your name and i'm sure he would give any 60 year old a run. thats right 60 this year happy belated birthday fruit salad!!!! the cane...

Stevie Wonder is right. Ernie was the smartest especially when he was dumping. How many times he collected from the back, never bet a dime, did not put all in the middle and threw the game.

I was in Central throughout the mid-late 60's and at GunPost before that. Ernie was the smartest action bowler period. Most guys were all ego, swagger and talk. It was a show. Ernie was always thinking.



Sickle St. still have my red Jubilere?

to ernie or sicle street you were tough always and when i knew you , when i went on tour you still had game. you could bowl on most conditions becouse you were accurate . i also agree that most action bowlers including myself were gamblers and always wanted more and never knew when to quit. I remember pappas betting me in N.C once that i could not shoot 220 and i beat him 3 straight. he quit so i said how about 230 he said 235 i won the first lost 4 straight and ended up 100 dollars down. you gotta know when to hold em and

pete mylenki could bowl,ernie and pete bowled mike and tom betucci on 37&38 in central and cleaned their clock,they also on another nite bowled ralph& doc iandolli and each game came down to the tenth and pete was like ice, what made ernie the best was he knew talent and when a match was in his favor,what made mike,richie, and quite a few others not as good(i didn't say talent)the never knew when to quit or if they had the best of the match they just wanted to bowl ernie was there for the kill and each time he bowled with pete they won. pete on the other hand was just like mike and richie,but the best was ralph ,ernie beat him 3 times ralph beat him 2 times,but you ask him today and he'll tell you ralph, not mike or ritchie,or anybody else............period......the best.....


this thread brings back some great memories I'm 59 years old now and Iget chills reading all these stories one of the best matches I ever saw was Jack Clemente and Ernie Schlegel against Ralph Engan and John Juni at the hub in Nyack,NY jack and ernie cleaned them out I remember the last game the owner of theHub took the money from all the registers in the house , the front desk,the bar and the snack bar Jack and Ernie put the game out of the wood in the ninth frame. When we came back to Glenwood Jack bought breakfast for all of us. what memories

Senior Citizen:

You were obviously there at Central etc. So was I. You posted the same insulting comment about Ernie last year. He is and was a friend of mine.

He has turned 180 degrees into a really fine adult and family man. He is also a good businessman, teacher and still able at 60 to compete on the tour with guys in their 20's and 30's. He is a member of three different HOF's and you sir, are still calling him names from 40 years ago.
As you said most of the action bowlers were looking for an edge and shaved corners to do it. I agree that Ralph was in a class by himself and by the way so does Ernie.

Glad to have you aboard. We have exactly the same background and memories. Especially about Gun Post. It was THE PLACE for sure. If you check back to the earlier posts in this section, you'll see a bunch from JK and Stevie Wonder. That was my name on the board up to last year when I changed it to HarryBar.

I was a friend of both JK and Ernie. Still see him when he comes to the East Coast. He is now past 60 and still on the regional PBA tour. He won one last year and looks great. Check out some pics I took a few months ago in Wilkes Barre, PA. Just click on his picture on the first page.

You will see that I mentioned the night Sy cleaned us out in Boston Road and that Sy had driven us home because we were flat busted.

Ernie never threw a strong ball, his whole game was being consistant and always thinking about winning not being macho. So if he was down a game or two and not confident, he'd quit.

I remeberer Psycho Dave very well and liked him. You will see one of my posts above about him bowling Ralph Engan one night at Gun Post.

We had to know each other.

Well I guess you don't remember much. Ralph won three titles and lemon was on tour for ten years and probably the only bowler voted into the HOF with only 6 titles. Probably because he won two majors in one year. Schlegel was a great action bowler as most know and absolutely better than Ralph in action. Only the Horn and Lemon were better.

The NYC Bowling Association Hall of Fame Dinner was packed last night with about 200 people. Ernie accepted with a terriffic and funny speech. His daughter flew up from Florida and his sister and brother in law came down from upstate NY along with Cathy's family members.

He spoke about growing up in Upper Manhattan and how he started bowling and the fact that the action in the 60's was the best time in his life and a time that has never been equalled. Talked about Gun Post and Central and other action houses like Parkway and Whitestone.

He spoke of his favorite bowlers, Jake Charter(originator of "fruit salad"), Ralph Engan(his hero), Joe Santini, Jack Clemente, Frank Medici, Mike Limongello, John Massero, Teata Semiz, Pete Mylenki Richie Hornreich, Johnny Petraglia, Dewey Blair and a few others I can't remember right now.

There were many of his friends there like John and Nick Kourabas whose father Chris gave Ernie a job at Inwood Lanes which allowed him to practice free for many hours a week, Teata Semiz, Pete Mylenki, Steve Harris, Tony Bozzo, Chuck Pezzano and Jack Clemente to name a few.

Ernie's wife Cathy received a beautiful bouquet of flowers and was also honored for her dedication and support through the years.

What a night.


 

Ernie, not many guys have the great action stories you have, your nic should be Mr. Action.

If you have the time we'rd love to hear some of them every once in awhile.

This is the only site in the world dedicated to you guys, the action bowlers, we need as many stories as possible so you guys will never be forgotten.

In the near future they'll be a seperate section for all the greats of the game which will include all the stories we have from them and about them.

You are wrong about Ernie. He often bet way more than $100. Especially when he was "sure" he'd win.

He'd start with a small $40 bet and let the back have most of the bets. But, when he felt it, he'd freeze them out and cover most of it himself. I saw him bet $500 or more a game plenty of times.

Probably not. However, if the bets had been as big, as when the horn and lemon were at their best, I'm sure they would have each bet 1000s. These guys would at times bet 1g out of the box when 100 was a nice bet. Schlegel, doc, etc. rarely bet more than 100. The horn was in Vegas one year in the late sixties on tour and Burton challenged him to a three game total wood for 1g. richie said that he only bet one game at a time and challenged him for 10g. Burton flew the coop.
Daly was a small deuce in the 60s which was tremendous, probably two classes below the best. His doubles partner was Pete Pastor a better bowler and Daly was not a big bettor then.

Louis,

Ernie and Cathy say hello back.

Ernie did pretty well in a tough old house with wood lanes and so much oil in the back end that nobody had big scores. I never saw so many splits and washouts.

There were 115 entries and he finished +53. Needed about +105 to make the finals. He cashed as usual.

Ernie and Cathy are coming out for his induction into the New York Bowlers Hall of Fame on October 2nd. Dinner is at Anton's in Queens.

ernie fruit salad schlagel yea that fits. ernie 61 now wow but mentally still 21 i'll bet. give ernie a tough shot that hooked and he would str8 ball you to death. he probobly hooks it now with this new crap. ernie and salvino 2 biggest characters the tour had. at least when i was bowling. i crossed with him in a house that was built in 3 different decades. 3 differant shots. ernie up 10 all 3 parts of the house.when he was on he could hit a toothpick longways. with this resin stuff his ball probably finishes strong now, that makes him tough still !!!!!!!! ernie say hi to cathy and i hope you are well...  Louis Capasso


 

Awhile back Mineralite asked me if Ernie would show up for his induction into the NY Bowling Hall of Fame.

The answer is yes. He called me on Friday to say he was in York, Pa. in a PBA regional and said the Hall Dinner is October 2nd in Queens.

This weekend the stop is in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

I'm going up to see him and have dinner. He tells me he won one a few weeks ago and he laughed and said that there's no money in the Senior Tour, but he beat all the kids in the regional. Not bad for 61... Harry Bar

When Ernie started bowling action he used to yell" "Scrambled eggs" on very light hits that carried.

"Fruit salad" was used when he threw a terrible ball right on the nose and the pins just collapsed

Billy,thanks for the kind words and great post.

Of course, it was Mikie Lemongello. I was at Whitestone one night with Ernie and the same thing happened. We were in our early 20's and he was about 16. He came in with his crew and challanged Ernie. I think they went back and forth and Mike came out one or two up. But, they got along very well and Ernie told him to come to Gun Post the next weekend so they could bowl doubles against Ralph Engan and Hank Borroughs.

The rest is history, they were unbeatable.

That was all before we started going up to Central. See, Gun Post got raided one Sunday morning around 5 am and the cops took away the kid holding the money and unscrewed the score table and took that for evidence. Didn't bother the bowlers though. Very funny.

I'd love to chat with you, how do I contact you?...  Harry Bar

This is to Vito D.

Sorry, I never saw your post from back in July. I am in my early 60's. Had a pro shop for five years in upper Manhattan from 1963-68.

Went to all the Bronx, Westchester, Jersey, Queens and some Brooklyn houses for action.

Mainly Gun Post and Central.

Ernie's red ball was a Jubilere. I had one also. About two years ago Ernie was in Jersey for the Petraglia PBA stop. We were meeting for dinner and he asked me if I still had my old ball. Anyway, I brought it and gave it to him. He wanted to plug and redrill it to fool around with.

I think it's now in his garage back in Washington State.

i was very close friends with the horn and joe s and both also agree ernie was a tough match now in my opinion ernie had the heart of a lion. i never saw him in the sixties but the seventy's he was still tough. the man could go down and in better than anyone . plus he had charisma. when i went on tour I had red white and blue linds made for me just like ernies in 1976. the problem with most posts on this site is the newcomers have little or no respect for the oldtimers. I have gotten alot of trash from a few people on this site but there were few people that could throw a bowling ball like I could high track with alot of revs with a perfect approach and the 1st bowler with a high backswing.
ernie you once told me if you threw my ball you would win most all the tournements you bowled in. to me that was a great compliment . you are and always will be one of my idols, keep bowling...  Lou C

Dear Ernie I have bowled with you on tour and thank god never against you in a match you ARE a tough bowler and one of my idols. nuff said ... Lou C

Does anybody know that Schlegel is blind in one eye? Reason for not being a cranker.

Dear Stevie,

I just spoke to quite a few of my colleagues who was there with me when Ernie was shooting action at Gun Post Lanes with his red ball. We all agree something was up with his bowling ball.

Ernie was very accurate, I agree there with you. I should have just made reference to 'The Bell' when they had thier action matches, so for this I do take back the statement that he was a poor action bowler.

I see all these younger kids talking trash on how good they are at Action Bowling. Stevie, how old are you and where are you from? Have a nice day.

Former Action Bowler
Vito D.

P.S. I did have some matches with Ernie at Gun Post Lanes and Joe Berardi just to name a couple. I held my own with them, you know win some lose some! Wish I had my legs strength still. I think we could compete with these so called action bowlers.

I know Ernie never threw a load like many. Stevie, was he right about this guy BELL crushing Ernie? Biggest load I saw was a guy named Mario who came to Central quite often. His ball weighed at least 18 pounds. One night the lanes were hooking so much that he had alot of trouble keeping the ball on the right side. We were cracking up in the back. Another guy Joe Leggett from Lyons Lanes in the 70s threw a load and never denied it. He was tough. Try getting him into a match with a legal ball. Impossible. Iggy Russo threw a load many times, although he did not need it.

Former Action Bowler, the "Bell" was Johnny Bell a real good lefty who threw a ton of ball.

You're nuts to say Ernie wasn't a good action bowler. As for the loaded ball, that's b.s.

Anyone who ever saw Ernie knows his whole game was being accurate. You couldn't be accurate with a loaded ball in the 60's because we used to put lead or mercury in and had no idea of what would happen when we threw it. It was more for fun than serious bowliing.

Ernie is bowling Mike Chuchillo from Patchogue one night at central. Nothing less than 240 for Ernie the first six and wins them all. the next game, he needs a mark in the tenth. he missed the head pin, left the 124 and then missed it to the left. Ernie came back laughing. The next game 240 plus, match over. he never went into his pocket for the game he lost.

ExAlleyRat, come on, Ernie was smart not a crook. He would bet only 20 and lose, then freeze out the back, bet big and win. That's different that taking the money and not betting it. Most of it was just feeling out the pair and his opponent until he was confident.

I know because we went partners many times at Central, Gunpost and various other houses all over... Stevie Wonder

lenny,how's the buff doing these days.FRUIT SALAD. I check out the action bowlers site every once in awhile and have to laugh about the things they say about who was the best.mike was good, so was ritchie and ralph dewey jake kenny joe s,kidder but who went home with the money was the best and you know and for sure i know ,that when you don't know when to quit that makes you a slight Fish not a tuna because all of these mentioned could bowl. Enough said about bowlihg. if you here from buff tell him i said hello. www.tournament 900@aol.com,you got married and i didn't get an invite HA,HA looking at another site i seen red bassetts name he was blinder than a bat but could hit a gnats ass at 40ft.haven't heard his name in at least 15,20 yrs. brings back the memories of good times and good action and the sun coming up and time to go home and sleep. bowl on the old mans tour now just won my first title in brentwood (northern)ca. still bowling and beating the kids on the regional level(just finished 2nd) hope to do the same on the jr. tour this winter starting in jan.say hello to all my critics on the net that think the other guys were the best just tell them whose still here doing it and who is not that should prove that my knowledge and skill is beyond theirs, rubber,plastic,soaker,bleeders,lt48's urathane ,2piece 3 piece and now the load as I call them,getting better with age,the modern era the old era whatever action is action when to get on a lane and when to get off is the sign of who the best is not some one who lets himself get beat to the tune of all his money thats a fish,tuna,and more then 5 in a row more then once is the ultimate WHALE you chase them with a passion. now that the record is set to the cane who does alot of the reporting to the action people,each person that said they made alot of money on me in the middle that is not true I took all bets and my memory is good,exact dates not so sharp on but matches right on win or lose,i never lost to ritchie, twice to mike in singles,but never lost in doubles and that was a whole bunch of times. when mike and i were partners we were unbeatable then he listened to his so called friends and said you want to bowl me and that was his downfall,i'm into making money not beating someone just taking their money. I didn't like taking mikes money but his buddys now that was a different story.
here is the story from the horses mouth, in an e mail i received today. if you dont know who wrote the letter , you dont know bowlers , or action bowlers.
out of all the action bowlers mentioned on these boards he has to be the best for longevity . 45 years that i know , so the money is still coming in as you can read.
how many action shooters, whether it was the count gengler , iggy or anyone else you know can make this claim?
i dont know one n y or other state, maybe if there is another action shooter with at least 46 years action, want to take ernie on please leave your name and i'm sure he would give any 60 year old a run. thats right 60 this year happy belated birthday fruit salad!!!!

Stevie Wonder is right. Ernie was the smartest especially when he was dumping. How many times he collected from the back, never bet a dime, did not put all in the middle and threw the game.

I was in Central throughout the mid-late 60's and at GunPost before that. Ernie was the smartest action bowler period. Most guys were all ego, swagger and talk. It was a show. Ernie was always thinking.

Sickle St. still have my red Jubilere?

to ernie or sicle street you were tough always and when i knew you , when i went on tour you still had game. you could bowl on most conditions becouse you were accurate . i also agree that most action bowlers including myself were gamblers and always wanted more and never knew when to quit. I remember pappas betting me in N.C once that i could not shoot 220 and i beat him 3 straight. he quit so i said how about 230 he said 235 i won the first lost 4 straight and ended up 100 dollars down. you gotta know when to hold em and when to fold em. say hello to cathy and stay well.
 

Mylenki stunk. What were you watching? Ernie used him to get easy matches. Lemon and ritchie would have beat him blindfolded. guess you forgot the night richie destroyed Godman a great Pba bowler. you also forgot that ernie did beat richie once or twice because he bowled him after Richie was tired. richie would walk in at 12 in central, ernie never came in before three. Then richie started walking in at 3, rested and ernie never beat him again.

pete mylenki could bowl,ernie and pete bowled mike and tom betucci on 37&38 in central and cleaned their clock,they also on another nite bowled ralph& doc iandolli and each game came down to the tenth and pete was like ice, what made ernie the best was he knew talent and when a match was in his favor,what made mike,richie, and quite a few others not as good(i didn't say talent)the never knew when to quit or if they had the best of the match they just wanted to bowl ernie was there for the kill and each time he bowled with pete they won. pete on the other hand was just like mike and richie,but the best was ralph ,ernie beat him 3 times ralph beat him 2 times,but you ask him today and he'll tell you ralph, not mike or ritchie,or anybody else............period......the best.....

Ernie did beat richie at central in the beginning because he was smarter. he would come at 3 am and challenge richie. he beat him because richie was there at 1am and already bowling and by the time the match got started the horn was tired. after a few times, the horn started showing up at 3am, rested and ernie never beat him again. I will admit that ernie was the best for my money because I never walked out a loser betting on him in the back. He had so many easy matches. As for ritchie, i could never get a bet in the back because everybody knew richie was the best. one night ernie beat mike chuchillo 7 out of 8 at central. to get chuchillo on the lanes, richie would have needed to spot him at least ten. you need to speak to schlegel one day and he will tell you that richie and lemon were much better. if you still believe schlegel was better then you forgot that whenever the horn and schlegel bowled doubles, richie was ALWAYS anchor. WHY? Because he never missed when it counted. enuf already.

After 10 years on the Senior tour, Schlegel is a champion: PBA Senior: Northern California Classic - PRO Tour Results

It took 10 years, but PBA Hall-of-Famer Ernie Schlegel finally won his first Senior tour title when he captured the PBA Senior Northern California Classic at Harvest Park Bowl.

Schlegel defeated top qualifier Norb Wetzel, 2-0, for the $8,000 winner's prize. "It's been a long time coming," Schlegel said of his 55-tournament dry spell. "But it took me 12 years to win my first title on the PBA tour, so I guess I'm two years ahead of schedule here."

Schlegel, 60, converted the difficult 3-9-10 split in the 10th frame of game No. 1 and set the tone with a 221-203 win. "I had to throw a back-up ball to convert it," he said. "That got in Wetzel's head. When you're bowling the best-of-three, that first game is so important. His shot just got worse from that point."

Wetzel, a lefthander, played the far outside line while Schlegel, a righthander, played the same angle on the right. Schlegel won the deciding game 214-179. Wetzel earned $4,100 for his second-place performance.

Northern California Classic

June 11, 2003
Harvest Park Bowl, Brentwood, Calif.

Rank, Name                     Avg./Games          Earnings

1. Ernie Schlegel               218.4/5             $8,000
2. Norb Wetzel                   201/4               4,100
3. Dave Soutar                  198.3/3              2,500
4. Guppy Troup                   192/2               2,500

Championship Finals

Semifinal                 Schlegel def. Soutar         2-1
Semifinal                  Wetzel def. Troup           2-0
Final                     Schlegel def. Wetzel         2-0
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