Don Johnson loved bowling, and his legacy will be that he understood that bowling was a game and a sport to be enjoyed. He loved to laugh, sometimes at silly things that happened in bowling, and sometimes even at himself.
What I think made Johnson so great was his attitude and his sense of humor. He loved to have fun in bowling and life, and he found a way to win while having fun. His sense of humor and tremendous instinct for the game were his greatest assets. He understood that winning wasn't the most important thing—enjoying winning was, and he truly enjoyed winning and didn't sulk when he lost. He also had his share of sadness in his life, but he rarely complained about it.
In a recent column, John Jowdy called Johnson the greatest clutch bowler he ever saw. I agree, because Johnson always seemed to find a way to relax and make the shot. He could do it because he knew that if he didn't make it, tomorrow would still come, and more chances would follow. That may be the primary reason he won 26 PBA titles and became one of the greatest bowlers ever.
I'll never forget watching that shot that left him face down on the approach after defeating Dick Ritger 299-268 to win the 1970 Tournament of Champions, but I also remember what he did after missing that $10,000 bonus: He got up with a smile on his face and celebrated with the fans knowing that he had done his best, and he knew that tomorrow would bring new chances.
More opportunities came quickly for Koko. He followed his 1970 Bowler of the Year crown with a phenomenal year in 1971, winning six more titles and repeating as Bowler of the Year. In 1977, he won the Steve Nagy Sportsmanship Award, and he was inducted into the PBA and ABC Halls of Fame. His 26 PBA titles tied him with Dick Weber.
I have two more special memories of Don. In 1995, we sat next to each other in the grandstands at the National Bowling Stadium at the FIQ World Championship Tournament watching the helicopter-style players from Asia. He was blown away by their technique and talent.
"Man, I thought I knew how to spin the ball," he said, "but these guys are incredible!" Of course, Johnson could also spin the ball. His American spinner style was the most successful in bowling history, and I have no doubt he won more money with Columbia White Dots and Yellow Dots than anyone.
That was a great day at the FIQ World Championships, but the last time I saw and talked with Don was in Albuquerque during the 2000 ABC Tournament. Tom Kouros and I were sitting in the coffee shop (or maybe it was the bar) at the hotel the afternoon before the ABC Hall of Fame ceremony. Don joined us, and a while later, Tony Lindeman sat down. For a couple of hours, we talked about the game and solved most of its problems that day. We laughed a lot, and I was honored to have been lucky enough to spend time with three bowling greats. I never wrote about it, but it is a very special memory.
I regret that I never got a chance to interview Don and share his story and opinions with others. I visit his adopted hometown of Las Vegas often, but he didn't come out to the tournaments. I tried several times, but we just couldn't get together.
Now he's gone at 62. It's hard to believe and a sad day for bowling.
Comments or questions? Contact Jim Goodwin