Holler House

Infobox Sport governing body
assocname= Holler House

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sport= Ten-pin bowling
abbrev =
founded = 1908
aff =
affdate =
region =
regionyear =
location = Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
chairman = Marcy Skowronski
url =
country

Holler House is a tavern that houses the oldest certified bowling alley in the United States.cite web |url=http://www.mkeonline.com/story.asp?id=1392841 |title=Marcy Skowronski of Holler House |last=Cigelske |first=Tim|date=2006-06-15 |work=Bartender of the Week |publisher=MKonline |accessdate=2008-09-17 ] cite web |url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,422844,00.html|title=Oldest Bowling Alley in America Turns 100 |date=2008-09-15 |work=via Associated Press |publisher=FoxNews |accessdate=2008-09-16] [cite news |title=Milwaukee bowling alley, oldest in US, turns 100 |url=http://www.waow.com/Global/story.asp?S=9004077 |work=WAOW |date=2008-08-13 |accessdate=2008-09-14 ] Holler House contains the two oldest sanctioned lanes in the nation,Feldman (2004), p. 152.] both of which are still tended by pinsetters. [Bie (2002), p. 79.]

Holler House was opened in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1908.cite web |url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,422844,00.html |title=Oldest Bowling Alley in America Turns 100|date=2008-09-15 |work=via Associated Press |publisher=FoxNews |accessdate=2008-09-16 ] The 100th anniversary party was held Saturday, September 14, 2008.cite web|url=http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0908/553274.html|title=Milwaukee gives a holler to favorite bowling alley|last=Ramde|first=Dinesh|date=2008-09-14|publisher=WJLA News|accessdate=2008-09-16] Esquire has rated Holler House one of the best bars in America.cite web|url=http://www.esquire.com/bestbars/bb-HollerHouse|title=Holler House|work=The Best Bars in America|publisher=Esquire|accessdate=2008-09-17]

History

Holler House was founded on September 13, 1908 by "Iron Mike" Skoronski as "Skowronski's". [cite news |first=Molly |last=Gamble |title=Oldest bowling alley in nation turns 100 |url=http://media.www.marquettetribune.org/media/storage/paper1130/news/2008/09/04/Marquee/Oldest.Bowling.Alley.In.Nation.Turns.100-3410160.shtml |work=The Marquette Tribune |date=2008-09-04 |accessdate=2008-09-14 ] cite web|url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/features/stories/theseparts/hollerhouse/|title=Milwaukee's Best|last=McClelland|first=Edward|date=2006|publisher=Chicago Reader|accessdate=2008-09-17] McClelland (2008), p. 28.] His son, Gene married Marcy in 1952 and they renamed it "Gene and Marcy's". Gene passed away, but Marcy Skowronski still runs the tavern. [cite news |first=Brian |last=Back
title=Brew City's treasures just waiting to be tapped |url=http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=785984 |work=Journal Sentinel |date=2008-08-21 |accessdate=2008-09-14 ] About 1975, it was christened "Holler House" by a German woman who could not believe the noise that was coming from inside.

Tradition

Starting in the mid-twentieth century, Holler House began a tradition that has since accumulated nearly 1,000 bras. This tradition started when the owner Marcy Skowronski was drinking with her friends, after which they started taking their clothes off. This has now grown into a tradition in which women would autograph and hang their bras from various fixtures in the tavern the first time they went there. [cite news |first=Jeff |last=Crowley |title=Bowling for ages at Holler House |url=http://m.courierpress.com/news/2007/Sep/30/bowling-for-ages-at-holler-house/ |work=Evansville Courier & Press |date=2007-09-30 |accessdate=2008-09-14 ] When the bras started fraying, Skowronski boxed up most of the them to make room for new ones to be displayed. [cite news |first=Dinesh |last=Ramde |title=Milwaukee gives a holler to favorite bowling alley |url=http://www.kansascity.com/811/story/796092.html |work= |publisher= |date= |accessdate=2008-09-14 ]

100th anniversary

In preparation for its 100th anniversary, Holler House received its first thorough cleaning in 40 years. During this cleaning, five two-hole 15-pound wooden bowling balls were found.

ame appearance as one century ago

Holler House still looks much the same as it did a century ago. The lanes are made of real wood that was laid over a century ago, not the synthetic wood found in modern bowling alleys. It still has a manual pin mechanism that pin boys reload by hand by rolling the bowling balls down a track between the two lanes. Scores from bowling games are documented from paper hanging on the wall.

Memorabilia and the beer sold

Memorabilia dating back to as early as 1912 is displayed. Prices in the early days were 25 cents for a hot beef sandwich and 25 cents plus deposit for a half-gallon of beer. During Prohibition, liquor was stored under a baby's crib because the police would not look there. There are no chairs in the bowling alley and score is kept by hand on paper hanging from the wall. Reflecting the ethnic background of the neighborhood, there are Polish falcon crests above the bowling lanes.cite web|url=http://www.onmilwaukee.com/bars/articles/uniquebars3.html|title=Unique bar guide: Part III|last=Tarnoff|first=Andy|date=2006-07-11|publisher=OnMilwaukee|accessdate=2008-09-17]

Holler House sells only bottled beer, with the exception of Schlitz in a can. There is nothing on tap.

Notable bowlers and visitors

* Earl Anthony, a professional bowler, who amassed a total of 43 titles on the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) TourMcClelland (2008), p. 29.]
* Joe Walsh, an American guitarist
* Traci Lords, an American film actress
* Frank Deford, a "Sports Illustrated", author

Notes

References

*cite book |title=The Third Coast |last=McClelland |first=Ted |year=2008 |publisher=Chicago Review Press |isbn=1556527217 |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=9nqYOtJ-tXoC
*cite book |title=Wisconsin Curiosities |last=Feldman |first=Michael |coauthors=Cook, Diana |year=2004 |publisher=Globe Pequot |isbn=0762730404 |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=SSOwAtUpoRwC
*cite book |title=Classic Wisconsin Weekends |last=Bie |first=Michael |coauthors=Bie, Mike |year=2002 |publisher=Big Earth Publishing |isbn=1931599068 |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=B_hK2NoC2voC

External links

* [http://www.bowlingdigital.com/bowling/node/20180 Bowling Digital]