by Dave Williams
New Jersey, Mark Roth’s adopted home for most of his adult life, is the fourth smallest state in the USA. It is the most densely populated, with a high level of ethnic and religious diversity. There’s also that crazy accent that anyone from “Joisey” (aka New Jersey) projects when speaking.
That unusual accent might have been the reason that bowling superstar Mark Roth kept saying, “I don’t want to talk, I don’t want to talk,” as he approached his first television finals at the 1972 Brunswick World Open. He would eventually finish second to another PBA legend, Don Johnson, in the telecast that was broadcast from Brunswick Northern Bowl in Glendale Heights, Ill.
In a recent Bowlers Journal article by Lyle Zikes it was revealed that the PBA’s TV Coordinator Frank Esposito, another “Joisey” resident and proprietor of the famed Paramus Bowl, put Roth at ease and coached him on what to say whenever he made the finals. You can be certain that it’s also one of the reasons that by January of 1975 the PBA had instituted a “PBA School” as a requirement for membership.
Roth’s incredible career on the lanes has been catalogued many times in the past couple of weeks, so rather than regurgitate the obvious records, I decided to include some anecdotes from fellow “Joisey” residents about the man they knew so well. Perhaps one of the most notable behind the scenes friends of Mr. Roth was Don Corcione, the manager of the Lanes at Sea Girt for many decades, until its closing earlier this year.
Corcione often would tell me while we both were employed by Nationwide Bowling Centers, that as long as he was the manager at the Lanes at Sea Girt, Mark Roth would not be paying for his practice bowling. As the Director of Marketing for Nationwide Bowling, I completely agreed with Don and we used the opportunity to promote the fact that Sea Girt was the place where Roth practiced while not on tour.
“He even had his own heavy pins that he would bring with him to practice,” said former mechanic Jon Matunas in an article that I shared earlier this year (Another One Bites The Dust… The Lanes at Sea Girt Permanently Closing). Corcione commented that Roth did not like the “popcorn” lightweight pins that were in use at most bowling centers, so he brought his own pins to get a more realistic reaction.
Corcione’s relationship with Roth was confirmed recently when he received a note from Mark’s wife Denise stating, “It was always Mark’s wish to open a new 32 lane center in New Jersey and to have you run it.” This would not have been Roth’s first adventure into bowling center ownership, as he had previously purchased Rainbow Lanes in Brooklyn, N.Y., and later Parkway Lanes in Elmwood Park, N.J.
Rainbow Lanes, where Roth grew up bowling in junior and adult leagues, and also working as a mechanic, was a two story, 52 lane bowling center in the Sheepshead Bay section of Brooklyn. The building still exists today, but now houses a large indoor Public Storage facility; while Parkway Lanes, a 42 lane center, is still in operation as a bowling center under the ownership of John Fatigati, President of the state affiliate of the Bowling Proprietors Association of America.
When Fatigati purchased Parkway Lanes there was a tribute to Mark’s famous conversion of the 7-10 split on network television, with two giant ten foot pins at either side of the main entrance — a 7 pin to the left and a 10 pin to the right. A modernization of the facility required that one of the pins be removed so that a handicap ramp could be installed, but the giant 7 pin still remains to the left of the main entrance.
Hal Farber, who passed away in 2020, was also a notable “Joisey” proprietor in the life of Mark Roth. He played a big part in Mark’s recovery from his stroke along with Roth’s beloved wife Denise, according to Corcione. Both Farber and Roth began their bowling careers in New York before moving to New Jersey. Hal owned and operated JIB Lanes in Queens before moving to New Jersey and working for Nationwide Bowling Centers as a center manager for many years at both Linden Lanes and Hudson Lanes.
I remember meeting with Hal at Harold’s Deli, a famous restaurant in Edison, N.J., on a monthly basis after we had both left Nationwide Bowling following years of service, to pursue individual marketing opportunities. The deli, operated by Harold Jaffe of Carnegie Deli (New York City) fame, is well known for oversized portions. If you are ever in the New York City area, you must take the time to visit this “Joisey” landmark.
My first experience at Harold’s Deli took place in 1995 when Bill Kinney, the night manager at Hudson Lanes, discovered that I lived in Edison. His daughter worked at the adjacent Ramada Inn and Bill said, “You must try Harold’s Deli.” One night as I was driving home from a function at Hudson Lanes, I decided to stop by and pick up a sandwich to go from Harold’s.
After what seemed like an exceptionally long wait for the Roast Beef Sandwich that I had ordered, the attendant brought out two large brown bags. The cost was $10 which seemed a bit steep for just a sandwich, but I was too tired to argue and grabbed the two bags and headed for home. When I opened the bags I was surprised to find a twelve inch high sandwich in one bag, and an entire loaf of rye bread in the other! I had enough sandwiches for a week from that one order!
So there you have it — memories of Mark Roth from the “Joisey” side. Many bowlers have commented about how they emulated Mark’s style at an early age, but for me it was just the opposite. Roth’s complete dominance of the tour in 1978 brought me to the realization that at the age of 27, I could not copy his style after perfecting my own game as a “frustrated stroker” for so many years. It was then that I decided to accept an offer from AMF and join their Manager Trainee program.
I probably never spoke more than one sentence to Roth over the years. Mark was strictly business on the lanes, and not available for small talk. When you watch old YouTube videos of his matches, you begin to understand his intensity on the lanes and focus on his target. To say that he was an intimidating figure would be an understatement. I was in awe of his ability, and only wish that I had taken the time to know Mark off the lanes, like my fellow “Joisey” residents Don Corcione, Jon Matunas and Hal Farber.
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