Bowling great was also PBA charter member and past president
Professional Bowlers Association Tour titlist and United States Bowling Congress Hall of Famer Ed Lubanski, of Warren, Mich., died Monday evening. He was 81.
Lubanski, who won the 1962 Chicago PBA Open for his lone PBA Tour title, made his name in the team era of bowling in the 1950s that produced many of the sport’s great competitors and legendary bowling teams.
A charter member and second president of the PBA, Lubanski’s bowling career spanned four decades. He continued his bowling career as an instructor until earlier this year.
Lubanski gained national attention through his accomplishments in American Bowling Congress and BPAA team competition. In 1959, he became the second bowler to win four ABC Tournament (now USBC Open Championships) titles in one tournament. Bowling for the Pfieffer Beer team of Detroit, he won team, team all-events, singles and all-events crowns. He also won the 1951 ABC Tournament team all-events crown with the famed Stroh’s Beer team of Detroit.
As one of the last of the sport’s stars to use a two-finger grip, Lubanski was also a member of the 1952, ’53, ’54 and ’64 BPAA National Championship teams.
A minor league pitcher in the late ‘40s, Lubanski eventually chose to make bowling his career. At age 21 he won a BPAA National Doubles title with fellow Hall of Famer Ed (Sarge) Easter who at the time was 67 years old, making the duo the youngest/oldest pair ever to win that title.
In 1959 Lubanski rolled two consecutive 300 games in a tournament in Miami, Fla., a feat that was nearly unheard of back then.
In addition to the USBC Hall of Fame, Lubanski was a member of the Michigan Sports, Polish American Sports, Detroit Sports, Detroit Bowling and Michigan State Bowling Halls of Fame.
Lubanski made his final national public appearance in September 2009 when he and fellow USBC Hall of Famer Tony Lindemann, who passed away last December, threw out the ceremonial first balls at the PBA World Series of Bowling at Thunderbowl in Allen Park, Mich.
Lubanski is survived by his wife of 62 years, Betty, and children Janis, Edward, Paul and Robert and nine grandchildren.