St. Brendan’s Women League is history

John Bassetti \ Bowling

Unlike the month of March, which comes in like a lamb but goes out like a lion, the St. Brendan’s Women’s League didn’t go out like a lion on March 31.

The league — started 52 years ago as a scholarship league to help students attend St. Brendan’s Elementary School on the West Side — made its exit without fanfare at West Side Lanes a few weeks ago.

In submitting her final scoresheet, secretary-treasurer Fran Cerny wrote: “After 52 years, St. Brendan’s Women’s League is at its end. Started as a scholarship league which benefited a lot of families. I would like to thank all former bowlers.”

Cerny, who completed her 33rd year as the league’s secretary-treasurer, said that Melva Minnie and Kitty Novotny were instrumental in starting the league in the late 1950s.

Minnie is one of the 13 ladies who bowled on the final day of the St. Brendan’s Women’s League.

“Believe it or not, we went every week,” Cerny said of the 13 who attended, faithfully, throughout the 2008-2009 season.

Cerny said that 14 teams comprised the league for years, until participation started to dwindle.

“This was the worst,” Cerny said of 2008-09. “We couldn’t recruit anymore, so the officers and women decided to put an end to it. It just didn’t work out.”

Most of the members are in their 70s and 80s.

Cerny said she didn’t get involved in bowling until she was 37.

“I never set foot in a bowling alley until Wedgewood offered free lessons for five weeks,” Cerny said of instructional sessions given by Ruth Candella at the time.

“She was wonderful and told me that I didn’t need any more lessons because I was ready to join a league. From that time on, I absolutely loved all facets of bowling.”

Cerny said she brought her 2-year-old son, Bobby, with her to the lessons. Bobby, her youngest child, is now 46 and lives in Brooklyn.

Fran bowled at Wedgewood for about 10 years, then switched to West Side.

“I couldn’t get to Wedgewood because I don’t drive, but West Side was within walking distance.”

The initial objective leading to the formation of the St. Brendan’s league was abandoned when the makeup of the bowling league’s members shifted away from those with ties to the parochial school.

“With more ladies from other denominations joining, the league realized that it wouldn’t be fair to have scholarships handed out to [support the education of] others.”

Ironically, the league that Cerny first joined at Wedgewood was primarily devoted to those of the Protestant faith until it changed, too.

“The same thing that happened to the St. Brendan’s League happened to the Protestant league — the makeup became more community-oriented rather than church-oriented,” said Cerny, who was not a St. Brendan’s Church member herself.

Minnie still bowls, but Cerny said she hasn’t bowled for the last few years.

“I cannot bowl at all now. I had a 160 average when I bowled my best, but when I put my knee and back out, my scores slipped and I had to stop. I didn’t care that my scores dropped, but I did care when common sense told me I couldn’t do it anymore.”

Cerny bowled in women’s city tournaments and 500 Club tournaments, but never in state or national events.

Fran said the remaining St. Brendan’s league members have the option to join another league.

“If they’re interested, the other leagues would be glad because they’re down, too.”

The Rockettes bowling league — the oldest black women’s league in the city — will celebrate its 50th anniversary May 2.

Former league members should call (330) 746-4005.

The Rockettes, which started at Marvondale Lanes in 1959, bowls at Kay Lanes in Girard.

XJohn Bassetti writes about area bowling for The Vindicator. E-mail him at bassetti@vindy.com.