Bowling for all Ages at Oak Lanes
By Glynda Pflug
For decades, the lanes at Oak Lanes Bowling were always filled with avid bowlers in league competition and with those bowling just for fun.
Oak Lanes was at 118 West Seventh, the location of the former Star Theatre.
League competition was organized as early as the 1960's. An ad in the August, 1963, edition of the Moore County News-Press listed leagues bowling on Monday through Thursday.
Mack McCubbin was inviting teams to sign up for the fall season. The advertisement lists unusual names fort he teams. Sundowners Couples League, Shamrock Oil and Gas League, Ladies Pioneer League, Men's Commercial League, Hoot Owl Couples League, Ladies Housewives League, Men's Industrial League and Men's Ding Dong Daddy League. More leagues were expected to sign up.
A team of five women bowlers won the state championships in 1980. The league was sponsored by the Dalhart Coca Cola Bottling Company and was named Dumas' Coca Cola team. They won the Class C team competition at the 43rd annual Texas Woman's Bowling Association Championship Tournament held in Corpus Christi. Team members were Janelle Redwine, Ann Goudie, Linda Carter, Edna Darden, and Nona Parker.
Oak Lanes was at 118 West Seventh, the location of the former Star Theatre.
League competition was organized as early as the 1960's. An ad in the August, 1963, edition of the Moore County News-Press listed leagues bowling on Monday through Thursday.
Mack McCubbin was inviting teams to sign up for the fall season. The advertisement lists unusual names fort he teams. Sundowners Couples League, Shamrock Oil and Gas League, Ladies Pioneer League, Men's Commercial League, Hoot Owl Couples League, Ladies Housewives League, Men's Industrial League and Men's Ding Dong Daddy League. More leagues were expected to sign up.
A team of five women bowlers won the state championships in 1980. The league was sponsored by the Dalhart Coca Cola Bottling Company and was named Dumas' Coca Cola team. They won the Class C team competition at the 43rd annual Texas Woman's Bowling Association Championship Tournament held in Corpus Christi. Team members were Janelle Redwine, Ann Goudie, Linda Carter, Edna Darden, and Nona Parker.
The team was in Corpus Christi for competition the weekend of May 11, but had to wait 16-weeks until the statewide competition was finished for the results. They led their division by 34 pins. Second place was tied with identical scores of 2,411 by Bowling Rejects and The Scarabs, both of Houston. Third place was won by Fisher-Kelly of Breham. The competition included 2,512 teams.
Dumas teams competed in tournaments in surrounding towns. A clipping from a January, 1987, News-Press reported two teams from Moore County winning second and third in a tournament in Dalhart. The Sweet Bunch was second place winners and the Jail Birds were third. Individual bowlers listed were Ted Montgomery, Debbie Pennell, Joe Davis, Fred Sweet, and Bob Scherer.
After school leagues were organized for youth and league competition was held.
The building that housed Oak Lanes Bowling Alley began as the Star Theatre on September 8, 1936. It was one of the most modern movie theatres in the Panhandle. The $15,000 building was lit with neon signs which invited patrons inside to the best in sound equipment and comfort.
A portion of the west part of the building was Oak Lanes; the theatre was on the right side. After the theatre closed, the building was used as a storage facility. A fire on March 9, 2019, destroyed the building -- once a majestic vital part of downtown Dumas. Two of the smoke charred bricks from the building are on display at Window on the Plains Museum.
Dumas teams competed in tournaments in surrounding towns. A clipping from a January, 1987, News-Press reported two teams from Moore County winning second and third in a tournament in Dalhart. The Sweet Bunch was second place winners and the Jail Birds were third. Individual bowlers listed were Ted Montgomery, Debbie Pennell, Joe Davis, Fred Sweet, and Bob Scherer.
After school leagues were organized for youth and league competition was held.
The building that housed Oak Lanes Bowling Alley began as the Star Theatre on September 8, 1936. It was one of the most modern movie theatres in the Panhandle. The $15,000 building was lit with neon signs which invited patrons inside to the best in sound equipment and comfort.
A portion of the west part of the building was Oak Lanes; the theatre was on the right side. After the theatre closed, the building was used as a storage facility. A fire on March 9, 2019, destroyed the building -- once a majestic vital part of downtown Dumas. Two of the smoke charred bricks from the building are on display at Window on the Plains Museum.
Oak Lanes and Star Theatre