Facsko, Louis

 

Louis Facsko – (2006)

 

Talk to anyone who doesn’t bowl, and chances are they will tell you bowling isn’t really a sports activity. They’re likely to say it is for individual recreation, and not much else. Most bowlers, however, look at their favorite “recreation” as an opportunity for all ages. For longtime Lorain bowling phenom Lou Facsko it was all that, and so much more. It was then, is today, and always will be a treasured part of the world of sports.

When Facsko embarked on his personal kegling career as a member of the Lorain Bowling Association in 1945, his would be a name that became legendary. It was commonplace to appear almost on a daily basis in the Lorain Journal sports pages. That would last until his retirement from his favorite sport in 1968 when bursitis in his elbow told him it was time to quit.

There are many momentous events in Facsko’s bowling career, not the least of which were his two perfect games – 12 straight strikes twice, for 300 games. The first 300 came during the 1956-57 season in league competition at Croatian Club Lanes on March 8, 1957. It was the second 300, however, that not only made front page news in Lorain, but in Toledo and much of the rest of the national bowling establishments throughout the country.

That one came on April 21, 1960, when Facsko was bowling in the 59th Annual American Bowling Congress National bowling Tournament in Toledo. It came in singles competition, but his Lorain Music teammates swarmed around him and hoisted him for all competitors to see and cheer, and reports are the establishment reverberated by their resounding applause. His first 300 was the 18th in LBA history dating back to 1924 when it was organized. Facsko’s second perfect game was the 16th in ABC history at the time, a feat ABC officials claim is extremely rare with the odds put at one in 568,000. It was the television highlight on Cleveland sportscaster Jim Graner’s TV sports show.

Facsko’s bowling progress was rapid. Two years after beginning his LBA career, he would register the eighth best bowling average during the 1947-48 league season. It was during the 1952-53 season that he would record his all-time career best, a 197 average, which at the time was sixth best in the LBA. That was long before bowling lanes were refined by such things as the technology of today’s bowling world. When his bout with elbow bursitis ended his bowling career, Facsko would finish with a lifetime 186 average. His all-time high series was a 714.

Lou was on two league championship teams. The 1953-54 C.I.O. Open League at Croatian Club Lanes and the 1957-58 United Steel Workers #1104 Open League, also at Croatian Club Lanes.

Among Facsko’s many career highlights was his being honored as Bowler of the Year at the 1961 LBA City Tournament at Avon Lake Recreation Lanes.

Throughout his long and honor-laden career, Facsko’s most ardent No. 1 fan was none other than his loving wife, Ann.

*WELCOME, THE MEMORY OF LOU FACSKO, INTO THE LORAIN SPORTS HALL OF FAME*