In 1950, the Light and Power Company had an eight team bowling league. One of
the bowlers asked John if he would like to bowl. The team was looking for one
more person to make the team. Since John had never placed a bowling ball in
his hands prior to this time he decided, "Why not? If you can do it, I can!"

John purchased a 15-lb bowling ball, a bowling bag, and shoes.
The league was bowling at the Recreation Lanes on the second floor on the
corner of 7th & Edmond. At that time, there were NO automatic pinsetter. Men
and boys positioned the pins manually! The team bowled at Recreation Lanes
until Plamor opened up a bowling establishment on 8th street between Edmond
& Charles. That is when the team moved to Plamor Alleys. After a few years of
playing, John's average had really improved. He was bowling with the Operators
team one night and bowled a 244 game with a 655 series for the night! This was
the second highest in the league for the year. When Plamor closed its doors the
team moved to Pony Express Lanes located at 9th & Penn. John and Nellie
started bowling on Sunday nights in the St Francis League.

When Olympia Lanes opened its establishment, John and Nellie left Pony
Express Lanes and began bowling at Olympia Lanes. They joined the Sunday
Night League. John and Nellie won several trophies in the league.

They started the summer league at the Olympia Lanes in the middle 1960's. They
both bowled in the summer and John was Secretary one summer. In April, 1970,
John was bowling with the Pinknockers team with Henry Cobb and wife, Elsie.
Their team was in first place the day that John bowled a 601 series with a 169
average. This was the second best in the league with ten teams.

In 1973, John joined the Knights of Columbus. They had a league of 8 teams.
John began bowling with the Knights. They would send a number of teams to
the Knights of Columbus State Tournament, which were held near St Louis,
Festus, and St Charles. One year at one of the tournaments, John was the
winner of the All-Events with a score of 675.

In 1980, John and Nellie started going to the Rio Grande Valley near Mission,
Texas. They would leave around the beginning of November and return at the
beginning of April. They would bowl during the months of August, September,
and October and then finish up during the months of April and May. In 1980, they
bowled in the W & I Resort League. There were 8 teams. They bowled at the
McAllen Bowl, in McAllen, TX. That winter, John had a high game of 222, a high
series of 564, and the high average of 158. They bowled at McAllen Bowl for 20
straight winters until 2000.

In the 1970's, John kept score for the City and State Tournaments. John would
never bowl in the 'big' leagues; just in the Winter Senior League. During the
summer of 2000, John bowled a 216 game and had a series of 622.

John has many 600 series games as well as many trophies that he and Nellie
earned. These were given to his grandson, Doug Buhman. At the age of 99,
John and Doug bowled Doubles in the 73rd Annual City Tournament. John was
awarded a Special Achievement Award for bowling in the tournament. At the age
of 100, John and Doug bowled Doubles in the 74th Annual City Tournament.
John bowled 112, 138, and 156, for a series of 406.

Today, John is still bowling in the Kings and Queens Senior League, on
Wednesday afternoon, at Olympia Lanes, with a 135 average.
John R Buhman
100 yrs old and still bowling!
- Story written by John Buhman, Nov 7, 2010
John R Buhman was born on August 2, 1910.
John and Nellie were married on November
11, 1936. After 9 years on the farm and three
children, they decided to put up for sell their
160 acres, which they owned and operated
near Maysville, MO, and move to St Joseph,
MO, to a better life. In 1947, John was
employed with the St Joseph Light and Power
Company.