November 28, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Matt Cannizzaro
USBC Communications
352-262-1372
matt.cannizzaro@bowl.com
On the Web: BOWL.com
ARLINGTON, Texas – United States Bowling Congress Hall of Famer Max Skelton of Ada, Oklahoma, died Nov. 20 at the age of 89.
Skelton ascended quickly through the bowling ranks locally and nationally, and he gained additional notoriety for his efforts on the international front and in promoting bowling for inclusion in the Olympics.
He served more than 20 years on the USBC (then American Bowling Congress) Board of Directors, a journey that began in 1979 and culminated in his serving as the organization’s president in 1990.
Skelton also went on to serve as the president of the United States Tenpin Bowling Federation (later USA Bowling), which served as the bridge between bowling in the United States and the international governing body, known today as the International Bowling Federation.
His lifetime of service was honored with induction into the USBC Hall of Fame in 2002 for meritorious service.
Skelton was a avid bowler from the age of 5 and went on to become one of the top bowlers in Oklahoma.
When he wasn’t on the lanes winning local and regional events, he was off the lanes serving his local and state bowling associations.
His lifetime of service began in 1958 as a local association volunteer in Oklahoma City. He eventually moved on to become president of the Oklahoma City Men’s Bowling Association and the Oklahoma State Bowling Association.
Skelton was honored as a charter member of both the Oklahoma State Bowling Association Hall of Fame (1965) and the Oklahoma City Men’s Bowling Association Hall of Fame (1978).
He was inducted by those associations, and the Ada Bowling Association Hall of Fame, for superior performance.
Skelton’s administrative career at the local level started at a time when the sport and society were changing, and he often is recognized for his efforts to integrate bowling after ABC eliminated its Caucasian-only membership clause in 1950.
When others would not bowl with African American teams in the Oklahoma City Men’s Bowling Association tournament, Skelton volunteered his teams to compete with them.
Beyond bowling, Skelton made a career as an educator, serving as the superintendent of the Ada City Schools from 1967-1980 and later as the assistant superintendent for the Little Axe school district.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Central on Saturday, Dec. 4 and take place at the Criswell Funeral Home in Ada.
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to the Alzheimer’s Association or the American Cancer Society.
For more information on the USBC Hall of Fame, visit BOWL.com/HallofFame.
United States Bowling Congress
The United States Bowling Congress serves as the national governing body of bowling as recognized by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC). USBC conducts championship events nationwide including the largest participation sporting events in the world – the USBC Open and Women’s Championships – and professional events such as the USBC Masters and USBC Queens.
Founded in 1895, today USBC and its 1,524 state and local associations proudly serve more than a million members. USBC is headquartered in Arlington, Texas, working toward a future for the sport. The online home for USBC is BOWL.com.
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