Lee Brosius, son of American Bowling Congress Hall of Famer Ed Brosius, has been active in all aspects of bowling since he was introduced to the sport. His enthusiasm for the game is non-stop. At age 5, Lee started bowling in Peoria, Ill., in a center his family owned. He used a duckpin ball practicing tenpins, and at age 6 he graduated to using boccie balls. The following year, Lee used a 10-pound bowling ball and averaged 150. He and his father won a father/son tournament in which Lee scored 480 for three games. At age 8, Lee’s family sold their center and moved to Aurora, Ill., where Lee started bowling in youth leagues.
Two years later, Lee’s family moved back to Chicago, and he continued to lead his youth leagues in average, even while participating in the senior division. At age 13, while bowling in a high school league, Lee averaged 200 for the first time.
When Lee was transferred to the Pentagon in March 1971, he bowled in three leagues, averaging 202 at both Annandale and Ten Pin Coliseum in the Virginia Masters. He made the association’s Top 10 ranking that season, but due to work schedules, he was unable to compete in the required number of leagues to meet the ranking requirements in later years.
Lee was transferred from the area in 1974 but returned in 1987, bowling one league at Fort Meade. He also bowled in many tournaments, a great deal of them being doubles events with the late Wilson Rowe.
While winning many tournaments around the United States, he brought recognition to the Washington, D.C. area. Lee joined the PBA in 1982 and was an active member until 1990.
A few of Lee’s accomplishments include:
- Three years U.S. Army team member.
- Nine-time Intel-service Bowling Championship medalist.
- Two-time PBA Regional Tournament Champion (Jacksonville, Fla., 1982 – bowled two 300s on TV finals; Greenville, S.C., 1983).
- ABC Tournament composite average of 202.
- 1st place, Virginia All Stars Event (multiple times, 1972- 1974).
- 1st place, Florida All Stars Event (multiple times, 1974-1976).
- 1st place, Bowlers Journal Scratch Singles, Reno, Nev. (1977).
- 1st place, Wild Irish Rose Singles, Canandaigua, N.Y. (1994).
- 1st place, The National Bowling Association (TNBA) Doubles events (multiple times).
- 1st place, Doubles at Bowl America Kent (multiple times).
- 1st place, Bowl America Summer Tour Doubles.
- 1st place, Mike Hahn’s Masters Tournament.
- 1st place, 40 and Over (2000-2002).
- 1st place, Quick and Cheap (2001, 2002)
- 1st place, Buddy Tierno’s Senior Event, Mt. Joy, Pa. (2001)
- 1st place, Eastern Senior Tournament Association, York, Pa. (2001)
- 2nd place team, ABC Tournament, Knoxville, Tenn. (1970).
- 2nd place, Greater Buffalo (N.Y.) Singles Tournament (1993).
- Three times in the Top 8, High Rollers Senior Event.
Since 1989, he has had 13 perfect games, five 299s, more than a dozen 800 series, and a top NCABA average of 212.
Lee Brosius has long been one of this area’s greatest “players.” He is a most worthy addition to the Nation’s Capital Area Bowling Association Hall of Fame.