Ivan Dandois

2007

Ivan Dandois is being recognized for his Superior bowling Ability.

The late Ivan Dandois was at the peak of his bowling career during the 1960s, an era of rubber bowling balls and heavier wood pins. An elite bowler in the 1960s, Dandois was an active member in Butler County Bowling Association leagues and was a regular participant in tournaments in Butler County as well as tournaments outside the region.

Historical records from this era are incomplete but it has been verified that Dandois won at least five annual BCBA Tournament championships. He was the 1961 tournament scratch all-events champion with a tournament record score of 1,867. In the same tournament, he combined with BCBA Hall of Fame member Joe Rosenberg, winning the scratch doubles with a tournament record score of 1,253.

In the 1963 tournament, he teamed with BCBA Hall of Fame members Ralph Henry, the late Ray Henry, Jack “Bo” Ordy, and Ron Brandon to win the scratch team championship. In the 1965 tournament combined with Ron Brandon to win the scratch doubles championship and was a member of the team that won the scratch team championship in 1967. The Henry brothers were also members of that team.

Dandois did not limit his record setting achievements to the annual BCBA tournaments. In the early 1960s, he was a member of the Classic League team that set the BCBA all-time single and triple scoring records. The record single games of 1,129 included a 267 game from Dandois and he contributed a 646 three game total to the 3,153 triple record.

Also, Dandois achieved a milestone at the prestigious Peterson Classic in Chicago in the 1960s. The Peterson is notorious for extremely difficult scoring conditions. He won a $1,000 squad prize, the first ever by a Butler County bowler. It’s believed that only one other Butler County bowler has ever won a Peterson squad prize.

The 1960s was a period of few 700 series. During the 1959-1960 season Dandois became only the 14th bowler in the BCBA history to shoot a 700 series. During that decade, Dandois recorded averages that were consistently among the highest in Butler County. He threatened the 200 average levels during the 1964-1965 season. At that time, only three other bowlers had ever averaged 200 in Butler County.

Dandois worked at the Butler Eagle after serving in the United States Army. he died in 1994 at the age of 65.