William V. Thompson

William V. Thompson lived from April 25, 1865 to September 30, 1938 and was an American professional and champion tenpin bowler. He was the proprietor of the Plaza Bowling Alley in the Chicago Plaza Hotel, the first official regulation ten-pin bowling alley. He formed a bowling club from champion bowlers and challenged other organizations across the nation. Thompson was influential in shaping the sanctioned regulations that govern the game and was an advocate of the original American Bowling Congress. He also served as general manager of the department at the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company that made the bowling equipment for the alleys.