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Molnar worthy of DBA Hall of Fame
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Dave Molnar doesn't measure his bowling success by honor scores and tournament titles.
"I can't," Molnar said. "I've only had moderate success in bowling, but, now that I've been voted into the hall of fame by my peers, I can proudly say that I have great achievements in bowling."
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Molnar will be inducted into the Dayton Bowling Association Hall of Fame for meritorious service at the Dayton Bowling Council 11th annual awards banquet Aug. 1. He will be joined by Jerry Owens, Jerry Kessler and Mike Cowley, who will be inducted in the achievement category.
"When most people think of the hall of fame, they probably think of the achievement category, at least I did," Molnar said. "But it's nice to go in for service, because there are a lot of guys who have spent a lot of years moving the sport forward and making a difference. And I am so honored to be among them."
When Molnar became a member of the DBA board in the early 1990s, he spearheaded the effort to create a more unified local bowling community by joining forces with the women's organization.
"To me, it was ludicrous," he said. "There were separate banquets, separate fundraisers; everything was twice as much work. We had things to offer them, and they had things to offer us, and I thought we needed to work together."
His effort was successful. The local bowling organizations have been holding a joint banquet for more than a decade. Molnar was ahead of his time. The American Bowling Congress and Women's International Bowling Congress merged in 2005, becoming the United States Bowling Congress.
"It just makes more sense," he said.
Molnar served on the DBA Board of Directors for more than a decade; he chaired most of the DBA committees during his tenure and spent several years as a league officer or secretary.
The 56-year-old bowler did have success on the lanes as well as behind the scenes. Molnar has four 300 games and a pair of 299s to his credit along with several tournament titles, including the Ohio State Bowling Association team championship.
Knee problems forced him off the lanes a few years ago — much to his dismay.
"I miss it terribly. I miss the guys, the camaraderie and the competition," Molnar said. "But it was getting to the point that I couldn't bowl at the level I thought I should be and, besides, I couldn't walk the next day."
Molnar will undergo double knee replacement surgery later this year and hopes to be back on the lanes soon after.
"I'd love to be back bowling," he said. "I've definitely waited a long time."
