Forty years of bowling service

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Les Waters
  • 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --  For nearly 40 years the recreation supervisor of Planet Bowl has walked the boards maintaining machines, conditioning lanes and keeping the bowling balls rolling.

Allen Ruffin has always held an interest in mechanics, but got his foot in the door of the bowling center by maintaining lawns and performing janitorial work.

"I had to start somewhere," Ruffin said. "I was 19 and I needed a job. My father had been working at the bowling center for eight years, before I started. He ended up working another seven before retiring."

After working the grounds for a few years, Ruffin moved to the control desk, issuing lanes, shoes and assisting customers however possible.

"I enjoy working with the customers, some of them I have known since I started working here," he said. "Working here allows me to meet new people stationed at Seymour Johnson and others who were just passing through."

Eventually, Ruffin fulfilled his dream of getting his hands dirty and became a "jack of all trades" at the bowling center. He started tinkering with the bowling machines, conditioning the lanes and maintaining the automatic scoring equipment and ball return.

His supervisor says his experience and continuity is invaluable to the bowling center.

"He can remember when items were installed in the center, how long ago something was upgraded and whether a particular program might work well here, since he has seen 'it all under the sun,'" said Bernard Nichols, Planet Bowl manager. "Allen is the type of person we rely on to do most anything in the bowling center as he's done it all over the years."

Nichols says he does not have to worry about the bowling center when he goes home at night.

"I've been managing (bowling) centers for 15 years and I'm always grateful when I have 'Junior' at the helm," Nichols said. "His dad worked here a long time ago and his name was Allen also; so the old-timers call him junior because that's how they differentiated between father and son."

Ruffin has seen Planet Bowl go through many changes during his time here. He recalls when it used to be referred to as a bowling alley and belonged to the MWR, or morale, welfare and recreation section. Other changes include the number of lanes and leagues.

"Bowling was bigger back then," he said. "The center had two leagues per night, five days a week verses two nights a week now. "I watched the number of lanes increase from eight to 16 and the equipment become more modern with automatic scoring."

He witnessed the snack bar change from a small concession stand selling only hot dogs, sodas in a can, potato chips and canned beer to a large snack bar with a seating area and a wide variety of food on the menu.

Throughout the years of working on a military installation, Ruffin said he never had the desire to join the military.

"There are those who are not military material, and I fit in that category," he said. "Being able to work on base and serve the service members and their families is good enough for me. It has allowed me to learn a lot of things about the military and the opportunities they have to better their lives and those of their families, especially if they are not able to go to college."