"Billy G" Golembiewski won the Grand Rapids All-Events bowling titles in 1951, 1955 and 1956 and then went on to become a top PBA standout appearing and winning on television.
At 5-foot-8, 135 pounds, he managed to make big noise on the lanes. He rolled a nation-high 826 in his third year of competitive bowling at age 20 in Grand Rapids, he followed that up with scores of 806 and 801 in tournaments in Detroit.
He won the prestigious American Bowling Congress Masters Tournament twice, in 1960 and 1962, and was second in 1959. He also won the ABC Classic doubles with Joe Joseph in 1963. In 25 ABC tournaments he compiled a 200 average.
He was named to four No. 1 All-American teams by Bowling Magazine and the National Bowlers Journal in the 1960s. Three of his five perfect games were on television in professional tournaments in Detroit, Milwaukee and New York. He was named Detroit’s bowling “King” in 1958 after averaging 210 and 219 in Detroit All-Star competition.
On the PBA Tour he won six times and popularized his “gutter-shot” (second board near the right channel) that many others soon adopted.
He competed into his 50s still averaging 200 often. He has been named to multiple bowling halls of fame and produced a popular LP recording Hear How to be a Better Bowler.
He died in 1998 at the age of 66 from cancer.