Make That Spare
| Make That Spare | |
|---|---|
| Presented by |
Johnny Johnston (1960-1961, 1962-1964) Win Elliot (1961-1962) Chris Schenkel & Nelson Burton Jr. (1988) |
| Country of origin | USA |
| Production | |
| Running time | 15 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network | ABC |
| Original release | October 8, 1960 – March 12, 1988 |
Make That Spare was a fifteen-minute bowling program that aired on ABC from October 8, 1960 to September 11, 1964.
The series was hosted by former actor/nightclub singer Johnny Johnston in all but the 1961-1962 season, where Win Elliot hosted. Contestants were all members of the Professional Bowlers Association and wore their PBA bowling shirt uniforms.
The program always followed weekly network broadcasts of 10-round boxing matches on ABC, hosted by the legendary Don Dunphy. The fights were broadcast by WABC, Channel 7 in New York City, beginning at 10:00 P.M. Eastern time. On most nights, the fights would last until 10:45 P.M. To fill the available 15 minutes before the top of the hour, ABC chose to air Make That Spare. If the fights ran late, Make That Spare was preempted. The program was broadcast live from the Paramus Bowling Center in Paramus, New Jersey; the show's varying time slot was compensated through how much time the contestants were given to banter or to prepare for each shot (the game had to be moved along more quickly if a boxing match ran late). Miller High Life and Kool cigarettes were the show's sponsors.
Professional bowler Don Carter made history on October 28, 1961. On that evening, Don became the first to convert the 6-7-8-10 sweepstakes spare. For his efforts, he was rewarded with the grand prize of $19,000. Carter made the same split four episodes later, winning another $8,000. Monroe Moore also made the 6-7-8-10 spare and held the program's record by winning nine weeks in a row.
Make That Spare was ABC's first foray into televised bowling. The network would begin airing full PBA bowling matches in 1962 and eventually pick up the Professional Bowlers Tour, which aired regular contests on the network until Disney took over ABC in 1997.
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