Dick Hoover

Richard Lee Hoover (1929 to 2009), known as Dick Hoover, was an American professional bowler, born in Roseville, Ohio, who grew up in Akron. He won the American Bowling Congress Masters in 1956 and 1957, becoming the first player to successfully defend a Masters title, a feat only Billy Welu, Jason Belmonte and Anthony Simonsen have matched since. He first became famous at 16, rolling an 847 series that was the highest ABC sanctioned series in the nation in 1946, and at 21 he became the youngest bowler to win the BPAA All-Star tournament, the predecessor of the U.S. Open. A four time All-American, he was inducted into the ABC, now USBC, Hall of Fame in 1974. He helped start the Professional Bowlers Association in 1958 with founder Eddie Elias and won his first and only PBA Tour title at the 1962 PBA Colt Open in Baltimore, with 11 top-five finishes and two runner-up finishes. He owned and ran Dick Hoover's Lanes in Brunswick, Ohio.