This 1960s black-and-white newsreel presented by Brunswick Corporation and produced by Hearst Metrotone News Inc. with narration by Marty Glickman brings viewers into the world of the American Bowling Congress (ABC) annual tournament. The film shows footage from the 57th annual tournament, held March 5 to May 22, 1960 in Toledo, Ohio in the Toledo Sports Arena. The film opens with the question, “What’s the biggest participant championship in sports?” while showing other sports— a football game, a World Series, a golf championship, a basketball tournament— but the answer, as it turns out, is the American Bowling Congress tournament, a sporting event held in a U.S. different city each year for competitive ten-pin bowling, with over 30,000 participants. Bowlers roll balls down lanes in sync (0:49). The narrator explains that the ABC tournament is one of the only competitive national events where amateur bowlers can compete against top bowlers like Steve Nagy, a professional bowler from Cleveland. Signs welcome bowlers to the Toledo tournament, featuring Brunswick Black Beauty bowling balls (1:28). Bowlers disembark from a United plane. A billboard advertises the 57th annual tournament (1:54). Signs for the Hotel Secor and Hotel Commodore Perry welcome bowlers as pedestrians cross a city street (2:07). Men (the tournament was all male) mingle in the hotel lobby. A “Las Vegas Bowl Dusty Springston” bag (2:21); bowlers in coonskin caps shake hands (2:34); a “Portland Oregon wants you in ’64” banner (2:37). Equipment from precursors to modern bowling (quills, English half bowls) is in the lobby (3:20). Bowling hall-of-famers Joe Wilman and Joe Norris, along with Brunswick employee Sid Meier and president Ted Bensigner greet bowlers in the Brunswick booth (3:43). ABC official Frank Baker talks with Howard McCullough (4:04). Photos from the ABC Hall of Fame: Joe Norris, Joe Wilman, Andy Varipapa (4:21). Bowlers weigh balls in the Scale Room (limit 16 pounds), receive numbers, and listen to a briefing (5:00). Trophies for team, individual, doubles, and all events winners (5:17). Bowlers throw two practice balls without pins, then start competition. Scorers watch from above (5:41). Scenes of bowling and pins falling (6:40). Joe Norris and Jay Batchelor, tournament manager, check an automatic pin setter (7:09); close-ups of the setters are shown as pins are reloaded (7:40). Automatic ball returns with cluster ball return (8:04) and electronic scoring devices (8:22) are shown. Reporters type on typewriters in the ABC Press Room (8:38). Bruce Pluckhahn, ABC Public Relations Manager, talks to Tom Bulger, Toledo Blade sports editor. Telegraph operators send reports to news bureaus. The audience watches on Hall of Fame Night, when new members are elected to the Hall of Fame (9:09); this year, Allie Brandt is elected. Hank Morino, a hall-of-famer, bowls (9:35). Bowlers are shown from the Masters Tournament, where big bowling stars compete against those fighting for a top rating: Billy Golembiewski from Detroit (9:52), Buddy Bomar from Chicago (9:57), Harry Smith and Don Carter from St. Louis, Eddie Kowalics from Chicago (10:24). The film ends with the narrator emphasizing the importance of everyday, average bowlers in the tournament.

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