1. Meryl Diddier
what a great character to begin with. I only knew Meryl a few years when he agreed to jump in a camper along with a bunch of hooligans to bowl in the no-tap tournament at Aqua Lanes in Kimball. There were about 30 of us. By the time we returned to Albany, most of the participants, who were also employees, were in no condition to work. Seeing we were swamped and understaffed, Meryl asked if I could use some help. Meryl jumped in and worked his butt off for several hours and never wanted a penny for it. That in a nutshell is Meryl Diddier.
2. Tom Schleper
is one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet. And if you want to know about the Minnesota Twins, or baseball in general, he’s your guy. Tom still holds the Albany varsity baseball record for two no-hitters in one season (1977). Interestingly, Tom was the only person that didn’t want to be photographed for the mural. I’m not certain, but I think he is just that modest.
3. Tom Kelly
was one of the greatest baseball managers of all time, managing the Minnesota Twins from 1986 to 2001. He was the skipper when the Twins won the World Series in 1987 and 1991. And if you look closely at the newspaper Tom Schleper is holding, you will see Kirby Puckett’s number 34 on the racehorse.
4. Louis Baggenstoss
bowled on the Monday early men’s league. You shouldn’t have a favorite, but I guess I do anyway. Louis had an enthusiastic and amiable way about him that was absolutely contagious. And he was always that way. His big smile and warm, raspy voice couldn’t help but make your day a little better. And he had such a generous spirit. He always gave me and a lot of other people horseradish along with his words of encouragement. For me, people like Louis are the heart and soul of the Albany area.
5. Matt Lochen
managed and did mechanical work on the bowling machines from 2002 to 2012. All of Matt’s siblings, Lee Ann, Gary and David, worked at the alley at one point. Matt is intelligent and hard working. He won the Master’s tournament in 2020.
6. Geri Schiffler
and her husband Wayne owned the International Implement Dealership, a couple of doors down from the ABC. Geri always had supportive words for you and was such a genuinely caring lady.
7. Butch Bauer
will give you the shirt off his back (literally) and bullshit your left leg off, all in the same day. He brought in at least 6 bowling teams to the Friday late mixed doubles league over the years. Anyone would like to be his neighbor.
8. Wayne Schiffler
was the captain of the Big Red team; they bowled for years on the Thursday late men’s league along with Matt Heinen, Ray Fuchs, Tony Cherne and Rich Rosen. The Schmidt beer drinking bunch would have been a more fitting name, however. Wayne had a charisma and a hearty laugh that was irresistible.
9. Paul Mareck
was an owner of the ABC from 1999 to 2007. Paul is hard working, honest and one heck of a bowler. Paul got first place in the men’s singles tournament at the Garden Center in Alexandria, Minnesota, where he bowled a scratch 822 in 2006.
10. Pam Mareck
is Paul’s wife and worked for a number of years at the ABC. Pam has a fun spirit and is always quick with a clever comeback. And she is also the proud mother of a son and two daughters: Aaron, Lauren and Morgan.
11. Fran Blommel
is Paul Mareck’s paternal Grandmother. Fran was one of the sweetest, kindest ladies you would ever meet. She baked many delicious apple pies for friends and family over the years.
12. Jeanette Stueve
bowled with Fran Blommel on the Monday afternoon ladies’ league. She was a very strong lady and always willing to volunteer or sacrifice for her family. Jeanette was a great yodeler.
13. Kathy Bauer
was a good sport. She’s depicted on the mural holding an ace under the table in cahoots with Jeanette to beat Fran in cards. I always said that Kathy was going straight to heaven for being married to Butch. Kathy is a great lady and a grateful mother of four.
14. Mike Stenland
embodies the word character. If you ever have the good fortune of sitting next to Mike on a bar stool, you are in for many interesting and humorous stories. Mike bartended for the monthly teachers’ union meetings for years and would never accept even a nickel for his efforts.
15. Don Burslie
taught at Albany High School for many years. Don has a great sense of humor and has the ability to see everyday things in an interesting light. He also threw the bowling ball so hard it would make any owner cringe.
16. Ingrid Bates
is married to my brother Mitch. She is very calm and kind. And Ingrid is an incredible mom and grandmother. She spent many hours helping her daughters with schoolwork.
17. Duane Euteneuer
is an amiable fellow and as selfless as anyone you will ever meet. Unfortunately, we only got Duane’s backside on the mural, but he said he was ok with that. 🙂
18. Mitch Bates
was the barber in Albany from 1987 to 2022 and happens to be my brother. He is known for his gift of gab as a barber and was an all-around athlete. You’ll be hard pressed to meet someone truer and bluer than Mitch Bates.
19. Todd Schultz
was my partner at the ABC from 1990 to 1998. Todd is a very good friend and one of the brightest and most caring people I’ve ever met. There isn’t anything that Todd can’t fix or repair. He helped add on the 4 lanes and a banquet room in 1993, which later was renamed the G’Suffa Haus.
20. Grant Dirkes
worked and eventually managed at the ABC from 1995 to about 2004. Grant has a great sense of humor and quoted many funny lines from the best comedies.
21. Sal Spearl
bowled with her husband Ansie on the Monday late mixed doubles league for many years. Sal had a sweet, elegant way about her and was always a pleasure to be around.
22. Ansie Spearl’s
enthusiasm was contagious. If a Monday night bowler had a birthday, he and Arnie Meier, Al Wenker, George Reber and others would sing a rousing version of “Happy Birthday” and always end it in 3-part harmony.
23. Esther Koglin
and her husband Harvey bowled in four combined leagues, the most ever by any Albany bowlers. Esther and Harvey were married later in life and living proof that a couple that bowls together, stays together.
24. Harvey Koglin
was a gentle jokester. Harvey was quite the athlete in his younger days and was inducted into the Minnesota Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame in 2013. When a former Minnesota Twin, Bert Blyleven, presented Harvey with the award, Bert jokingly said “Harvey, stand up” and Harvey said “I am standing up!” I never met anyone who didn’t like Harvey Koglin.
25. Mary Rakotz
worked at the bowling alley from 1990 to 2003. She was one of the longest tenured employees at the ABC and was very hard working and loyal. Mary still signs in tournament bowlers to this day.
26. Amby Schneider
owned the grocery store in Albany from 1974 to 2014. Amby was a regular bowler and sponsor on the Thursday men’s league. He has a heart of gold and an infectious laugh. Amby had a way of looking out for the new business owners in Albany.
27. Bud Grant
coached the Minnesota Vikings from 1967 to 1983 and 1985. He helped the team reach 4 Super Bowls. Bud also coached the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the CFL to 6 Grey Cups and won 4 of them. He won two NBA titles with the Minneapolis Lakers in 1950 and 1951. And he still holds an all-time pro football record with 5 interceptions in one game (1953). The man is what legends are made of.
28. Bryan Hoffman
grew up in the same country neighborhood as me (Kimball) and is a good friend. He was “Mr. Organizer” of our summer fun schedule (sports, games and more). Bryan is colorful, outgoing and friendly. The people seated at the table he is sitting at were our Thursday men’s bowling team for 15 years, sponsored by Paul’s Par-A-Dice.
29. Dawn Pfannenstein
is the mother of my three sons Daniel, Sam and Jacob. Dawn has a sparkly personality and is a loving mom. And I kind of like the fact that she’s about to serve 6 large frosty mugs of beer at our bowling team’s table.
30. Steve Bates
has owned and co-owned the ABC since 1990. He has been a rude, insufferable pain in the butt for most of the customers over the years. He’s also responsible for this poorly written, incomprehensible mess of a brochure you are presently reading. And if you would like to hear additional stories about the characters on the mural, or any other regulars, he would gladly share more of them over a complimentary glass of beer!
31. Scott (Lunch) Neutzling
bowled on our Thursday men’s team for 15 years. Our team went to bowl in Fargo, North Dakota for an annual men’s tournament. We would regularly play poker and shake dice till 3am. When most of the gamblers were ready for bed, Scott would say “You can sleep when you’re dead!” Needless to say, the fun never ended when Scott was around. Scott is a real stand-up guy.
32. Mark Spies
is another friend from Kimball I’ve bowled with since junior league (mid 1970’s). Mark has a dry wit and is a big fan of baseball and beer. It’s no wonder we’ve been buddies for almost 50 years.
33. Randy Mechels
bowled with our Paul’s Par-A-Dice team for about ten years. Randy was always game for a good time and was easy going and cordial.
34. Gordy Dirkes
is the only junior leaguer to win the promoter award. When he was 12 years old, he asked if it was OK if he brought in about 20 bowlers for our junior league program. He’s been promoting teams and tournaments ever since, and is a big reason for the success of the ABC. Gordy is good hearted, hilarious and a blast to hang out with. His 226 average in the 2007 Master’s tournament is still tops, all-time.
35. Vern Stroeing
loved to flirt with his wife Margie, even as they got older. Vern always had something funny to say and was full of good tomfoolery. Vern and Margie bowled on the Sunday late mixed doubles league that was more about bullshiting than the actual bowling. On many nights, card games would break out after the league was done.
36. Margie Stroeing
was always a good sport about her husband Vern’s mischievousness. She loved to laugh and always added to the fun on the Sunday late league.
37. Kay Athmann
was neighbors and good friends with Todd Schultz’s family. Kay and a bunch of Friday night bowlers would sit around a large table and sing at the top of their lungs to whatever was playing on the jukebox that evening.
38. John Athmann
gives you the firmest handshake and warmest hello of anyone I’ve ever met. John always has this big smile when talking with you and has a positivity and enthusiasm that is absolutely wonderful.
39. James Taylor
is playing a lute and is my very favorite singer/songwriter. His resonant baritone voice, intricate guitar picking style and moving lyrics inspired me to name my second son, Samuel Taylor Bates, after him.
40. Isiah Thomas
was a point guard for the Detroit Pistons from 1981 to 1994. He is the Piston’s all-time scoring leader and was known for his tenacious team oriented play. My oldest son, Daniel’s, middle name is in honor of him.
41. Sean Sullivan
is my first cousin and a very close friend. He is intelligent, wise and compassionate. I will be forever grateful to him for making my dream about the mural a reality. His artistic talent speaks for itself, as you can see.
42. Marcy Mareck
is the mother of Paul Mareck. Marcy has spunk and usually has a grin on her face. Her and Dennis (her husband) were mainstays for many years on our Wednesday late mixed doubles league.
43. Dennis Mareck
is a steady-Eddie and was the president of the Wednesday late league for almost 40 years. Dennis is level-headed and reliable.
44. Janice Kunkel
is my aunt on my mom’s side. She is quick with a chuckle and a funny reply. Her and Ron have a very playful and compatible relationship, one that I admire very much.
45. Ron Kunkel
has such a dry and comical sense of humor, it can bring you to tears. He is hard working, wise and dependable as the day is long. Ron and Janice are a big reason the addition to the ABC in 1993 took place. I am so grateful for both of them.
46. Katie Bauer
is super ambitious and was a valuable employee at the ABC for several years. She always has a smile on her face and something spunky to say. Katie is the daughter of Butch and Kathy Bauer.
47. Ken Bates
is my dad and taught me most of what I know about the bowling business. Ken and Ann owned Aqua Lanes in Kimball from 1972 to 1981. They started with 6 lanes and added 4 more in 1975, becoming a 10 lane house in a town of 567 people - amazing! Dad was charismatic, optimistic and very generous.
48. Ann Bates
is my mom and had a heart of gold. I remember her doing so many kind things for so many people over the years. She worked in spiritual care at the St. Cloud Hospital for over 20 years. Mom and Dad loved to dance!
49. Judy Krebs
worked part time at the ABC for over 25 years. She is very ambitious and so dependable. Judy and her husband Terry are kind, down to earth people, whom I am fortunate to call my friends.
50. Harvey Beuning
is truly one of the greatest characters ever from Albany. He owned Harvey’s bar in Albany from 1968 to 1997. He had real pep and so many funny sayings. One of them being “Thanks for the enthusiasm!” When Harvey was bartending and got a notion to go dancing, he would inform all the customers and close the place down. The very next night those same customers would be back sitting at the bar.
51. Carlos Santana
s one of the greatest guitar players in rock history. The cute little brown dog laying at my feet in the mural is named “Carlos” after him. He played at Woodstock and ushered “Latin rock” into mainstream music.
52. Terry Thelen
owned and operated Thelen’s service center from 1981 to 2008. He played the tuba for “The Jolly Fisherman” polka band for almost 40 years. Terry was a salt-of-the-earth kind of person, and had such a hearty laugh that it could lift your spirits.
53. Mark Knopfler
was the lead guitarist, singer and songwriter of the rock band Dire Straits from 1977 to 1995. And since then has had a very successful solo career. Lyrics from his song “What It Is” are on the mural. “The drinking dens are spilling out, there’s staggering in the square”. The old world lyrics synchronized well with the overall theme of the mural.
54. Craig Huls
managed at the ABC for a few years. Craig is a super nice, easy-going guy. And he was also a good sport about being one of the festive drinkers on the mural.
55. Butch Wolf
probably gave more bowling pointers (and very good ones) than anyone else in Albany. Butch started bowling in 1955 at the old downtown location. He and Virgil Schiffler had a bowling marathon in November 1960. They broke the local record of 102 games each and bowled from 4pm until noon the next day. Astounding!
56. Joe Gill
managed at the ABC. He has also been a radio personality at KASM since 1999. He is one of the most laid-back and likable fellows you will ever meet. His brothers and sisters are a very funny and likable cast of characters.
57. Bill Murray
is an actor and comedian. He starred in the movie “Kingpin” with Woody Harrelson, one of the great bowling comedies. Bill’s iconic deadpan roles over the years have resulted in him being awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Center.
58. Woody Harrelson
is probably best known for his role as an innocent kid from Indiana bartending on the TV show “Cheers” (1985 to 1993). Few actors have transitioned so easily between characters that are goofy and hilarious to serious and compelling.
