Munn Bowls 231 Average

Elizabeth Star Also Hits 300 in Winning 50- Game Endurance Match

William ( Whitey) Munn, Elizabeth bowling star and individual leader in the Newark recreation Major League, turned in one of the most sensational exhibitions in ally history when he won a 50-game endurance contest Saturday in Philadelphia.

rolling against Frank Serpico, a Quaker City ace, on the Bergman and Trucks alleys, Munn complied the phenomenal average of 231.38 and beat his opponent, who averaged 208.14 by 1174 pins.

The match started at 2:30 in the afternoon, with 25 games being completed by 5:45. The competition was resumed at 7 and the remaining 25 games were finished by 10:30.

The highlight of the match came in the 17th  game of the afternoon block. Munn and Serpico matched strike for strike for eight frames. In the ninth Serpico faltered, but Munn continued and added four more for a perfect 300 game as Serpico wound up with 268.

Starting with the sixth game of the afternoon match Munn really went to town and in the next 20 games averaged 251.15, a mark that might well be termed a world record. During that stretch he turned in his 300 game and in addition had such towering counts as 279, 276, and 267, his low game being 222.

Twenty-Five Game Average of 240

At the end of the first 25 games Munn led his opponent by 394 pins to average 240.15. Serpico averaged 224.21 for the same string. During the final 25 games Munn rolled up 780 more pins.

At the conclusion of the match Munn appeared just as fresh as when he started, a fact indicated by his average of 241.3 for the last five games. During the 50 games Munn lost three pounds while his opponent dropped five pounds. Both bowlers used three different balls.

The pins used weighed three pounds six ounces.

Munn and Serpico will roll another 50-game match Saturday afternoon, March 23, at the Newark Recreation Center alleys.



Munn's Pin Marks Scare Off Rivals

Newark Star Ledger

Sunday, January 12, 1942

Elizabeth bowler has tallied nine perfect games in career -

Pitched baseball in Navy

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Ever since William ( Whitey) Munn of Elisabeth defeated Frank Serpico in 50-game matches at Philadelphia and here in Newark last year, he has been unable to get anyone to answer his challenge to a 50-game bowling contest. A fact, coupled with several other major arguments, that serves to prove Whitey is the best endurance kegler in the country.

Whitey , who has rolled no less than nine 300 games in his dozen years of bowling, included a perfect game in the match at Philadelphia.

During that fray the Elizabeth iron worker averaged 231. At Newark, his average for the 50 games was 217. And he had only one game below 185 in the entire 100 games!

The 42-year old ex-sailor, who served on convoy duty in the first World War, still makes the offer to meet anyone anywhere in 50 games.

After he defeated Serico, he had more than one would-be opponent pull out from contemplated matches.

The Newark born bowling star, who moved to Elizabeth from Hillside eight years back, broke two ribs last April and he claims he has been unable to reach his top form since then. However Whitey is doing alright for himself, broken ribs or not. He has a 204 average in the Newark Major League, where he rolls with the Wilsons, and he is the owner of a 194 figure with the Maurors of Union City.

The year 1939 was Whitey's best. That season he rolled a 220 average with the John F. Connelly Association in the Camptown Recreation Wednesday Night League. He has a 208 average with Elizabeth in the New Jersey Elke's League and turned in an average of 211 in the Elizabeth Major League. That amounted to a 213 average for three of the best leagues in the state.

Munn, who did not take up bowling until several years after he was honorably discharged from the United States Navy in 1922 after serving for five years, gained his first fame in sports as a baseball pitcher. Whitey, who doesn't believe in doing things half-way, merely pitched the S.S. Wyoming to the championship of the United States fleet.

Munn's wife, as might be assumed if you know Whitey, is a bowler, too, competing in the Chancellor Women's Friday night circuit. It was through bowling that Whitey meet the missus. The pair have a prospective bowling star in Barbara, a baby daughter. Whitey and his wife have been Mr. & Mrs. for three years, " three of the happiest years a man could ever have," Munn added.

Whitey will compete in the Petersen Classic at Chicago this month and will then move onto St. Louis for matches Feb. 5 to 8, inclusive. Hew will serve on the National Bowler's Journal five-man team at St. Louis and, unless something goes awry, is practically certain of placing in the money at both cities.

Munn First Bowler Selected For Oldtimers Hall of Fame

By Gus Bock

For the first time in its history the Old time Athletes Assn. will honor a bowler at its 19th annual dinner and reunion Thursday night at the Hotel Suburban, East Orange.

This man, and he is a mighty one, is William 9Whitey) Munn of Hillside. No athlete could be more deserving of the honor because Whitey has has been one of the country's great pin stars-and we do mean great- for too many years to remember.

Other old time sports figures who will be honored include George Mills (baseball, football); Matthew McDonald (track, boxing, football); Henry Wagner (gymnast, basketball, bowling); Harry McEnore ( baseball); Silvio Bojrotundi (baseball, basketball, bowling); Sam (Murph)Klugman ( basketball); Dr. Maclyn Baker (baseball, basketball, football); John Joyce (basketball, baseball, football); Joe O'Toole (basketball); Frank Terwilliger (track, football,baseball); William Hood (baseball, football); John (Pop) Brennan (cycling); Andrew Zazali ( basketball, bowling); and Joe Kasberger (St. Benedict's Prep athletic coach and a former football star), and two newspaper men, Sid Dorfman of the Star-Ledger and your correspondent.

One could write reams about the sport exploits of these individuals, but this is primarily a story about Munn because, as we mentioned before, he is the first bowler ever to receive the accolades of this association.

During his long career, Whitey, a former iron worker, was a national bowling figure. He hit the headlines first as a member of the Elizabeth Elks of the old New Jersey State Elks League. He was top man in that league for so many years that it wasn't funny. He also performed with many other championship teams in New Jersey and carved out a sensational record in national competition.

In 11 national championship tournaments he averaged over 200 an in the American Bowling Congress tournament he was a 10-year leader with an average of 200.47.

Munn also rolled 10 perfect 300 games along the way, but he will mostly be remembered as a marathon bowler. Whitey had the strength of a bull and he needed it because he fired a sweeping hook ball, one of the most difficult to control, and one of the most taxing on a mans muscles. But, of course, Whitey had muscles to spare. If it were not for a hand injury that cut his career in its prime we are sure that Whitey would still be in there with the best of them.

In June of 1942 Munn competed in the world's marathon championship at Phoenixville, Pa., against 72 of the nation's top performers and he won the title on scores of 210, 188, 222, 299, 207, and 240 for a 228 average.

He held the title for several years, but, to our mind, his greatest feat came about in 1941. He was challenged by Frank Serpico of Philadelphia to a 100-game match for a very substantial purse. The first 50 games were rolled at Serpico's Philadelphia alleys, which, of course, were strange to Munn and the second 50 at the Newark Recreation Center.

Serpico and Munn rolled 50 games a day, 25 in the afternoon and 25 at night. After the first 50 games in Philadelphia there was no contest. Munn averaged 231 and, on the way, hit scores of 300 and 279. His average from the sixth game to the 25th-20 contest-was 251, a mark that is unequalled in bowling history.

Big Advantage

Serpico averaged 208.14 for the first 50 games and they entered the second 50 games at Newark with Munn holding an advantage of 1,174 pins. In these 50 games Whitey went into a "slump". He was able to average only 217.27 but he did manage to fire scores of 278, 276, and 275. Serpico averaged 196.15, an average we will take any time.

In addition to bowling, Munn was a fair country baseball player. He served five years on convoy duty with the navy in the first World War and during that period he pitched the USS Wyoming to the championship of the United States fleet. Anybody want to bowl 50 games? We'll get Whitey out of moth balls.

Bowlers Journal Team of New York Sweeps Series In First Block Of Title Match

Manhattan may soon gain the same distinction in bowling that it enjoys in the baseball world, where the New York Yankees almost annually dominate the scene. For the crack Bowler's Journal team, under the leadership of the colorful Joe Falcaro, all but knocked the props from under the St. Louis Hermans, current world champions, in the first three-game block of their eighteen-game series fro the worlds' team match-game title last night at Feusers's Del-mar Recreation. After all firing had ceased, the New Yorkers held a commanding lead of 338 pins, the result of a clean sweep of the three games.
The Hermans , however, will have a chance to cut into the Journals' advantage when these teams meet in the second trio of games in the marathon series over the same Nos. 13 and 14 alleys tonight at 8 o'clock.

Hermanns Off Show

The Hermans, with a majority of the overflow crowd of 350 cheering them on, got off to a slow start and could never catch up. Capt. Cone Hermann, Sam Garofalo, Ed (Bud) Rice, Charles (Chuck) O' Donnell and Lowell Jackson opened the series for the Hermanns and after their first game, which added up to only 888, compared to the 1,009 for the journals, leaving the St. Louisans 121 pins behind, it was apparent that the St. Louis squad was not at its best.

Hermanns Improve

Then, in the second game, the Hermanns improved somewhat by firing 875, but this still wasn't as good as the Journals' total of 981, increasing their average to 227 pins.

After the second game , the Hermanns, in shaking up their lineup, benched Rice, who had tossed only 152 and 158 in his first two efforts, and sent Joe Pallardy into the game. Pallardy improved on Rices scores when he shot 175 and the team totaled 865, but this still was not good enough, for the "Bronx Bombers" rolled 976.

The visitors seemed right at home over the resurfaced Del-Mar alleys, especially little Marty Cassio, who came up with games of 190, 231 and 212 for 633 to cop scoring honors for the night. James ( Junie) McMahon wasn't far behind with scores of 235, highest single game in the first block, 205 and 179 for 619.

Falcaro Below Par

Falcaro, who has fifty-six 300 games to his credit, or more than any other bowler, didn't warm up until the last game, when he shot 204. His 188 and 158 gave him 550 for his contribution to the Journals' cause.
Jacksons' fine pin toppling as anchor man for the Hermanns kept the Journals' margin from reaching greater proportions with his games of 208, 196, and198 for 602, the highest total turned in by any bowler on the local squad.

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Chips of The Tenpins
( this is a small article written about the same matches posted above, unfortunately, my grandmother did not specify the name of the newspaper it was clipped from)

Harry Feuser announced that the afternoon sessions tomorrow ans Sunday will start at 2:30 o'clock instead of 3 . . . . Cone Hermann got the series under way with a strike, which turned out to be a bad omen, for his 486 total for three games was the lowest of the night. . . . William (Whitey) Munn, husky leadoff man for the Journals', was never without his cigar. He even leaves the bench and bowls with the stogie in his mouth. . . . The match was forty-five minuets late in the start and ended a few minutes before 11p.m.. . . . The crowed cheered when Jackson picked the six and seven pins in a split in the third frame of the first game.

Here is another article writen on this same match

Rivals Pay Dearly / Munn Claims Marathon Bowling Title.

Detroit News Jaunuary 15, 1943

Rivals Pay Dearly
Munn Claims Marathon Bowling Title

By John Walter

Detroiters will be interested to know an Elizabeth, N.J., bowler, William (Whitey) Munn, is setting himself up as the undefeated claimant of the "world's marathon bowling championship," and is making his marathon bowling pay.
Recently Munn, 43-year-old New Jersey tenement inspector, defeated Fred Voelpel, of Long Island; Frank Serpico, of Philadelphia, and Ray Schultz, of Buffalo, in marathon matches. his opponents failed in the late games with numbed hands and bleeding fingers as Munn continued to top the 200 mark.

Against Serpico, Munn averaged 231 for the 50 games at Philadelphia. Serpico, incidentally, was Munn's teammate on Joe Falcaro's ill-fated National Bowlers Journal five that lost its world's match game five-man title to Joe Norris'Stroh team here last winter.

Detroiters also saw Munn, former structural iron worker, in action at the Petersen Classic at the Palace Recreation last month. Munn finished in fifth place. After that Munn bowled half a dozen money matches and averaged 216 for the distance as he cleaned up. Four of his matches were with Alex Graham of Dover, O., creamery proprietor.

WINNING ANOTHER
At present Munn is on his way to a victory over Joe Krupa, 35-year-old Clevelander, in a 100-game match for $2,000. The past week-end saw Munn out bowl Krupa by 679 pins in the first 50 games at Cleveland. The second 50 games will be rolled at Elizabeth, N.J., this week-end.

This article has also been featured on ActionBowlers.com

Munn Boosts Lead Over Marty Cassio

ELIZABETH- William "Whitey" Munn, Hillside veteran, stretched his lead to 227 pins over Marty Cassio of Rahway in the next to last block of their 40-game challenge bowling match last night at the Centre Recreation alleys.
Turning in a 10-game average of 209.9, Munn picked up 83 pins as Cassio ran into numerous splits and emerged with an average of 201.6. Munn's high game was 241 in the second, in which he defeated his arch rival by 73 pins. Cassio's best was 234 in the opener.
The final 10-game block will be rolled tonight at Centre.

Scores:
Munn : 215, 241,172, 211, 235, 189, 217, 204, 212, 203, = 2,099.

Cassio: 234, 168, 207, 221, 182, 195, 223, 200, 215, 171, = 2,016.

Munn Beats Schultz In 50 Game Marathon

CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE & READ

Munn Mops Up

June 22, 1942
MUNN MOPS UP
Beats Voepel by 792 Pins in 90-Game Match

Special to Newark News

HEMPSTEAD, L.I., - The second half of the schedualed 100-game bowling match between Whitey Munn of Elizabeth and Fred Voepel of Hempstead, L.I., rolled yesterday on Heinemann's Hempstead Recreation alleys, saw Munn emerge the victor by a margin of 792 pins, with Voepel calling it quits at the end of 40 games becuase of an injured thumb.

Munn entered the second half of the match with a lead of 81 pins which he gained in the first 50 games rolled a week ago at the Hollywood Recreation alleys, Hillside.

In the Hillside block, Voepel led Munn right up to the 49th game and at one time had a lead of 312 pins, but yesterday he was not in Whitey's class. the latter averaged 204 for the 40 games, with some of his big counts being 278, 269, 264 and 247. Voepel averaged 186, with his best game being 255. Munn averaged 206 for the 90 games.

Munn-Varipapa Pin Duel Opens Here Tonight

Whitey Munn of Hillside, who for years was recognized as one of the leading bowlers in the country, signalizes his return to competition after a one-year layoff tonight when he opens a twenty-game home-and-home match with Andy Varipapa, trick shot artist, at Munn's Centre Recreation alleys. Rolling will begin at 9 o'clock.
Ten games will be rolled tonight and the final ten at Varipapa's Hempstead L.I., pin emporium tomorrow night.
Munn arranged the tussle mainly to ready himself for his big forty-game duel with Marty Cassio of Rahway, starting next weekend at Centre. The county rivals haven't clashed since their meeting in the 1943 Centre Classic, which Cassio won.
Whitey has been drilling hard for the Varipapa match and has averaged close to 225 the last few days. He rattled off a pair of 279 games during the week. Munn and Varipapa toured the country from 1937 to 1939, giving exhibitions and appearing in movie shorts.
Following tonight's set of ten games, Varipapa will give his inimitable demonstration of trick shots.

Munn To Enter

One or the out-of-state stars expected to have to have his entry in before the end of the current week is Whitey Munn from Elizabeth, NJ. Whitey is regarded as one of the greatest "money" bowlers of the times. he has travelled over Central United States as well as in the eastern states, taking in all the leading "sweeps" and tournaments. Several times Munn has been top man, winning three important affairs during 1943.
The contest is to be decided with six games over six alleys. The total pins will decide the winner. Each bowler rolls two games on a pair and moves to his right.
As a matter of courtesy to the many bowlers coming from a distance, the 9 & 11 o'clock shifts will be given to the out-of-towners whenever there is a preference to be had.
All entries may be sent to Bob Vandever at the Penn recreation Center, fifth and Penn streets.

Munn Hits 300

William "Whitey" Munn, Elizabethan known throughout metropolitan bowling circles for his sweeping hook-ball, today has a fourth 300 game, and the first of the local pin season, to his credit. Bowling for the Club Royale team in the Elizabeth major League, Munn's fast-breaking ball snaked into the pocket for twelve strikes in the middle game. His other scores were 237 and 201.
Clube Royale bowled 1,030, 1,08?? and 1,068 to sweep the recreation Five, Munn showing the way. Munn also bowls for the Elizabeth Lodge team in the State Elks League.
The six-foot ironworker's flaw-less effort is the second for 1939 here. George Yorke hit a perfect game for Simmons at the Y.M.C.A. Industry League on February 14 last season, and George Scheuerman of the Epworth M. E., banged a 300 in the Church Federation Leauge late in 1938.

Munn's Hot Pace Sinks Varipappa

Newark Sunday Call 10/15/44

ELIZABETH- Turning in an average of 246.4 for 10 games, Whitey Munn easily topped Andy Varipappa of New York, one of the nations best known bowlers, on the Centre Recreation alleys last night. Munn who fell below 200 only once, took a 297-pin lead in the 20 game match, which will be completed today at Varipappa's place at Hempstead, L.I.
Munn, co-owner of the Centre with Len Sauer, hit 286 in the seventh game and 279 in the eighth an d then wound up with a pair of 256 scores. He will meet Marty Cassio, Rahway tailor, in a 40-game match at the Centre beginning Saturday at 9P.M. The second block will be rolled a week from tonight, with the final blocks listed for October 28 and 29.
Cassio was challenged by Munn after the Rahway ace disposed of Junie McMahon twice and Ray Nolen and Frank Serpico in 40-game events. Scores last night.

Munn - 254, 256, 216, 246, 193, 222, 286,279, 256, 256 - 2,464.
Varipappa - 224, 216,207,237,195, 169, 259,245, 182, 233 - 2,167.