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.

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'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.

"Iron Man" Recalled

By Pat McDonough

Wednesday, June 19, 1974

The bond young man walked up to the check-in table at the Landgraf Classic and signed his name : Whitey Munn, Jr.

The name of Whitey Munn immediately evoked memories of an almost legendary bowling "Iron Man."

A generation ago the late Munn was the acknowledged "Marathon" champion. Anyone who was interested in bowling 50 games in one day was welcome to contact Whitey and he had a match.

Whitey had been an iron worker for most of his life and his ace card was stamina. Plus a bowling hand and thumb which could withstand a ten to twelve hour bowling session.

His most celebrated match was with Frank Serpico of Philadelphia. The pair bowled 25 games on a Saturday afternoon, thenreturned in the evening for 25 more. Whitey averaged an incredible 231 for the match, his opponent averaged a creditable 208 for the event.

In the 17th game of the match both opened with eight-timers. Serpico stopped at that point but but Munn went on to a 300 game.

In the final five games Whitey had 235, 246, 278 218 and 231 for a 241 average. In one stretch he averaged 251 for 20 games.

Munn's unique talent was for marathon matches but he met and beat the best in the area in matches of less than marathon length. He was a great team bowler and was a member of the National Team Match Champions, the Bowlers Journal outfit which included Joe Falcaro, Marty Cassio, Chester Arnhorst and Junie McMahon. McMahon and Cassio are in the ABC Hall of Fame and Falcaro has been close to election in recent voting.

Munn, who is a member of the Union County Hall of Fame, once served as secratary of the New Jersey State Proprietors Assn. He also toured with Andy Varapapa in the late 1930s.

As Whitey Munn, Jr. came off the lanes in the Landgraf Classic Manny Falcaro was ready to go on for the next squad. Manny is a son of the late Joe Falcaro, a rival of Whitey in many matches, individual and team. The sons had never met previously.