Make That Spare (1963)

From 1960-1964, ABC-TV aired live boxing matches on Saturday nights at 10 PM Eastern, lasting about 45 minutes. The network needed a short "filler" program to take it to the top of the hour, so ABC Sports concocted this short-format (approximately 15 minutes) bowling show called "Make That Spare." Hosted by night club singer/performer-turned-sports announcer Johnny Johnston, Make That Spare pitted two of the PBA's stars in a five-frame sparemaking competition to crown the week's "Sparemaker" champion. Players were awarded points for converting a sequence of five spares. Frame #1 was the 2-4-5-8 for 25 points. Frame #2 was the 1-2-4-7 for 25 points. Frame #3 was the 4-5 for 50 points. Frame #4 was the 1-2-4-10 for 50 points. And frame #5 was the 5-7 split for 100 points. If tied after five frames, the winner would be decided in sudden death as the players started the spare sequence over. The winner was given the opportunity to convert the jackpot shot for a cash prize that rose each week the jackpot shot wasn't converted. It started at $5,000, and each week the split went unconverted, another $1,000 was added to the jackpot for the next week's winner. A series of five different splits (which changed from week to week) were designated before the show as Split #1, #2, #3, etc. The number of spares the winner converted in his five-frame match would determine which split he would face as the jackpot shot. If he made 1 spare in winning his five-frame match, he would shoot Split #1. If he made 2 spares in winning his five-frame match, he would shoot Split #2, etc. Sometimes the boxing matches would end early and Johnny Johnston would be called on to vamp to fill the time. Other weeks, the boxing matches would run a little long and they'd have to rush through the show. Ah, the age of live television. Johnny Johnston was masterful as emcee on this series. In this episode, most likely from 1963, reigning Sparemaker champion Roger Helle faces Dick Weber. This is classic TV at its very best.