Candlepin Bowling - Television Broadcasts - List of Candlepin Bowling TV Broadcast Shows

List of Candlepin Bowling TV Broadcast Shows

Each show is listed with its station of origin

• Candlepin Bowling - WHDH/WCVB, Channel 5 - October 4, 1958 to January 27, 1996

Hosted by Jim Britt (1958–1961) and Don Gillis (1961–1996)

Candlepin Bowling was the first candlepin bowling show to be broadcast on television. When WHDH lost its broadcast license, the show simply moved to the new channel 5, WCVB. Originally taped at the former Boylston Bowladrome (1260 Boylston Street, Boston, MA), then at Sammy White's Brighton Bowl, the show moved to the Fairway Lanes in Natick (where Candlepin Doubles was already taping) when Sammy White's closed down in 1986. From 1976-1995, there were a total of 20 candlepin championship shows that were broadcast live at the end of every season with the top bowlers with the top scores posted during the regular season of Candlepin Bowling. The first seven pitted the top two bowlers in a three string championship final, and then starting in 1983, the top five bowlers competed to take home $10,000 for first place. The first ten were at Sammy White's from 1976–1985, then at Fairway Sports World from 1986–1987, and from 1988-1995 at Pilgrim Lanes in Haverhill, Massachusetts. Candlepin Bowling was cancelled in 1996 due to WCVB's lessened interest in the broadcasting of local shows. WCVB was also more interested in the broadcasting of Boston College football games. During the 1980s and 1990s, this program was also locally syndicated to WGGB-TV Channel 40 in Springfield, MA and WPRI-TV Channel 12 in Providence, RI. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the show used Van McCoy's disco dance hit The Hustle as its theme song.

• Winning Pins - WHDH, Channel 5 - 1961-1974

Hosted by Jim Britt

A children's version of Candlepin Bowling, showcasing the best bowlers under 16 years of age. Taped at Sammy White's Brighton Bowl.

• Candlepin Champs - WNAC, Channel 7 - 1970s

Hosted by Dana Hersey. A youth bowling show taped on two candlepin lanes in the Channel 7 parking garage in Boston. Each program consisted of two 2-string matches, one boys' and one girls' match, in one of two age groups (junior/senior).

• Bay State Bowling - WSMW, Channel 27 - 1970–1982

Hosted by Bob Fouracre and Dave Adams

WSMW-TV (channel 27) in Worcester first aired in 1970. This was one of WSMW's inaugural shows when the station first went on the air. The format was similar to channel 5's Candlepin Bowling. This show was notable for its use of the 1972 pop hit Roundabout by the British band Yes, as well as the 1975–1981 animated opening theme to the tune of The Spinners' Rubberband Man. This show, and all of WSMW's other programming, got cancelled in late 1982 when the station's pay-TV movie block expanded to a 24/7 schedule.

• Candlepin Superbowl - WCVB, Channel 5 - 1972–1983

Hosted by Bill O'Connell (1972–1982) and Brian Leary (1982–1983)

Candlepin Superbowl was a mixed doubles show. Premiering soon after WCVB took over the channel 5 band, the Superbowl pitted 2 teams made up of one male and one female bowler each. Taped at Sammy White's Brighton Bowl.

• Candlepins for Cash - WNAC, Channel 7 - 1973–1980 and WXNE, Channel 25 - 1980–1982

Hosted by Bob Gamere (WNAC) and Rico Petrocelli (WXNE)

Candlepins for Cash, being Boston's entry in the Bowling for Dollars series, devolved from a competitive nature to more of a game show format. Bowlers were introduced one by one to win money and prizes by how well they did on the lanes. Also featured a special "red pin" which was worth extra cash if felled on a strike. WNAC taped the show in-studio on lanes built specially for the show (there were 2 lanes in the studio alley). When WNAC chose not to renew the show in April 1980, production moved that fall to WXNE, channel 25, which taped the show at an actual bowling alley, the Wal-Lex Lanes in Waltham, Massachusetts. Host Bob Gamere stayed on for a while after the station switch, but after he left, WXNE hired former Boston Red Sox star Rico Petrocelli as the new host.

• Candlepin Doubles - WCVB, Channel 5 - 1983–1993

Hosted by Brian Leary (1983–1988), Ed Harding (1988–1993).

Candlepin Doubles was a revamped version of Candlepin Superbowl, which removed mixed doubles, with either all-male or all-female doubles groups. Taped at Fairway Lanes in Natick.

• Big Shot Bowling - NESN - 1985–1991

Hosted by Bob Fouracre and Dan Murphy

NESN's entry into the televised bowling market was similar in format to channel 5's Candlepin Bowling, however qualifying requirements were more strict than channel 5, with intentions to attract the best bowlers in the New England area. Taped at the Londonderry Bowling Center in Londonderry, New Hampshire.

• Candlepin Stars and Strikes - WNDS, Channel 50 - 1983–2005

Hosted by Doug Brown, Dan Murphy (older versions of the show) Dick Lutsk and Mike Morin (most recent versions of the show)

Similar in format to the channel 5 show, except in a stepladder format. Starting during the 1988-1989 season, each ladder winner qualified for the Tournament of Champions at the end of the season, which was in the same format as the regular season stepladders. Taped at Park Place Lanes in Windham, New Hampshire from 1984–1997, and then at Leda Lanes in Nashua, New Hampshire from 1997-2005.

• Stars and Strikes Doubles - WNDS, 1991–1994

Hosted by Doug Brown and Dan Murphy

Similar to the singles show, each team pitted two candlepin bowlers with winners qualifying for the Tournament of Champions at the end of the season. Taped at Park Place Lanes during the 1991-1992 season, and then at the Londonderry Bowling Center in Londonderry, New Hampshire the next two seasons.

• Candlepin Skins -WNDS, 1994–1997

Hosted by Doug Brown and Dan Murphy

This was candlepin bowling like you've never seen before. There were four bowlers, two champions and two challengers competing for skins prize money. The four bowlers bowled two strings, and the bowler with the high score each frame won the amount the box was worth. If two, three, or four bowlers tied each frame, the money got carried over to the next frame. The two bowlers with the highest total pinfall moved on to the next show the next week to challenge two other bowlers. During the 1994-1995 and 1995-1996 seasons, the show was taped at the Londonderry Bowling Center and there was a total of $400 in prize money up for grabs. The first three boxes each game were worth $10, the next three $15, the next three $25, and the 10th box was worth $50. During the 1996-1997 season, the show was at Pilgrim Lanes in Haverhill, Massachusetts. The prize money increased to $600 per show. The first three boxes were worth $20, the next three $25, the next three $30, and the 10th box every game worth $75. Shows were at 12 noon Saturdays on WNDS, followed by 12 noon Sundays with Candlepin Stars and Strikes.

• Candlepin Bowling - Adelphia/(Time Warner?) Channel 9, (Augusta, Maine) - 1997-(unknown)

Similar in format to the original channel 5 show. Taped at the 1-7-10 Sportscenter in Augusta, Maine. Adelphia was sold to Time Warner in 2005, and the program no longer appears on the local TWC-TV channel. It is not currently known when either Adelphia or Time Warner cancelled the show.

• Candlepin Challenge - Comcast SportsNet New England - 2001–2009

Hosted by John Holt, Dan Murphy, and Trina Fernandez

Candlepin Challenge has three bowlers compete against each other, rather than two. Two bowlers compete for one string in the qualifying round, then the winner of that round plays two strings against a third bowler. The overall winner of the second round is declared that week's champion. At the end of each season, the top three bowlers of the season compete in a similar format but with a higher prize than the regular shows. Taped at the Woburn Bowladrome. For its first five seasons on AT&T Cable, the show was called the "$30,000 Candlepin Challenge"; it was renamed prior to its sixth season after Comcast bought AT&T Cable, though until 2008, the now-former station ID of CN8 was part of the name. Due to the closing of CN8 by Comcast, this show moved to Comcast SportsNet New England in January, 2009. At the end of that season, production ceased due to lack of money and sponsors.

• Candlepins for Kids - Southbridge Community Access Television, Southbridge, MA and surrounding towns, 2003–present

Hosted by Steve Renaud and Dan Gauthier.

Format has competition by children in three age groups: 11 and under, 12-14, and 15-18. Episodes air over Southbridge Community Access Television and online. Taped all over state of MA.

• Candlepins for Dollars - WLVI, Channel 56 - 2006

Hosted by Frank Mallicoat and Mike Morin

Also locally syndicated on 5 other stations in the New England and eastern New York State areas

Despite the similarity in name, this show was not related to the old Candlepins For Cash format; instead it was based more on the Stars and Strikes format. After WLVI's sale to Sunbeam Television in December 2006, the show was put on indefinite hiatus. In February 2007, Executive Producer Bart Maderios reclaimed the rights to his show and announced that two "major networks" were negotiating to bring the show back into production, however, no further updates have surfaced since.

• Candlepin Bowling - originated in Lewiston, Maine, and aired in the Portland, Maine, television market on Sunday mornings in the 1980s and 90s. Sponsored by La-Z-Boy furniture, the show was famous for its two hosts being seated in recliner-rockers for the event, including cutaway shots of the hosts.