Phil Wolsieffer
(Deceased)

Pioneers of Yesterday
1996

Began his bowling career in 1948. At the national level, placed 10th in All-Events and 10^th in Doubles with Jim Roning in the 1953 ABC Tournament. He is a member of the Air-Flo Bowling Shirts team which placed 4th in the 1956 ABC Tournament. He is also a member of the Air-Flo Bowling Shirts team which captured a Minnesota "State" Team title in the 1950's. Also with Roning, won the Minneapolis "City" Doubles title in 1950. A member of the Hall of Fame Lounge team which won a St. Paul "City" Team title in the 1970's. From 1948 through 1961, he won 16 singles titles. Has rolled 57 700-or-more series in league and tournament competition during his 28 year bowling career. He was also a bowling proprietor in St. Paul and Minneapolis from 1953 through 1980. In 1961, he became franchise holder of a professional bowling team known as the "Twin Cities Skippers" of the National Bowling League and held the franchise until the league folded in 1962. He hosted televised Professional Bowlers Association Tournaments in 1966 and, again, in 1967. During the 1960s and the 1970s, he represented bowling in what was then known as the "Lifetime Sports Program" (later headed by former President Richard Nixon and former Oklahoma football coach Bud Wilkinson). Part of the program was to teach college physical education instructors the sport of bowling. At one time during his proprietorship of All-Star Bowl, he worked with more than 500 Hamline students. In 1973, for his work on the program, he received the President's Sports Award from former President Richard Nixon. Also, during those years, he taught post-graduates of the University of Minnesota, city and state associations, the blind, the retarded, junior bowlers and senior citizens the sport of bowling. He is also a past President of the St. Paul and Minnesota BPA