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Anderson honored for years of bowling service By RANDY HAMMERICKSEN He rolled his first bowling ball down a slow lane in Newport in 1932. That was the beginning of a long and successful association with bowling for Fred James "Andy" Anderson of Medford. Anderson, 86, is still going strong an active bowler, teacher of the game and ambassador of the sport in Southern Oregon, especially at Medford Lanes. Anderson, who has owned and operated two bowling facilities in Medford since moving to town in 1949, won three state amateur titles, trained Professional Bowlers' Association Hall of Famer Marshall Holman of Medford as a teenager in Medford and graced the local bowling scene with his mere presence. He was honored for his work in bowling Monday night when he was named winner of the Golden Age Award at Medford Lanes. The award, presented by the Rogue Valley Bowling Association, is presented to a longtime, active Rogue Valley bowler who continues to serve the sport and the people participating in it. "Andy has touched everyone involved with bowling in Medford," says Roy Rider, longtime owner of Medford Lanes, who started his career in the bowling service industry as an employee of Anderson's at Medford Lanes. "Everyone knows him, or at least knows of him. He's a legend. Andy was like the godfather of bowling in this area. He became a mentor to so many bowlers. He was also a friend of the same bowlers." And, occasionally, a road warrior. Anderson and friends used to barnstorm the state, looking for houses and tournaments in the 1950s and '60s. "They would drive up the road and stop at every bowling center they could find to bowl," says Rider. "They would go in two cars and they would just bowl and bowl. They drove to almost every tournament they could find. A weekend with Andy was memorable during those days." Anderson established a small bowling center in downtown Medford after moving to town in 1949. He later built Medford Lanes in 1952 and expanded it to 38 lanes in 1959. He sold Medford Lanes to Rider in 1982. Anderson has remained at the bowling center as a teacher and bowler. After spending the early years of his adult life working for the Pacific Fruit Company in a variety of capacities, living and working in Eugene, Astoria and eventually Medford, Anderson decided to get into the bowling business. By then, he had developed his skills to the point that he was one of the best amateur bowlers in Oregon. He went on to win all-event and singles state championships. His all-event winning score of 1,882 in 1949 held up as a state record until 1964, making him one of the elite bowlers in the Northwest. Anderson, whose trademark was the white Brunswick ball he used during his heyday, continues to hold a Professional Bowlers' Association tour card with a lifetime membership. "The main thing is, I just love bowling," says Anderson. "I've been bowling for 67 years, and I never got tired of it." Holman, who at one time was the all-time career earnings leader on the PBA tour, credits Anderson for Holman's early development. "Andy made it possible for Marshall to bowl when he was young," says Anderson's step-daughter, Scharie Bostrom, who developed into one of the top female bowlers in the Rogue Valley under the guidance of Anderson. "He taught Marshall and let him bowl for free." Anderson saw what Holman could do and figured out ways to bring it out. "I worked with him," says Anderson, "but the main thing I did was have him go to tournaments so he could learn how to win. He found out he could beat the best bowlers in the state. Then, he was ready to be a professional bowler." Bostrom says her 8-year-old son, Mathew, has already established a 70 average. "I tried to teach him, " says Bostrom. "But he's always telling me, `Grandpa says to do it this way.' So I said, `Fine, go talk to grandpa about it."' Anderson continues to teach bowling at Medford Lanes. His purpose is to help people learn the game, not to get rich. He charges $15 for a lesson. "He was always too generous," says Rider. "I remember him giving people lessons and then he'd buy a bag, shoes and ball for them. It wasn't very smart, but that was Andy. He's a great guy." Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA