The National Bowling Association

The National Bowling Association

Sport	Ten-Pin Bowling
Jurisdiction	National
Membership	23,000
Abbreviation	TNBA
Founded	August 20, 1939 (August 20, 1939)
Headquarters	Evandale, Ohio, United States
Location	9944 Reading Road
Replaced	National Negro Bowling Association
Official website
tnbainc.org

The National Bowling Association or TNBA is a prominent organization dedicated to promoting and supporting African American participation in the sport of bowling. Founded in 1939, TNBA aims to foster a competitive environment for bowlers of all skill levels and provide opportunities for personal and professional growth. The association organizes tournaments, events, and leagues, and works to ensure a diverse and inclusive bowling community. Its efforts have helped to advance the sport's visibility and accessibility among African American athletes.

Origins

In the early 1900s in the United States, segregation permeated every aspect of life, including the bowling alley. Black Americans faced severe restrictions, often relegated to roles such as janitors, custodians, or pin setters while being excluded from playing in predominantly white bowling establishments. Although some larger cities like Detroit and Cleveland offered limited access to lanes for Black bowlers, opportunities were still scarce.

Additionally, Black bowlers were barred from joining major organizations such as the American Bowling Congress (ABC) and the Women’s International Bowling Congress (WIBC). This exclusion left the Black bowling community without formal structure, representation, or support.

As the sport’s popularity surged in the 1920s and 1930s, the rise of bowling leagues further restricted lane access for Black bowlers and compounded coordination challenges for everyone, particularly for those already facing limited options. These obstacles, combined with a strong desire to participate fully in the sport, led to the establishment of what was originally known as The National Negro Bowling Association (NNBA).

National Negro Bowling Association

The first meeting for the creation of the NNBA took place in Detroit, MI on August 20, 1939. At this historic event, this powerful group of African American bowlers united together to initiate the formal planning for the organization with representatives from the Five Starting Cities (Cincinnati, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Toledo). The first draft of the NNBA's Constitution was presented and approved at this famous meeting. The organization's first tournament took place on May 5–6, 1939, in several cities including Cleveland, Detroit, and Chicago.

The National Negro Bowling Association was created to provide a formal structure for Black bowlers, offering them opportunities to compete in organized tournaments and leagues.

Over the years, the TNBA played a pivotal role in breaking down racial barriers within the sport, promoting inclusivity and equality. The organization’s efforts were instrumental in the integration of African Americans into both recreational and professional bowling. Today, the TNBA continues to support bowlers of all ages and skill levels, including through its Junior Bowling Program, and remains a significant force in the bowling community.

The National Bowling Association is Born

In 1944, reflecting its diverse membership that included Asians, Hispanics, Native Americans, and other people of color, the organization was renamed “The National Bowling Association, Inc.” TNBA played a crucial role in advocating for equality in bowling. By 1950, its efforts contributed to the removal of non-Caucasian clauses from the constitutions of both the ABC and WIBC. Since 1951, TNBA members have enjoyed the right to compete in all open sanctioned leagues and tournaments.

Founders & Influential Forces

TNBA Founders and Representatives

Founders

Name	Role	Contribution
Wynston Brown	Founder	First TNBA President. One of the leaders of the creation of the TNBA.
Oscar McDonald	Founder Cleveland Rep.	One of the leaders of the creation of the TNBA.
Viola Crosswhite	Founder Cleveland Rep.	Organized Clevelands Ladies Progressive League. Influential in women's bowling. (1940)

Five Starting Cities

Cities	Founding Representatives
Chicago	Issac Rivers Brownie Cain Leory Brown
Cleveland	Firley Carr Wynston Brown Joe Blue Jack Robinson J. Elmer Reed Oscar McDonald Viola Crosswhite
Cincinnati	Arble J. Woods John Smith
Toledo	Lucious Huntley Dwight Guy Clarence King
Detroit	Henry Hardin Ernest S. Moore June Watts James Roden George Porter Richard Benton James Watts

TNBA's First Officers

Officer Title	Office Holder
President	Wynston Brown
Vice President	Lucsious Huntley
Secretary	Richard Benton
Treasurer	Brownie Cain
1st Female President	Joan McDuffie (1980)

Historical Highlights

• 1939 – First Annual Tournament held in Cleveland, Ohio
• 1941 – Incorporated under state laws of Ohio
• 1944 – Name changed to National Bowling Association, Inc., non-white bowlers were allowed to join.
• 1945 – Joe Blue Award for Outstanding Achievement – deemed by Cleveland Alliance in memory of the deceased “organizer”
• 1950 – Racial restrictions removed from constitutions of American Bowling Congress and Women’s International Bowling Congress thanks to the efforts of Sidney Celestine.
• 1964 - TNBA member Louise Fulton became the first black woman to win a professional bowling tournament.
• 1978 – J. Elmer Reed, Cleveland, Ohio, first black to be inducted into the American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame
• 1980 – Mr. Aubrey Harrison bowled the first 300 game in TNBA in Los Angeles. Joan I. McDuffie of Chicago, Illinois was elected the first female President of TNBA.
• 2000 – The creation of the first female TNBA Executive Cabinet was created including President Cornell Jackson, Vice President, Alesia Bryant, and Executive Secretary Treasurer Margaret Lee.