Music and lights and bowling draw crowds to Thunder Alley

They come from Southeast Missouri towns like Perryville, Oran, Scott City, Sikeston and Jackson, where long mid-winter Friday nights can run short on things for teen-agers and young adults to do. Cape Girardeau isn't much different until West Park Lanes begins filling up for Thunder Alley.

The lights dim at 11:20. Groups stand around the computer consoles expectantly, some spinning bowling balls in their hands. At 11:30 p.m., deejay Josh Hampton sends a raucous rap song echoing through the building, disco lights swarm over the lanes like colored bees, and the bowling begins.

The bowling alley becomes a nightclub. Dancing isn't required or even encouraged, but a few moves to the thumping beat are irresistible to many on stage after tossing a ball down the lane. Twenty-seven of the 32 lanes are active.

Most of these bowlers aren't serious. One teen throws the ball 30 feet down the lane before it lands. Another tries bowling between his legs. Many bowlers seem to have trouble keeping their feet. The music and lights are disorienting.

The crowd is decidedly high school-age, in part because Southeast Missouri State University students are still on Christmas break. Letter jackets and Abercrombie & Fitch shirts abound.

The cost of Thunder Alley is $35 per lane for as many as six people plus $2 per person shoe rental for two hours of bowling.

One couple brought their baby. An off-duty policeman provides security. One of the night supervisors says there's rarely any trouble.

Some people actually bowl well in spite of all the attractions. Sam Bell, one of the night supervisors at the lanes, has bowled 22 perfect games in his career, though none during Thunder Alley. During a lull, he opens up one of the few unoccupied lanes and rolls a 247. He just got his Professional Bowlers Association card.

Travis Keller, a member of a group of Scott City teen-aged boys, bowls a 212 his first game.

For some, Thunder Alley is a flirt-fest. Frankie Lane, who plays football at Scott City High School, is reluctant to reveal that he bowled 146 his first game. His mind might not be on lanes 17 and 18. Enjoying themselves on lanes 19 and 20 are a group of high school girls from Jackson that Lane has determined to be the best looking in the building.

"We are scoping out the women," he said.

Most people at Thunder Alley are in jeans and shirts. The girls are turned out in silver lame and such.

Yes, flirting is one of the games being played here, said one girl who didn't want to reveal her name.

The bowling-alley managers put older groups on the outsides of the 32-lane layout. Amid the sensory overload of Thunder Alley, Oak Ridge 5th grade teacher Kim Boxdorfer reads a romance novel, "The Least Likely Bride," between turns. The reason is obvious, she says. "I suck."

She bowls a 58 in her first game but gets some reading done.

She and her husband, Greg, came with Scott Ehlers and Rosella Hale, who have chosen Thunder Alley for a first date. The late hour of Thunder Alley is part of its appeal.

"You can get everything else done before you come," said Ehlers, who works at a Perryville body shop.

Crystal Pobst of Oran is here with her cousin, Jody Pobst, of Cape Girardeau and other family members. It's the girls against the guys, and the girls are winning.

They've been coming to Thunder Alley for years. They enjoy bowling to music, especially the rap and heavy metal the deejay keeps coming.

"They don't play elevator music," said Jody gleefully.

sblackwell@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182