Our Story
We may be Memphis’ oldest independently owned bowling lanes, but there is nothing old-fashioned about Hardwick’s. We have recently renovated, and you will love the new look and feel!
One thing we haven’t changed is the fun family atmosphere, exciting league bowling, tasty food from the grille and for the grown-ups a full-service bar. Kids and adults alike will enjoy our 40 lanes of bowling, digital scoreboards, weekend Cosmic Bowling, Arcade games and more.
Billy Hardwick: Against the Odds Triple Crown Winner
July 25, 1941-November 16, 2013
Our founder, William Bruce “Billy” Hardwick was a legendary bowler who overcame serious challenges during his career. He began his journey in 1961 at the age of 22 and dominated the sport until his retirement in 1976, due to developing arthritis. Prior to that when he was in high school working at Bel Mateo Bowl in California, he accidentally stuck his hand into an ice machine and cut the tendon in his ring finger on his bowling hand. As a result, he began holding the ball with his thumb, index, and middle fingers, which earned him the nickname, “the man with the golden claw.” This unusual way of holding the ball didn’t slow him down at all.
Billy is still the youngest bowler to ever win PBA Player of the Year honors, in 1963 and 1969. He was also the first player to capture the PBA career “Triple Crown,” which is achieved by winning the three original PBA major tournaments: U.S. Open, PBA National Championship, and Tournament of Champions. There have been only eight other Triple Crown winners since.
He was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1977 and was ranked #12 on the PBA’s 2008 list of “50 Greatest Players of the Last 50 Years”. Billy amassed a total of 18 PBA titles during his career. His final PBA title came in April, 1976 at the Monro-Matic Open in Toledo, Ohio when he was still just 34 years old.
In 1982, he turned his laser focus on the business side of the sport and founded Billy Hardwick’s All Star Lanes, here in Memphis.
Today, the lanes are still family owned and operated, with his daughter, Kelly Frasure and widow Rebecca Harwick at the helm.
Learn more about Billy and his career:
https://cremedememph.blogspot.com/2023/10/billy-hardwicks.html?q=hardwick
