Surdich on bowling: Merced association’s senior singles is Saturday
If you are aged 50 or older, the annual handicap singles event hosted by the Merced County USBC Association is the tournament for you.
The action starts Saturday at 1 p.m. at Bellevue Bowl. There are two divisions based on your age group – ‘A’ division for ages 50-64 and ‘B’ division for those 65 and up. You will use your 2015-16 book average; if none, then your highest current average as of Jan. 1.
The entry fee is $25 for three handicap games of bowling. It’s an annual tournament for seniors where you can win a few bucks, possibly earn an award and have fun at the same time.
Shooting stars – Who’s next? Well, we found out in the Commercial Classic league Jan. 11 as Larry Valenti Jr. rolled another 300 game. That makes three perfect games for the league this year. ... Also, Kenna Campbell picked up the 4-7-10 split. ... In the Monday Merchants, Nanette Waggoner picked up the 4-5 split. ... The Bellevue seniors had Pam Graham rolling a 136 game with a 99 average. ... The Nisei had Keven Decker rolling a 663 series.
Fresno’s Pitts wins TOC in sudden death – Fresno’s Chris Pitts claimed the title in the scratch 6-gamer Tournament of Champions at Yosemite Lanes in Modesto.
Pitts and Craig Miller of Tracy faced off in the championship match. Pitts, the No. 1 seed, chose the Kegel Tower of Pisa pattern (41 feet). The championship match was crazy, as they went back and forth. Pitts stuck out in the 10th frame to tie the score 213-213. In sudden death, Miller rolled first and posed a seven count; Pitts knocked down nine pins for the win.
Pitts took home $450, Miller earned $360 for second place and Modesto’s Nick Kelly $290 for third.
The new season for the scratch 6-gamer starts Jan. 29 at noon at Yosemite.
Senior no-tappers – This Friday is your senior 9-pin no-tap at Yosemite, starting at 1 p.m. Entry fee is $13. Sign-up starts at12:15 p.m.
Remember when – Sun-Star sports had the 1972-73 Merced/Atwater Women’s Bowling Association’s City Tournament at Bellevue Bowl. Betty Dart’s record-setting performance in singles was the highlight of the weekend. Mrs. Dart fashioned games of 256, 225 and 202 for a 683 series, and with her handicap had a 714 to win the title by 37 pins over runner-up Grace Martin.
The Grandmas, as they prefer to be called, formed their team a few seasons ago and the only requirement was that all members must be grandmothers. They’ve enjoyed considerable success, two years ago having placed second in the city tournament and this year posting a 16-pin victory. The event went down to the final frame before the bowling grandmothers wrapped up their victory. They chalked up a 2,931 total with handicap while the Monday Morning Mix-Ups were second at 2,915. Team members on the Grandmas were Bertha Hoover, Carmel Bullard, Mae Willey, Dee Young and Evelyn Reese. Sixty-two teams competed in the tournament.
Don Surdich: 209-777-1111, desurdich@aol.com
SCORING LEADERS: Janie Schropp 215, Jerry Hill 257, Alex Nunes 247, Pam Graham 136, Julie Flowers 241, Bill Helms 184, Gary Wescott 204, Lew Reese 217, Ron Labuga 190, Rod Hoofard 196, Al Layton 144, Bruno Holte 234, Bo Petty 192, Mary Walker 183, Lynnell Difrancia 173, John Flanagan 240, Kevin Decker 257, Don Andrino 227.
SERIES LEADERS: Betty Brown 470, Leo Gonzales 503, Louis Cantaloube 510, Bill Dills 587, Gene Wallace 622, Dennis Gray 635, Ryan Sziraki 639, Sean Kucius 642, Tom Ball 651, Hugh Gary 655, Nathan Flanagan 670, Mike Giordano 687, Larry Valenti Jr. 777.
This story was originally published January 18, 2017 at 4:02 PM with the headline "Surdich on bowling: Merced association’s senior singles is Saturday."