Lou Trunk of Las Vegas has been named the 2025 recipient of the Jim Jaryszak Laneman Award, which recognizes a person for behind-the-scenes work as a laneman. It’s selected by the United States Bowling Congress Equipment Specifications and Certifications team.
In the case of Trunk, “laneman” has a different meaning as he has nothing to do with the application of oil on lanes, which is what most people associate with the term.
“I haven’t touched a lane machine hardly ever,” Trunk said during an interview about the honor. “My job has to do with everything underneath the oil — the lane itself. Lane installations, lane topography, lane leveling. I’m ‘The Under the Oil Guy.’”
Trunk worked as an independent contractor for AMF (later QubicaAMF) beginning in 1977 and remained in that capacity until his retirement a few years ago. While with AMF, he was involved in the lane installation process for the 1987 American Bowling Congress Championships (now the USBC Open Championships). Shortly thereafter, USBC brought Trunk in as its quality control manager for the lane installation process for both the USBC Open and Women’s Championships.
For a list of previous recipients, see the January issue of BCM.
Bowling Center Management Online 
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