Iolans Elsie Weast and the late Buford Peck were immortalized Monday for their contributions to the local bowling scene. PECK’S BOWLING career began in 1975 after his wife, Edna, talked him into it.
The pair were honored with a ceremony Monday to mark their induction into the Iola USBC Hall of Fame.
Weast is the eighth woman inducted; Peck is the eighth man inducted.
Their presence at Iola’s Country Lanes and elsewhere has been significant.
Weast began bowling at Country Lanes in the Charter League in 1976. She began attending the Kansas state bowling tournament in 1977 and hasn’t missed a year since. She returns to the state tournament later this month.
In 2011, Weast received a Grand Duchess Award, for being a bowler older than 70 still competing at the state tournament.
She bowled 21 years in various states at a national tournament as well.
She was a member of the now defunct WIBC, where she earned “Triplicate Score,” “100 Pins Over Average” and the “Big 4 Split” awards.
Weast has been president of the Charter Bowl-R-Ette League, Ladies Friday Night, Happy Times, Jayhawk Travel League and the Iola Local City Association.
She also was president of the WIBC when it went to the Winlabs program. It was then Weast was given a permanent membership card number — Card No. 1 — from Country Lanes. She continues to bowl in two leagues.
The Pecks became mainstays in local bowling leagues.
They started the Sunday Night Mixed League, where Buford continued to bowl until ailing health forced him to retire.
He also bowled on the Thursday Night Booster League for several years. He competed in several state and local tournaments and served as a driver for his wife’s team to a number of national tournaments across the United States.
Buford and Edna also bowled in numerous Kansas state mixed tournaments.
Buford Peck died Nov. 30, 2012. His wife — already an Iola USBC Hall of Famer — accepted a plaque on his behalf at Monday’s ceremony.
Two added to bowling Hall of Fame
