EBONY HALL OF FAME Traylor grew with her bowling career
The long-time organizer of women's bowling leagues will be one of 11 inductees.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- When Patricia Traylor began bowling in 1978, she detected a lack of communication between league secretaries and member bowlers which prevented an adequate exchange of information.
As the years passed, she wondered how she could make changes for the better, and then decided in 1984 to organize her own bowling league, one that would reflect her new ideas for improved management, and also to satisfy her interest to learn more about the sport she had begun to love.
"When I first started bowling, I didn't know that much about bowling at all because I was [just getting started] in my 30s and the secretaries in the league didn't inform the bowlers enough," recalled Traylor, who started bowling at Northside Lanes with the Mahoning County Welfare League, and later served as that league's president for the 1983-84 season.
"I was talking to my uncle, Bobby Southerland, who was one of the best bowlers in Youngstown, and I asked him how I can get involved more. He told me to contact the [Youngstown Women's Bowling Association] secretary, Larry Miller, [who then] told me how to go about starting and organizing a league."
So she launched the Southern Tavern Mixed League in the summer of 1984, and continued her long career as a bowler, organizer, director, secretary, innovator, administrator and leader, "Because I just love the game, and it's not that I am a great bowler, I just love bowling. That's why I have my [family now] bowling."
Will be honored
Now, 26 years later, Traylor, a 1964 South High graduate who retired from General Electric in June after 36 years, will be honored for her many contributions.
Traylor will be among 11 Youngstown-Warren area inductees to the Ebony Hall of Fame at the Ebony Life Line Support Group Inc. All-Sports Banquet, Friday at 6:30 p.m. at the S.P. Phillips Banquet Hall at Tabernacle Baptist Church, 707 Arlington St., Youngstown.
Joining her in the Ebony Hall will be Marjorie Warren (baseball), Joyce Whelchel (track, basketball and softball), Lingar Humphrey (football), Ted Anderson (baseball), Nick Clark (baseball), Lilly Fleming (bowling), William Miller (bowling), Arnold Davidson (basketball), Charles E. Moore (basketball) and Jeff London (football).
The featured speaker will be Bobby Moore of Cleveland, former consultant to the NBA who is a dual diagnosis counselor in the behavioral health department of St. Vincent Charity Hospital in Cleveland. The master of ceremony will be Dr. Earnest Perry.
Traylor, who still bowls in three leagues, also enjoys bowling with her two granddaughters, Daria, 11, and Alysha, 4. In fact, her entire family bowls -- husband, Alvin, son Maurice and his wife.
Traylor is trying to recruit more seniors to bowl.
"I would like to get more of the seniors leagues started or get more ladies involved in the seniors league than we have right now because we need more members," said Traylor, who is a volunteer at the Youngstown Women's Bowling Association office.
She encourages any woman interested in joining a league to call her at (330) 792-0234 or the YWBA office at (330) 799-7999.
Traylor said she has learned a lot about the world of bowling.
"It's been an education and especially [will be] now with the membership changes coming with the United State Bowling Congress in January 2005, where all bowling organizations will be under one umbrella," said Traylor, whose parents are Lena and Harry Thomas and Alfred Southerland.
Banquet tickets are priced at $20. For more information or to purchase a ticket, contact Trudy Jackson (330-743-3893), Markus Douglas (330-507-5162) or Ed Prayor (330-743-6193), Tickets also may be purchased at Black L E Phillips & amp; Holden Funeral Home, the McCullough Williams Funeral Home or F.D. Mason Funeral Home.
kovach@vindy.com