Bowlbrawl is the epic tale of Robert Towell’s rise from the exploitive ranks of provincial under-16 bowling stardom to the corporate late 1990’s saber-toothed world of full contact hyper-masculine bowling. With his company (World Championship Bowling) and the edgy and life-risking storylines, pay-per-views, rabid fanbase, psychotic “athletes” and the continuous love of his wife Nikola, Robert Towell revolutionized society’s contemporary vision of professional bowling and changed the game forever. He now lives in Morocco with his wife. This is his story.

Nathaniel G. Moore writes in the tradition of literary sports reportage (Norman Mailer, George Plimpton, or Hunter S. Thompson) but also combines biography, fabulation, a behind-the-scenes perspective of the only bowling trial in Ontario’s history, backyard wrestling, and screenplay techniques (similar to the book/film Hard Core Logo). Part infomercial, part championship tournament, part asylum memoir, this story includes first-hand accounts from those whose lives were affected the most.

Granted unprecedented access to Towell’s story and those of WCB bowlers Dragan Momchilo and Greg Lebelle, this first-time author has created a startling unique and hilarious portrait of the death of bowling and one man’s histrionic personality disorder.

World Championship Bowling published these league rules in 1998. (Courtesy of WCB Archives)

Each WCB match shall be no longer than 5 frames. The winner, shall be decided by the appointed referee, but more often than not, the highest score wins. To indemnify crowd pops and intrigue, if your opponent cannot finish a frame due to incapacitation, don’t just stand there, rush the gutter! It is perfectly legal to roll gutters for him during his absence.

Standard

The first frame is an unmitigated exchange, a normal bowling match (as close as is possible). The final four frames are full contact, hand to hand combat, with partial use of weapons allowed (at referees discretion) such as hammers, bats, chains, and brass knuckles. The preliminary round of Bowlbrawl for example, in which Greg “Agamemnon” Lebelle used the pop corn tank on his opponent was an automatic disqualification.

No Disqualification

Full contact match from the opening frame. In this type of match, usually at the top of a pay-per-view card or even a championship match, one competitor waits for his opponent at the foul line. His opponent rushes him from the back, they fight, and try to prevent each other from scoring. The frames go by fast, because of all the gutters and interference. This is a defensive game as much as it is offensive. There are also usually numerous bowlers “running in” to swerve the score by rolling gutters. The locker room can be a place to persuade fellow bowlers to become allies, or plot against a top dog. This is usually a fast match, with the score and skill taking a back seat to hand to hand combat.

Hardcore

Usually reserved to settle an unresolved score, these matches are drawn up in blood, the contracts are signed and the outcome is decided by who is left standing. The feud has to be sold for the buy-rate to make a profit. Lebelle and Momchilo’s feud was vastly tracked on the internet and through a few filmed vignettes that sold the storyline. However, there were still some remnants of tradition involved. To be considered a “bowling” match, there has to be at least one bowling “transaction.” In the case of an enclosure match such (WCB Devastation) each bowler had to record a single pin-fall before qualifying to escaping the “structure”. The winner was the first bowler to knock down a single pin and leave the “structure”. There are also handcuff matches, (WCB Bowlfest) inferno matches (WCB Invasion) and impromptu chainsaw matches (WCB Bowlbrawl).