Vern Plichta
At the Muskegon Recreation Center in 1945, a 14 year-old boy began his long time romance with the sport of bowling while setting pins and practicing when he could. Five years later, at the age of 19, he bowled in his first men's classic league. In 1956, Vern and George Neitering were the first Muskegon bowlers to close out the season averaging 200. While he bowled on the Lockage's Men's Store team, they were able to garner seven Michigan Elks State Tournament first place awards and in 1960 the team took the National Elks Championship. He was on four city team championship winners, and twice won the city doubles, singles and all event titles. His high series of 735 and highest game bowled is 288. The smooth rolling bowler's highest average was 203. In 1952 he started bowling in the Peterson Classic Tournament and finished in the top 75 four times, winning $9,000. He has bowled in numerous ABC National Tournament's and in 1960, his 693 series total put him in 13th place, and his all events total of 1,888 had him finishing in 25th spot.