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I knew your dad pretty well......he even sponsored our team (Hennessy Advertising) in the old McCook Classic League.

Yes, it became Dixie Bowl after Bar-Jan, then Driftwood up until it closed.

@@dougcooper5204 thank you. I wondered. I bowled with my step-dad in a parent child league at Driftwood in 82. He is a Cooper, Robert Cooper. He used to work at Poelking Woodman and South the last few years until he retired.

@@ronniewylie5115 Ronnie, we are unrelated. However, my brother, Dave, was the GM at Belmont when it closed in 1996. Immediately thereafter, he ran Driftwood for a short time.

@Doug Cooper we all moved to Indiana in 87. After my mom and he got divorced, he moved back to Ohio in 2011. A lot changed since 87. Since we were only an hour away, we were there a lot. I would sub for a buddy of mine team in a league at the house on Fairfield. I forget the name Beaverview, I think. It was in the late 90s.

I had heard about it from an "old timer" and one evening while I was looking at some old photos of the Dayton Flood of 1913, I nearly crapped when I found the photo shown in this video.

It was.

It was Royal Z Varsity. But Varsity was always in the name

@@threezybaby Varsity was the original name when it first opened. The "Royal Z" came along, probably in the mid 70s or thereabout. "Royal" actually was an indirect reference to one of Louie Z's first houses, the old Royal Alleys located where the Spaghetti Warehouse is now in downtown Dayton. George, you would have loved those lane beds!

Congress, both the bar and the lanes, is closed now. A few of us wanted to stop by there a couple of years ago and take some photos (I was hoping to try and get the building on the historical register), but I spoke with the owner on the phone that morning and she said, "We don't want you here." I was not pleased.....

@@dougcooper5204 Maybe a year or so before Congress closed, I recall reading in the Dayton Daily News that the bowling alley part was closed. One day while driving down Troy St., I decided to drop in and check it out. There were maybe 4 or 5 people doing late afternoon drinking and the lane area was not lit up. The place smelled badly of mold/mildew and it really felt like the place should have been condemned at that point.

Really enjoyed your recollections! I believe that McCook's had pinboys until about 1957 or thereabout, so your memory is probably good one.

@@dougcooper9645 Yes, I would have been there in the 1957 and before time frame! I thought it was neat that humans were up in the action part of the lanes. I hope they had a shield they could drop down when they were done setting the pins. It would be dangerous without one. My cousin was an AMF (I believe) mechanic at Capri Lanes back in the 1970's and I'd go back there and sometimes walk by the back of them machine and it was really noisy and he said to always walk with your head turned away from the machines just in case a pin flew out. Most likely so you could have an open casket funeral......LOL!

Brian, thank you so much for your comments!

Cindy, thank you so much for your comment! I apologize for the error and hope you will forgive me. I was a little apprehensive about putting this on TH-cam since I hadn't talked to you. When I think of Guy, it makes me sad to think about him and all the other young soldiers who didn't come home. I ran into a longtime friend of mine just last month who had seen this upload and called me. He went to school with Guy and wanted to let me know how proud he was just knowing him, let alone what he did in Vietnam. One other thing, the info I had compiled to do this advised that the reserve center named for Guy was in Riverside, but I could never locate it. Ironically, I live in Dayton about a mile from WPAFB and there is a building within walking distance that I had passed a zillion times. However, I just happened to read the markings on the front side when driving by last month and there was Guy's name on it! I was a little upset (at myself) because I could have included it in this video. Finally, hearing from you is one of the nicest things that has ever happened to me! I hope you and Joey are doing well.

You're local aren't you? I'm in Jefferson Twp.

Yes, near there.....I graduated from Northmont High School (1968) and live near WPAFB today. It'd be really great to meet you some time.

Doug Cooper I would like that too! Go to Facebook and PM me, ok? I graduated from Belmont in Dayton in 68, but went to Northmont in my Junior year.

Hi Jan Nace. Thank you so much for such kind words! Like you (I lived in nearby Englewood and went to Northmont H.S.) I always wondered about that sign on SR 49. Ironically, I met someone earlier this week who actually went to school with Guy. I only wish I could have met him.

It's simple......Combat Medics are special!

If you haven't yet seen HEARTBREAK RIDGE, you have got to see it. I just saw it for the first time - and it makes me appreciate medics even more! You must be so proud of your dad!

As far as I know, the reopened center is still going......it's about 10 miles north of downtown Dayton.

Thanks for the info! I stopped by there just before it reopened and the new owner and mechanic were busy getting the place ready. It's going to be an uphill battle since nearby Thunderbowl has most of the market in that area plus many from Dayton.