Sport: Bowling
Born: December 12, 1911
Died: January 16, 1997
Town: Paterson, New Jersey
Alfred Joseph Faragalli was born December 12, 1911 in Paterson, NJ. He went by “Lindy” and worked on shipping docks for most of his young adulthood, developing massive shoulders atop a muscular 5’6” frame. Lindy bowled most nights and weekends and his powerful, pin-scattering hook made him a sought-after teammate in multiple leagues. During his 20s and 30s, Lindy was a quality competitor, but hardly a household name outside his own household (and his “home” lanes in Paterson). He was probably guilty of overdoing it at work and at the lanes; bursitis was a constant companion even after he rose to the level of shipping foreman.
Then, at 42, when most bowlers slow down, Lindy found another gear. As a member of four different teams in 1953, he led all four to league titles—including the Eastern All-Star Classic and NY-Metropolitan Major, two of the best leagues in the East. Lindy also won the 1953 New York State All Events title. While bowling for the powerhouse Faber Cement Block team in Lodi, he rolled a 225–300–266 for a total of 791, the highest series score in the US that year and second-highest in American Bowling Congress history. Two weeks later, Lindy bumped that 791 to third-best when he rolled an outrageous 279–267–278 for an 824 series score.
In 1954, Lindy was profiled by a new magazine called Sports Illustrated, which marveled at his sudden ascent. He formed a “dream team” that winter, which included two New Jersey legends, Lou Campi and Junie McMahon, and according to the SI story, he was poised to become the nation’s top bowler. Whether Lindy fulfilled that destiny is a matter of some debate, but what is clear is that, when he was at his best, no one was better.
In 1957, during a televised event in Chicago, Lindy rolled a perfect 300, earning a $10,000 bonus. He took home a total of $17,000 thanks to a blistering 835 series. That same year he and Campi won the national doubles crown. In 1958, Lindy won his first and only USBC Open All Events Championship.
Lindy was inducted into the ABC Hall of Fame in 1968 and continued playing at a high level well into the 1960s. He was always available to bowl at charity events and generous to young bowlers on their way up. He bowled eleven 300 games and had five 800 series in his career. The old saying was the only way you could stop Lindy was to put the lane behind him.
He lived in Wayne in his later years and passed away in 1997 at the age of 85.