AlabamaBowling.Com to Shut Down

I started AlabamaBowling.Com on September 1, 1999.  Now, 25 years later, on September 1, 2024, I will be shutting the web site down.  

I am now retired from my job as a network engineering and operations manager.  I am about to start my 50th year of sanctioned bowling.  I no longer wish to maintain a web site.  The Internet is changing and it's services and functions are passing me by.  I do not participate in social media.  I never had a Facebook account or anything similar.  I was old school.  You just didn't put all that information about yourself on the Internet.  Now, you have to watch out for and fight against other companies doing that on your behalf.  

As I mentioned, the Internet is changing.  A more interactive type service(s) are now available to bowlers with YouTube videos, social media groups and other technologies to exchange information, ball reviews, tournament viewing, results, and statistical information to aid in your game and viewing enjoyment.  I started this web site to consolidate all bowling information in Alabama. I never accomplished that goal, but came close.  As others wish to show their creativity and publish their information, this site is no longer needed.  There is so much more bowling information on the web now than existed 25 years ago.  

In summary, I no longer want to keep up learning about new technologies and ways to provide content.  I have other things to do.  I probably look at more golf club reviews than bowling ball reviews.  I no longer try to keep up with all the bowling ball releases.  I simplified my approach.  I go to my local pro show, tell them what I am expecting in a ball reaction for a specific situation and listen to their advice. Basically, what I do when I buy golf clubs.  

Thank you to all the supporters of AlabamaBowling.Com through the years.  I hope I was your introduction to bowling web sites and you leaped forward to all the new services out there for your bowling Internet entertainment and education.  It was a fun.

Joey Pirani

Memories of Parkway and Plamor

Update:  March 17, 2015, the luck of the Irish.  Jerry Damson will keep Plamor open until a new center is built in the area.
Until a new center is built in Huntsville?  The dealership owner is betting on loss of supply (bowling centers) and same demand (bowlers) mean profit for Jerry Damson Automotive Group.  Makes good sense.  You own the land.  Once the center starts to lose money on a consistent basis, just close the doors.

Original Post
Like a lot of people in this area, I was not born in Huntsville nor did I grow up in the Rocket City.  But, I have now lived more than half of my life in Madison County.  I have seen many changes to this city and have heard the history of Huntsville and the major events from the time of the growth due to the Apollo era. While growth in the city has changed certain parts of town, and the downtown area is starting its revitalization, certain other areas are diminishing.  Industries are growing and declining, and unfortunately, bowling is one of those industries in decline.  This national phenomenon has hit Huntsville.

On March 7, 2015, a fire destroyed AMF Parkway Lanes.  While this has nothing to do with the national decline in bowling, it accelerates the local problem as Plamor Lanes is scheduled to close at the end of April 2015.  What is the long term impact to the Huntsville and Alabama bowling community?  Is this a natural correction to the economics of bowling?  With less league bowlers, customers, youth bowlers, and potential new bowlers to grow the sport, losing one local center was probably inevitable in less than 10 years anyway.  In less than two months, there will be only 3 bowling centers remaining in Madison County; AMF Pin Palace (in north Huntsville), Madison Bowling Center (in Madison), and Redstone Lanes (on Redstone Arsenal).

AMF Parkway Lanes after the file (courtesy of the Huntsville Times)

My first visit to Huntsville, Alabama was in 1985 as a college senior.  Our division of the Southern Intercollegiate Bowling Conference (SIBC) held a round-robin league competition at a neutral location; Plamor Lanes.  Our division included Memphis State, Murray State, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Tennessee, and another school than I cannot remember.  The SIBC existed from 1974 to 1998.  During 1985, Plamor was not known as the popular league and tournament location as it is today.  Most leagues were bowling at Pin Palace and Parkway at the time.  We, Memphis State, took the lead in the division standings after that week-end.  Jimbo Martin, currently one of Memphis' top local bowlers, was the tournament leader averaging in the 180's.  I averaged in the mid 170's.  The conditions were brutal.  That was not by design.  That was just the way Plamor was back then.  I learned decades later that our collegiate tournament was originally scheduled to be hosted at Pin Palace, but was forced to quickly re-schedule to Plamor, which had the lanes available for that week-end.  After I graduated college, I accepted a job in Huntsville.  I did not join a league at Plamor after remembering my college experience.  Plamor did, and still does, have the best video games.  I spent too many lunch hours playing Star Trek: Next Generation pinball and NBA Jam.

Plamor Lanes

Thomas Powers soon made league bowling a priority.  The Peterson Point league on Tuesday nights was a popular and large league in the 1990's.  I remember getting there ready to bowl, but awaiting the full first shift leagues still finishing.  The parking lot was full during this transition and it was hard to find a place to park.  I can't remember the last time I circled a bowling center lot looking for a place to park the car.  Plamor quickly became recognized as a high scoring house.  It grew the bowling base and business at Plamor.  However, I found it most frustrating.  During my height of league bowling when I bowled in multiple leagues during a season, I always bowled in different centers.  Plamor was known for the high probability of leaving half pocket corner pins.  While many bowlers increased their honor score count, I found it frustrating as it was easy to hit the pocket, some nights seemed impossible to strike, double, or throw a turkey.  Leaving corner pins, even when you made ball changes, changes in angles, and positions exacerbated me.  I laughed sometimes when I heard regular Plamor bowlers complain why they 'couldn't carry' when I thought that they should already know.  There were many nights that I could accurately predict a strike or what pins I would leave standing when my delivery crossed my target at the arrows.  It was a major accomplishment when I finally had an 800 series there.  I always enjoyed the Bowlers Advantage tournaments held at Plamor.  I do remember the 299 I had at Plamor on a Kegel Challenge Series pattern. 

No matter what you thought about the lane conditions, parking, clouds of cigarette smoke, loss of smoking, or anything else concerning the facility, Plamor had the best staff, most responsive to its customers.  They knew you, greeted you, and made you feel most welcome.  Thomas would always come up to you and tell you thanks for bowling in the tournament or league.  Looking back, that is a rare talent, as most bowling centers employees' now know less about the sport and business. 

Parkway was where I joined leagues when I first moved to Huntsville.  The Parkway Classic League was the city's oldest league.  I liked bowling leagues that had a history and longevity about them.  They were usually the more popular leagues that most bowlers wanted to join.  Sadly, as bowling league membership declined, this league lost many members.  The regulars stayed in while no new members were being added.  The last time I bowled in a Parkway league regularly was the 2011-12 season.  It was ironic to notice that I was now one of the older members in the league as I was one of the younger members in 1987.  As I would learn over the years, Parkway had the city's bowling history.  This was the house of Jimmy Certain and Tony Churchey.  Owner Pie Bates gave these gentlemen the support they needed for the PBA tour.  Pie was another one of those owners that appreciated his customers and greeted you.  You could see him at the center, bowling with you or against you in tournaments and leagues.  AMF purchased the center after Mr. Bates' death.  Parkway had the last, great scratch league.  Other scratch leagues were tried in Huntsville, but only drew the regular league bowlers from that house.  Parkway had the last scratch league where the best bowlers from around the city would join.  Those were the 'good ole days' when the bowlers would go to any house that had the best competition and sponsor added money.  I had my first 800 series at Parkway.  I still remember the camaraderie of my team, the bowling ball I used, and that final 10th frame.

AMF Parkway Lanes

Probably because of its rich history within its city, most people in town equated Parkway with bowling.  If my daughters said they were going bowling with friends, or going to a birthday party at a bowling center, I knew they meant Parkway.  All the people I knew from work or church identified bowling with Parkway.  If they came up to me and told me that they saw my name on a placard or sign at the 'bowling center,' I knew they had been to Parkway, even if these association signs and posters are at every bowling center.  A typical response to the question of where did you go bowling to the average open bowler was 'the one by the Huntsville Times.'

What does the future hold for Huntsville bowling?  Huntsville was unique to bowling in the south.   When I moved to the city, I found it unusual that if you stood on the roof of either Monarch Lanes, Plamor or Parkway, you could see the other ones.  You could run the loop of these three centers and still wouldn't have completed a 5k distance.  And Pin Palace was just up Memorial Parkway.  With Parkway gone, its leagues are finishing the season at Pin Palace.  I had to wait on the first shift to complete before we started the All Star League.  The wait reminded me of league bowling 20 years earlier.  Maybe the number of facilities remaining is all the bowling economy can handle.  There is a campaign to get AMF to rebuild Parkway.  I'm not sure that AMF feels the economic demand or chance at profit to do that.  In today's economy the land is more valuable than the bowling center sitting on it.  While Huntsville has only 3 bowling centers remaining, will that last?  Will another be built somewhere else.  Have you noticed the growth around Madison Bowling Center?  With Wal-Mart and the satellite businesses and shopping centers that usually build near a Wal-Mart, the land where Madison Bowling Center sits is now much  more valuable than when it was built in 1999.  Could it be the next to close and a new business be on that lot?

If you have any fond memories of Plamor or Parkway, please comment.    

Induction

On July 26, 2014, I was honored to be inducted into the Alabama USBC Hall of Fame.  I wish to the thank the AUSBC for selecting me and for the pageantry and locale of the awards celebration.  I've received many congratulatory well wishes.  Below, I have included the transcript from my acceptance speech.

Hall of Fame members who attended the 2014 awards banquet at Lake Guntersville State Park Lodge. How many can you recognize?

In bowling, work, sports or activities, the real honor is being recognized by your peers and competitors for your superior achievements.  When my friends and I discuss what constitutes hall of fame qualifications, I always thought that, whatever those may be, I fell short.  I did not warrant consideration to be included in the group with Jimmy Certain, Nicky McLantoc, and Tony Churchey.  So, I humbly thank the Alabama USBC for my induction into the state bowling hall of fame.  Bowling has been a large part of my life for the past 40 years.  My grandfather and father were both champion bowlers in the Memphis area.  I’m proud that I could carry on that tradition.  My first perfect game was bowled in 1986 in the Memphis Italian Sportsmen League, one of the oldest leagues in Memphis.  I was privileged to have my dad, my brother, and my uncle on that team to witness the first perfect game in the history of that league.  Those were the golden times of league bowling.  I welcome my family here, and thank them for all the support over the years, which included dropping me off at the bowling center, driving me to youth tournaments, listening to me brag and complain when I couldn’t in front of anyone else.  You provided me advice and coaching.  And thank you for that one tournament in Memphis just a few years ago, where you were the only ones cheering for me while the whole house was rooting for my opponent in the stepladder finals.  I just needed some entrance music so I could complete the picture of being the WWE villain. 

I would also like to thank Jeff McCorvey for your friendship, expertise, coaching, and the knowledge of the game that you imparted.  As a pro shop owner, your wisdom to know that I cannot just buy a game was refreshing.  It still comes down to me.  Introducing me to the area’s top bowlers, tougher tournaments, including the ABC/USBC national tournament and allowing me to earn my spot on some of your top teams has led me to this moment tonight.  If I had not walked into your only pro shop in 1986, I would have only been a two-time a week league bowler, who occasionally bowled a city or state tournament.  Some of my best tournament experiences have been the successes and near-successes at the ABC and USBC Open tournaments.  I have been honored to have worn a McCorvey’s Pro Shop shirt during every competitive game I have bowled for the past 28 years.

It is painfully obvious that bowling has changed over the years.   The number of participants has dramatically decreased while the number of honor scores has dramatically increased.  I have tried to adapt to these changing times.  While I have not bowled anywhere near 30 perfect games in a 3 year period, my successes have spanned decades.  I have bowled perfect games in the past 4 decades, and I look forward to trying to increase that number.  Of the perfect games I have bowled, only three have much meaning to me.  I have already mentioned the first.  The second one occurred a month later where I bowled the first ever perfect game in Memphis State history at my last collegiate tournament.  The rarity of that experience was that I was awarded for an AJBC perfect game after I was awarded for an ABC perfect game.  The third one occurred during the 2006 USBC Open in Corpus Christi, TX.  In this day and age, where perfect scores are rarely announced, nor even congratulated, the USBC Open tournament still recognizes that a perfect game at their event is a significant accomplishment.  That perfect game will cost me dearly, as I will now travel to all future tournaments to hear my name announced before my team event, no matter my age or ability.  Some people bowl for money, I bowl for the sense of accomplishment and achievement.  It is a wonderful memory of having PBA and USBC Open champions, Marc McDowell, Mike Shady, and Jeff Richgels shake my hand and congratulate me after the completion of the squad.

Honor scores should not be the only way to get into the Hall of Fame.  Tournament victories should be the major component.  In bowling, par is no longer 200.  In 2014, it is 230.  Now compare the all-stars of today with the all-stars of the 1980’s and 1990’s.  In a tournament, it doesn’t matter if you averaged 200 or 230, as long as it is more than the field, or more than your opponent in the championship match.  A few years ago, I was disheartened about the sport of bowling.  League bowling was shrinking.  It was no longer enjoyable, as friends were quitting the game, and complaints of ‘inconsistent’ lane conditions increased.   There was a loss of camaraderie in the spirit of true sportsmanship.  Play the same golf course in February, May, July, and October and tell me if the conditions were consistent.  I was getting older, not yet a senior player, but it was getting difficult to compete with younger high speed, high revolution players in leagues and local tournaments.  Just this past year, I decided not to worry about it.  Time waits for no man, and tournament bowling was still an outlet that I enjoyed.  Putting no pressure on myself, I finished third in season points in an overall scratch tournament series that bowls on challenging lane conditions in the greater Nashville and Huntsville areas.  I was much older than the many of the bowlers in the top 10.  It was a great feeling knowing that, maybe, I did learn something over the years that still apply; consistency, accuracy, physical game adjustments, and experience.  Sometimes this trumps the young guy trying to overpower the pins.  Just recently, a fellow bowler came to me, and congratulated me on last season’s success.  “It was great to see one of us old guys up there,” he said.  I said thanks and then hesitated.  “That was a compliment, right?”

I am probably the last of my kind to be inducted into this hall; the more classic style with less speed and stroker delivery. I’m sure the ones that follow me will throw the ball harder, impart many revolutions on the ball, and possibly even use two hands to make a delivery.  However, I wouldn’t have it any other way.  Success is also measured over time, and I look forward to more personal triumphs as I start my 5^th decade of bowling competition.  Thank you once again for this great honor.  I will strive to represent myself worthy of hall of fame membership.

Picking Lillies

Bowling as a participation and spectator sport has changed greatly over the decades.  In your league,  does anyone stop and watch a bowler throw the final three shots for a perfect game?  Does any one clap when it occurs?  Is it even announced over the loudspeaker anymore?

Compare that event to another bowling situation.  An unlucky bowler is embarrassed as he has left the 5-7-10 split, otherwise known as 'the lilly.'  Now, how much noise is generated?  How many people now gawk?

On January 30, 2014, during the Monday Night Men's league at Madison Bowling Center, Kevin Ralston left the 5-7-10.  Hey, there is no crying in bowling!  He approached his second shot and converted the spare!!  This has to be one of the rarer feats in bowling.  There was no 6 pound ball involved or deliveries approaching 30 mph speeds.  While this is not Kevin's second shot, see if you can guess the weight of this bowling ball in how the lilly is typically converted, if at all:

Now, can we see how it is converted by real men with real bowling balls? There happens to be a video of Kevin's spare conversion, well, sort of.  While no one had their phone out thinking they would record a 5-7-10 spare conversion, the automatic scorer camera system can do a replay.
Now, a camera phone can record the replay.  Here is how it is done.


Congratulations Kevin.  You have probably set a record or accomplished something very few people have ever done in actual competition.  However, is it something you feel comfortable bragging about?

An Unusual 300

Do you still remember the Andy Griffith Show?  One episode in season 8, Howard, The Bowler, told the story of the character Howard Sprague substituting on the local bowling team.  What makes this bowling night different?

He doesn't have a lot of experience so their expectations aren't too high but at the big match against the blowhards from Mount Pilot, Howard can do no wrong. With only one frame to go, Howard is still on his way to a perfect game. Just then, the power goes out forcing the end of the game to be re-scheduled for the next night.

 During the Huntsville All Star League on October 31, 2013, Billy Sales started the third game of the set with the first three strikes.  Just then, the electrical power went out in the bowling center.  During a very windy evening with potential storms threatening the area, a truck had hit a power pole which disrupted power in a section of the city.  While awaiting restoration of power, the league decided, in darkness, to conclude week 12 of the schedule the following week.  At the completion of this game, the league would then bowl the 13th week of the schedule.  Two possibilities were discussed for the following week.  These situations were discussed in the USBC rulebook rule 116c:

116b. Scores Lost
When game(s) or frame(s) within a game are irretrievably lost in the scoring process, the following procedures shall apply:
1. Scores that can be documented or agreed upon by the opposing team captains stand and the game shall resume from the point of interruption in regular order.
2. Scores that cannot be documented or agreed upon by the opposing team captains shall be rebowled, unless the board of directors rules them null and void.

On November 7, the league concluded game 3 of week 12.  Pin Palace, the bowling center, still had the scores which included the frames bowled.  The computer the center uses did have battery backup which saved the scores.

After one week, 70 year old Billy Sales proceeded to throw nine consecutive strikes for a two-week perfect game.  The fictional Howard Sprague only had to throw one strike the next night for perfection.  Billy threw 25% of his strikes during one week and the other 75% of the strikes seven days later.

So, congratulations to Billy Sales for this highly unusual perfect game to add to his repertoire of honor scores.  Of all his honor scores, I'm sure Mr. Sales will definitely remember this one.  

There is another footnote to this story.  Billy's teammate, Ernest Reese, almost did the exact same thing!  However, Ernest left one pin standing on November 7 to throw a two week 299 game.

Two honor scores bowled on the same pair of lanes that took seven days to complete!

Sanction and Awards are not linked

As you know already, your USBC sanction fee has, again, risen.  Remember the years gone by when you paid this sanction fee as an afterthought from your wallet?  Now, you have to remember this expense as part of your first week of league as the fee is now equivalent or more than one week's league fees.  As fewer and fewer people are signing up for league bowling, it seems that this failed economic theory of increasing the tax of the remaining bowlers is applied. 

You can look at this in two very different ways.  I only bowl in one league per week.  I seem to bowl in more unsanctioned tournaments than sanctioned tournaments.  Now, the USBC is cutting the awards program even more.  What's in it for me?  How do we convince our friends and co-workers to join us for a night out each week in league bowling to grow the sport?  Does our company league really need to be sanctioned?  This seems tough to give a convincing argument.

As a community, we are supporting the sport of bowling by paying our membership dues.  The USBC provides the rules and standards for the game.  They ensure the quality of the playing field in our sport.  Can you imagine if bowling follows the eventual evolution of the boutique bowling experience?  A nicer facility will be an advantage, but it will be just a place for a nice date night.  Bowling is just an activity for a night out with friends and mixed drinks.  Bowling in tight dresses and the latest fashions will just be a setting, not a competition.  Who then would care if the lanes have arrows, pins are different weights, or oil on the lanes at all?  We are not competing, we are having fun.  It is a date, a corporate bonding event, or a long lunch.  Boutique bowling will be to the sport of bowling as miniature golf is to golf.

However, how many play golf but are not members of the USGA?  It is another competitive activity which we thrive to get better, much like bowling.  I would like to know my handicap, but I don't have to join the USGA to calculate it or endorse it.  But, my golf experience would only be equivalent to my bowling experience if I only open bowled or bowled practice games.  I would know my average, but it would not be under any sort of competitive conditions, much like my walks on the golf course, just spending 3 or 4 hours hitting the golf course.  The USGA is healthy, while the USBC is not.  We must bowl in sanctioned competitions, pay our sanction fees, recruit new bowlers just for the sport to survive.

Is it really important for the USBC to have an awards program?  They have wisely removed the 11 in a row award.  

"Given that more than 50,000 certified perfect games are rolled in a typical season, the board agrees it is unnecessary for the national governing body to provide awards for near perfection with the 11-in-a-row,"

Do you get an award for a hole-in-one?  A tournament may offer a prize for one, but there is no USGA ring for an ace.  Now, what do local bowling associations do?  They mistakenly take up the former task of the national organization.  They expand their awards to cover all the awards that the USBC has dropped.  With fewer sanctioned bowlers, they have increased their costs by offering more and more awards.  We have to remove this preconception that our sanction is only paying for awards.  Where are your patches, pins, medals, and rings?  I bet they are in a drawer somewhere.  This is getting to be the adult equivalent of the participation trophy that all kids in most sports get just for being part of the team; whether champion or last place.

I can understand why the USBC is going to a once-in-a-lifetime award for 300 games and 800 series.  It is not the unique event it was two decades ago.  Some people get into their local association hall of fame by bowling a handful of such scores.  We must raise the bar on these qualifications.  As I have mentioned before,  par is no longer 200.  Par bowling is now 230 and quickly rising more.  If you want to improve, compete, and be an elite bowler, par bowling must always be just more than what you average.  If you want another 300 ring or 800 ring for another finger, just go to eBay and get one.  The ones that will be hard to find, as I wouldn't sell mine either, are the ones awarded from the ABC/USBC national tournament, PBA tournaments, or sport shot leagues and tournaments.  Those are the awards that will last in our memories. 

Happy Birthday Wally Barthel

Past president and State HOF member H. Wally Barthel will turn 88 years old Friday, May 3, 2013. He will be at Vestavia Bowl on Friday between 6:30 p.m. -8:30 p.m.  Old friends and bowling buddies are invited to stop by and help him celebrate.

Wally was elected to the Alabama State Hall of Fame representing Anniston in 1978 just after his 53rd birthday.  He was the only member inducted that year.

Happy Birthday.

New Women's State Record

Why not the women's state record?  Angela Nance sets the new women's state record with an 857 series on April 14, 2013 during the Sanders Jewelry Mega League at Brunswick Riverview Lanes.  She had games of 300, 278, and 279 for the record breaking series.  Congratulations Angela!
Angela talks about her bowling life in this article from al.com.

Almost Perfect

Paul Ealy shattered the Alabama state record with an 896 series.  After 23 straight strikes, Paul finished with a 6-count for a 296 game in the Bud Light Classic League at Brunswick Riverview Lanes on Monday March 11, 2013. Most people would have felt the release of the pressure as the striking ended with 23 consecutive.  But Paul kept on going finishing the set with another perfect game. 896=300-296-300. Congratulations Paul for the stunning series. Birmingham News article: Hoover's Paul Ealy sets state bowling series record of 896 at Birmingham's Brunswick Riverview Lanes

In Memoriam: Chad Moss

On Wednesday, October 10, 2012, the Huntsville bowling community lost Chad Moss.  Chad lost his life in a fatal car accident. 

Chad loved to bowl and was a fixture around Plamor Lanes bowling with his friends and colleagues.  Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.

Southern Bowling Congress Scholarship

The Southern Bowling Congress offers the Jacques Curwen/Jay Guidry Scholarship Fund available to an eligible high school senior in the SBC member states.

Scholarship requirements:

1. You must be currently bowling in a USBC sanctioned league and must be a high school senior.
2. You must have bowled in a sanctioned USBC league for three (3) out of your four (4) years in high school and you must have bowled 75% of the league schedule.
3. You must include an official high school grade and credits transcript with a minimum of six (6) semesters of information.
4. You must obtain a personal letter of recommendation from either your high school principal or your counselor and attach it to this application.
5. You must have attained a composite ACT score of at least 20 to be eligible for one of these scholarships.
6. You must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale to be eligible for one of these scholarships.
7. After you have been notified that you are one of the recipients of a scholarship, you must continue to bowl in your YABA league until the completion of the league schedule or your scholarship may be rescinded.
8. The student information and principal/counselor sections must be completed and returned to your coach by March 1st of the year you apply.  The coach must complete his/her portion of the application and forward it to the Southern Bowling Congress Executive Director.  TheExecutive Director must receive the completed application with attachments by March 15th of the year you are applying for you to be considered in this scholarship program.
9. The decision of the Southern Bowling Congress is final regarding all scholarship matters, including, but not limited to the interpretation of information on this application, and the recipient selection process.
10. All scholarship funds are to maintained through the USBC S.M.A.R.T. organization.
11. The completed form and all attachments must be mailed to:
    David Clements
    49 Thornhill Dr.
    Sherwood, AR. 72120
    (501) 425-2299

Reverse Sandbagging (not in bowling)

We have all seen the final results of a tournament where we didn't cash or place as high as we had thought.  "There was no way I could have won.  I would have had to shot 892 scratch in singles to win!"  That is because you see a 903 leading the handicap tournament.  Or a 2502 all events score where you can barely break 2100 for nine games on an easy condition.  There may be a protest, there may not be one.  Life goes on, and you go to the next tournament still seething over sandbaggers.

Does the reverse ever occur?  A handicap bowler trying his luck in an elite scratch tournament?  Why would it?  There is no incentive or advantage.  The USBC Masters requires you to have at least a 190 average.

The Masters is open to any USBC league member who has averaged 190 or higher for 21 games during the past two seasons, any non-USBC league member who is classified by the PBA as a Full Member, any bowler who has averaged 190 or higher in his/her past five USBC Tournaments and any state/provincial representatives who have placed first or second in the all-events category of their association tournament.

What if you just want to throw away your entry fee for the chance to bowl with Sean Rash or Chris Barnes?  I may swap stories with Norm Duke or Pete Weber in the locker room!  Naaaa, that does not happen in bowling.

But it happens in golf.

The USGA US Open was completed a couple of weeks ago.  Before that, you could try your shot at qualifying to compete against the world's best on the toughest golf course.  Replace the word 'golf' with 'bowling' and see if that last sentence still had any credibility.  Over 9,000 people tried to qualify for the US Open.  However, many golfers who claimed they were a scratch golfer or had a 1 handicap were shooting two rounds in the 90's or above.  This is not what you would expect if you want to play against Tiger, Phil, or Rory.

Rick Reilly explains the USGA does not approve of the week-end hacker lying about his game to enter this tournament.

If you try to qualify for a U.S. Open (this year it's at Olympic Club in San Francisco, June 14-17), as over 9,000 golfers did this year, try not to play like a drunken yeti. You'll get a letter requiring proof your handicap isn't phonier than a ski slope in Dubai.

Why would you say you are better than you really are?  Isn't sandbagging the opposite?  Well, there is a reason:

Reverse sandbagging has become an epidemic at Open qualifying because golfers realize that for just the $150 entry fee, they can play a practice round and a tournament round at a sweet course they could never get on otherwise. 

 You could get a chance to play with someone really good or famous.  Why not?  Bowling does not seem to have this problem.  Leagues and tournaments with tougher lane conditions, such as that the pros use, don't usually get the membership.  You rarely see these events during the fall or winter seasons.  When bowling becomes a legitimate sport, you will know.  This problem will become evident at your next tournament.  It will give you something new to complain about sandbaggers.  You can complain about the reverse sandbagger:

"We have to," says USGA director Mike Davis. "It's not fair to the guy who's trying to shoot 68-68 to be paired with somebody shooting 90-90 and looking for balls all day. There's no way for him to get any kind of rhythm."

Summer Shootout Spoilers

Another summer, another PBA summer shootout.  Last year was a new format and provided an almost scripted ending.  The big finale had the drama with water bottles.


Since the telecasts will start airing in July, don't read the rest if you don't want to know.

SPOILER

Five teams advanced to the stepladder finals after bowling in qualifying rounds Monday and early Tuesday: Storm, 900 Global, Brunswick, Track and Columbia 300.

The Summer Shootout series will be broadcast on ESPN starting July 7 and does not count toward a player’s ranking during the season.

New Presidential Qualifications

It appears that we can settle these pesky campaigns with a bowl-off or a really high stakes pot game.

Rick Santorum is stepping up his game against GOP front-runner Mitt Romney. Unable yet to strike his opponent from the presidential race, Santorum is calling for a throwdown with Romney on a stage he dominates: the bowling alley.

If this is the new way to solve presidential campaign issues, even I could pick up a few delegates. Of course, campaigning in bowling centers across the Midwest would endear one to the heart of America's bowling community.

“He’s quite the bowler,” says spokeswoman Alice Stewart. Santorum’s roots are deep in the sport. He studied Bowling 101 at Penn State University, has shot a high game of 241 (out of 300) and opened one recent game with seven straight strikes. He even has his own bowling ball.

Now I know I am qualified to be President of the United States. I didn't have to 'study' bowling at Memphis State. It was an easy 'A' as one only had to average 130 by the end of the semester. I own more than one bowling ball, so I can bypass the Senate!

Of course, bowling is not a presidential qualification. All you have to do is look at the current occupant in the White House.

While attempting to woo blue collar voters in Pennsylvania, the Democratic frontrunner bowled a 37, while rolling several balls into the gutter.

As any league bowler will tell you, a score of 37 probably includes rolling more than several balls into the gutter!

Rerated Anonymous

I walk into the small room. It appears to be a classroom being used for this mandated meeting. Other bowlers are in the room with all the chairs positioned in a circle. I do not recognize anyone in the room. As I have been to many scratch tournaments, none of these bowlers look familiar. Wait, I think I do recognize a couple of them from a few handicap tournaments such as The Stepladder or Ebonite eliminator tournaments. As the newest member to the group, I have to stand and introduce myself. "My name is Joey. I've been re-rated." There are fewer things more embarrassing than a public confession. The experience is therapeutic as it is humbling and introspective. The others welcome me to the group and encourage me to continue my story, most likely hoping for some juicy tidbit or embarrassing confession of a transgression. I continue.

"I've been bowling for close to 40 years. This has never happened to me before. It is mid-January and I decide to enter the monthly tournament being held at the local lanes. It is a handicap tournament using an eliminator format where the top half advances to the next round after each cut. This continues to the final two bowling for the championship. As I have bowled in this tournament before, I pay my entry and prepare for practice. Everyone draws for lanes and we begin the three game qualifying round. During the first game, I need to ask the tournament director a question concerning rules as this is the first of these tournaments that I have bowled in the current season. I ask to what average is the handicap based upon. The answer was 220. I then informed the director that my book average from the previous season was below that. Yes, I had a bad year. I have never had handicap in this tournament before. I had bowled only one league at the statistically hardest house that previous season. I also had a shoulder injury that required missing a few weeks after the pain became unbearable. The director entered the book average into the laptop. I also explained that my current average was more than 10 pins higher than the previous year's book average. I instructed him that I will approve a re-rating if he determined it necessary. The director did not change my handicap back to zero. The tournament flyer lists very few rules if any. I returned to bowling my qualifying games.

I bowled very well. I easily made the top half eliminator cut as I qualified 2nd with my handicap score. To be fair, my scratch score would have also qualified me second. My handicap was a bonus of 5 pins that I hadn't seen in many, many years. I made the next eliminator cut after the next game. The following game, I had the first 10 strikes in a row and very easily made the next eliminator cut. The field is down to the remaining 5 bowlers. After the bowlers are announced over the intercom system, I am publicly requested to come to the front desk. I am then told that I am being rerated to a scratch average, and my handicap is removed. I accepted. I had no remorse as I felt as I had provided all necessary facts. Is it normal to be re-rated when the tournament is nearly complete?

Bowling scratch, I made the final elimination to the championship match. At no time during the tournament, did any handicap pins give me an edge to qualify to the next round that I would not have made with my scratch score. I did not enter any handicap brackets. All my bracket money was entered into scratch brackets. The championship match was close for about two minutes. I was giving my opponent thirty-one pins handicap. He bowled a scratch score over 250. Since I did not start with ten strikes in a row, I ended up finishing the tournament second place. It is a different time. Back in the 1980's, when I was averaging in the 180's (which is a handicap in the 30's), I never shot a 250 score. Only the 200 average bowlers were shooting a rare score of 250. The young bowlers who grew up on high scoring, high risk, high reward deliveries can bowl 250 one game and then follow with a 160. I hope that when this young tournament champion bowls the next tournament, the director looks at his high tournament average and re-rates him accordingly."

I conclude my story and sit down. The looks in the room of the other participants are unimpressed. I guess I should have spiced the story up with tantrums, ejections, protest letters, loud public arguments, and blacklists. A laughable story of how one bowler can justify his 175 average while others have seen him in Tennessee bowling scratch tournaments is told by another participant. I can't believe I am in this group listening to these stories.

The moderator thanks everyone for showing up for this month's meeting. The next meeting date is announced. I told the moderator that I had no plans for attending any more meetings of this group. I would not ever be back.

Bowl For Jacob

Valley Family Asking You to Bowl for Jacob

You can make a donation to the Jacob Shields Donation Fund at a Wells Fargo Bank, or mail your donations to Bowling for Jacob, PO Box 274, Brownsboro, AL 35741.

"Bowling for Jacob" will be Saturday, December 10th from 10:00am to 1:00pm at Plamor Lanes in Huntsville. There will be a raffle and a silent auction.  You can email a.m.hutchins@hotmail.com for more information.

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State Record (Again)

Congratulations to Donald "DC" Chatman. DC tied the state high series record  at Bama Lanes in Montgomery on September 21, 2011. He bowled games of 300, 300 and 279 for an 879 series. He tied Ron Ware, who had the exact 3 game set, on June 8 at Plamor Lanes in Huntsville.
 

Witnesses say the lone 10 pin in the fourth frame of the last game was leaning, but failed to fall preventing the perfect series.

Ben Thames of Enterprise had an 878 series in June 2003.  Now, we have had two 879 series in a matter of months.  That is incredible and amazing that one (or two) could perform under that kind of pressure knowing how history will be written with your name on such an incredible accomplishment.

Congratulations DC.

Stop the insanity of the 'celebrity' hall of fame

Yes, it is that time of year where you, the bowling fan, can vote for the next inductee to the Celebrity Bowling Hall of Fame. I thought this was some kind of fad. But it does not seem to go away. Why are we doing this? Why do we care? Have the nominees really deserved a nomination? Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, and the Jonas Brothers are nominated because they have a party or charity fundraiser in a bowling center. Let's face it, if they could play golf, their fundraiser would be on the links! In previous years we have seen sports stars nominated because they could at least average 180 in a league. Is it a coincidence that when the PBA televised the Chris Paul invitational with his sports and music buddies bowling, we no longer see this group on the ballot? Once they showed their bowling prowess on national television, the public was no longer fooled by this silliness.

If we want to keep this thing a little serious, then Jeff Bridges and Bill Murray should be included for their iconic characters in bowling-related movies. If Lady Gaga is on the ballot, why not Tim Matheson or Michael J. Fox? Even if their movies bombed, the bowling theme shows more relevance than Lady Gaga's one time in a bowling center.

Kill the Celebrity Bowling Hall of Fame. We all know why Kim Khardashian is nominated. She was the 'celebrity' that opened one of the high end bowling lounges. This one event put her on this list? Maybe it was the dress.

PBA Team Shootout Review

Well, the yearly summer PBA Shootout is now completed. It was definitely more interesting than previous years being outside while Batman and Bugs Bunny cheered the bowlers. I almost missed this years event as I was not that excited about the shootout as previous years. I thought it may be more of the same.

Did the PBA change more than just the venue? It was almost scripted like a WWE pay-per-view event. First, the good thing was the move to an inside venue. I only like to sweat when I run, bike, or cut the yard. Bowling is not an outside activity during a hot Midwestern summer. If you believe the Democrats, global warming makes bowling very uncomfortable. Of course, the new PBA jerseys could be worn by Lance Armstrong and crew during a bicycle road race. Just change the Ebonite logo with a Trek one.

Of course, it was not a bowling alley, nor a bowling center, but a bowling lounge. What is a bowling lounge? It is a more expensive place to eat, drink, and bowl. Awesome ambiance, but still more expensive. I was expecting to see $5 soft drinks, $10 beers, and $12 wines on the tables with the bowlers. I'm sure Jason's water bottle was at least a $3 drink. Another thing about bowling lounges? They seem to attract the 'beautiful people.' Kim Khardashian has been publicized at a bowling lounge. Is this the second bowling tournament where I have seen an attractive blonde woman sitting directly in the camera's line of view? I guess I lost my concentration as I have not heard any announcement or close-up identifying her as a PBA wife or girlfriend. I'm betting she did not have to pay for her ticket to the show.

An advantage of tape delay show is more time to edit. We have heard about 'Bottlegate' for a couple of weeks now. The old saying is that any publicity is good publicity. The new PBA encouraged Pete Weber's antics. It put some life into the telecasts. Any competitor is focused on what he has to do. So, no one is encouraging you should distract your opponents. Well, that seems to be ok for free throw shots or field goal kicks. However, I don't see another PGA golfer sneezing in Phil Mickelson's backswing. ESPN and the PBA had plenty of extra camera angles, background video and commentary ready to go as soon as Sean Rash expressed his frustration. I'm not blaming either bowler, just noting that everyone was ready to exploit the event quickly. There would not have been as much analysis of this if this event was televised life.

I like the ball manufacturer staff team competition. However, with the shape of the economy, the pros on these teams look like the Yankees, Red Sox, and the Twins. One or two teams are loaded while the other groups are 'smaller market' teams. The Ebonite team is like the Brunswick team of the 90's. Remember, they had all the big names back then. Parker Bohn was one of them and is still on the team. This is rare. The few examples are Dick Weber with AMF, Johnny Petraglia and Parker Bohn with Brunswick. This is like your favorite baseball player staying with his team for his whole career. Looking at the teams, obviously Ebonite and Storm are your big players. Looking at the inventory at your pro shop, these are the two brands you will see. Around Alabama, Brunswick and 900Global products are less likely to be stocked. If I want to be on Brunswick's staff, I need to win a televised tournament with a Brunswick ball and then I can be on the Team Shootout the next summer. 900Global's best player is a senior bowler. Being a smaller company, it is not likely to have a large staff. Is Robert Smith still an exempt bowler? It is also not likely to renew bowlers with larger contracts. From Walter Ray's site:

“The company I represented last year did not offer to renew my contract at the end of the season,” Williams said. “I had heard some really good things about Track equipment last season and the equipment coming out of Ebonite International. You want to go to a company with good equipment so you can be competitive.”

With the prize money professional bowling offers today, a serious pro needs a ball contract. Since Walter is with Track, you couldn't find him on the Ebonite team. Ebonite could literally have it's own Team Shootout event with the pros representing each of the four brands; Ebonite, Columbia, Track, and Hammer. Walter, most likely, had conflicts with the short PBA Senior tour.

Watching 900Global winning was good for the event. Having Ebonite dominate the points events and then losing the tournament is like the seasons of the Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers, New York Yankees, Dallas Cowboys, and Kentucky Wildcats. Unless you are a big fan of these teams, it is fun to root against them.

But, with 900Global running the table and winning for the upset still seems like a scripted WWE event. If these are 'exhibition' summer events, maybe scripting them would make them just as entertaining as this year's Team Shootout. If the final would have been Team Storm versus Team Ebonite as was the highly probable outcome, I may not have been around to watch it, as my interest would have been lost a long time before.

New State Record

Congratulations to Ron Ware. Ron set a new state high series record during the Super Classic League at Plamor Lanes on June 8, 2011. He bowled games of 300, 300 and 279 for an 879 series. He broke the 2003 record set almost exactly 8 years ago by Ben Thames of Enterprise by 1 pin.

To beat 879 will be a tough feat. There are only a few ways to do it.
1. Throw 36 strikes in a row for a 900 series.
2. Throw 35 strikes in a row for 890-899
Or the less obvious ways,
3. Throw 24 strikes or 25 strikes in a row, then a spare, then strike out for a 890 or 880 series.
Or reverse this order
4. Spare, then 35 strikes in a row, or strike, spare, and 34 strikes in a row.

Congratulations Ron.