When broadcast TV began in 1948, the networks rushed to showcase boxing, wrestling, and roller derby, but for some reason did not televise bowling. This was corrected in 1954 when Chicago car dealer Peter DeMet created and sponsored Championship Bowling in Chicago. Soon he enlisted Chicago Ad Man Walter Schwimmer to syndicate the show to other markets and soon the show was seen coast to coast. It was so popular, that Schwimmer created a second series from the show, which he called All Star Bowling, so it could appear on two different stations in the same market.
Eventually, Schwimmer engaged AMF as a signature sponsor, which caused Brunswick to create the Top Star Bowling show from St. Louis. When the networks finally got into the bowling business, i was with the show Make That Spare.
The success of Championship Bowling led sports agent Eddie Elias to gather the bowlers who appeared on the show to form the PBA.. Part and parcel with this was the inclusion of ABC TV Network in the mix. The PBA / ABC marriage built the PBA into a major league and lasted for decades.
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