Surdich on Bowling: Brightening veterans’ lives sets record

I received word from the Bowlers to Veterans Link that for the 2015-2016 season bowlers set a new record with $924,567 for the season ending July 31. More than 350 state and local associations, leagues and almost 40 different bowling center operators gave last year, according to BVL board of directors Chairman John LaSpina.

“The need for backing America’s veterans had grown to more than 21 million veterans and keeps growing,” LaSpina said. In our local association, every league member gives $1 to the BVL fund, and they also have a BVL tournament during the year.

Chowchilla’s Gregory wins PBA50 Open. Derek Gregory, formally of Sonora, now living in Chowchilla, took first place in the PBA50 Parkin’s Bowling Supply 2016 Open at Bowlium Lanes in Montclair recently. Gregory’s pin court was 4,118 as he edged out Darron Peters of Temecula by 75 pins and the win for a check of $1,500. Peters received $1,000. The California Bowling News contributed to this article.

300 no-tap at Black Oak. Merced’s Janie Schropp was rolling the monthly senior 9-pin no-tap last Friday at Black Oak Lanes in Tuolumne City, when in the first game she rolled her first ever no-tap 300 game. You know that she won the first game high pot with that game. Overall in the high series for the women she placed in fourth for some cash. They paid down to eight places in both the men and women. Modesto’s Betty Gerritsen and Pat Baskin also placed in the money in the women’s high series. The next Black Oak Lanes senior no-tap will be held on Nov. 4 with two squads, a 10 a.m. and a 1:30 p.m. They have a busload coming from the Manteca Bowl for the 10 a.m. squad. In this tourney you have to prepay to participate. If you are interested in rolling no-tap, contact Jeff Hurley, tournament director, at 209-928-9437 to register. In Modesto, McHenry Bowl will be holding its Anyone’s Guess no-tap on Friday at 1 p.m.

Shooting stars. The Friday Night Handicap league had Jamie Shank rolling a 257 with a 631 set. ... He’s back: Corey Phillips in the Monday night Atwater Merchants finally got his swing going with a 268 and a 747 series. ... Rod Hoffard with the Tuesday Seniors rolled a 596 with games of 189-209-198.

California State Singles. Don’t forget, this weekend is the 2016 California State Singles Championships to be hosted by the Gold Country USBC Association at Black Oak Lanes in Tuolumne City. They are at noon and 5 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Sunday. All California USBC members of any age can bowl in the tourney. You roll six games of singles. There are two divisions: 176 and up, and 176 and below in this handicap tournament for men and women. There is an optional scratch event available. The entry fee is $50; scratch entry is an additional $10. You will use your highest USBC average of the 2015-2016 season. Print an entry form at CalUSBC.com.

Coming up next. The Top Dog senior tournament is 12:30 p.m. Oct. 22 at McHenry Bowl, open to all current USBC members who are 55 or older. Entry fee is $44. For more information, call Terry Waring at 209-571-2695. Our local women’s 500 club is hosting its 44th annual No-Tap Invitational on Oct. 23 starting at 1 p.m. This tourney has a ton of goodies during the day: raffles, 50/50 split, door prizes and every entry receives a Budweiser towel. Entry fee is $25. You have to be a 500 Club member to roll. No walk-ins accepted. Get your entry form at Bellevue Bowl.

This story was originally published October 12, 2016 at 4:24 PM with the headline "Surdich on Bowling: Brightening veterans’ lives sets record."