By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
July has been a time of recognition for Walnut Bowl owner Jim Mayberry. In the first half of the month, he was recognized in Las Vegas for bowling in 35 consecutive United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Open Championship Tournaments. On July 22, Mayberry was inducted into the Kansas State Bowling Proprietors Association Hall of Fame at the KSBPA's Summer Business Meeting in Olathe.
"We, basically, are there to help proprietors succeed," Mayberry said. "How do you save money? How do you increase your revenue? That type of thing; heavily involved with high school bowling and how to make it better."
Mayberry's recognition in Olathe was for a lifetime of service to the sport. He joined his first bowling league with some college work buddies in 1974 and has been active in the sport since. Six years later, he became a league secretary for the first time and got a glimpse at the administrative side of bowling. When he moved to Great Bend in 1982, he was active in three bowling leagues as a competitor and secretary.
In 1988, Great Bend BA Association Manager Alvin Otte asked Mayberry if he could consider being an association manager. Mayberry agreed, serving in that role for the next 29 years until 2017. Mayberry has served as the Central Kansas USBC President since 2017, and has also served on various other state boards.
Mayberry purchased the Walnut Bowl in 1997, taking over as full-time manager in 2006 after working in retail for nearly four decades. Twenty-seven years later, the bowling alley is still going strong with a revamped bar and lounge and mini-golf facility.
"This is hard work because it's not something anybody has to do," Mayberry said. "You have to work your tail off to get them. League bowling is extremely difficult anymore. Open play is fantastic. "I just wish I could keep my league play up."
The KSBPA works behind the scenes to keep bowling alleys open. Mayberry is a proven innovator with upgrades to the bar and grill that have helped the business thrive.
"When we bought the place, it did about 20 percent of the business," he said. "Our business is up four times from what it was when I bought it. Seventy-five percent of my business now is food and beverage. That's where the money is. I used to have a bowling center with a lot of overhead over there. Now, it's the other way around. I've got a really good restaurant and bar with a lot of overhead out here. These things aren't cheap to run."
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Great Bend's Neal Herrman is also a KSBPA Hall of Famer. In 2007, he and Mayberry were instrumental in getting a bowling team at Great Bend High School. Mayberry was hired as an assistant coach in 2009, and has helped the Panthers to two state championships. In 2017, he helped establish a bowling program at Barton Community College where he has served as assistant coach for the past six years. Mayberry also coaches four youth leagues and serves as a private instructor.
As a bowler, Mayberry has rolled the elusive 300 game, multiple 700 series, and won numerous local awards. He's bowled the Greater Ozarks Open, KSBA Tournament, and the USBC National Tournament for 35 straight years. He was the first state president of the Kansas State USBC and still serves as a director and chairman of the budget and finance and communication committees.
Today, Mayberry is semi-retired as a bowling alley proprietor. His son, Jay, has taken over day-to-day operations. His other son, Jared, has given Jim two granddaughters, Zoey and Brooklyn, who literally grew up in the bowling alley and recently competed for the state-champion Lady Panther team. Jim remains active in all aspects of coaching.