Surdich on Bowling: Docherty and Herrera voted into Hall of Fame
Longtime association bowlers Marie Herrera and Peggy Docherty will be inducted into the Merced County Bowling Hall of Fame next month.
Herrera will become the first woman inducted under the new Pioneer category. Herrera, who has bowled since she was 7, has served on the Merced/Atwater Women’s Bowling Association as a director for two years and also was the association’s sergeant of arms.
Herrera was recently elected as a director for the Merced/Atwater Women’s 500 Club. She has bowled in association tournaments, 500 club tournaments in the Valley, state tournaments and in the nationals in Salt Lake City in 2000. Herrera was a longtime member of the women’s travel league, which bowled in cities throughout the Valley and continues to compete in the annual Department of Defense tournament in Santa Maria during Columbus Day weekend.
Her highest average has been 168, highest game bowled 289 and high series 636. She always has fun and we welcome her into the Hall of Fame.
Docherty will be inducted under the Superior Ability category. Docherty has bowled in multiple leagues at Century Bowl, Bellevue Bowl, Castle Lanes and the old Devine Gardens in Turlock.
She has rolled in numerous formerly all-male scratch leagues in Merced, Atwater and Turlock. She bowls regularly in two leagues, captains one team and is a substitute in two other leagues. Docherty was a member of the first women’s team to bowl in the association’s ABC City Championships. She has bowled in more than 20 Cal-State Women’s Championship tournaments and the men’s Cal-State Open Championships.
Like Herrera, Docherty bowled in the Women’s Inter-Association Travel league for many years. Her highest average is 188, high game 290 and super series 740. She worked the control desk at Century Bowl for 14 years. She is still averaging in the 180s.
Next week, chairperson Sharon Roper will announce the student scholarship winners.
League highlights
In the Commercial Classic, Mike Robins rolled the game of this life with his first 300. If you have watched this young southpaw roll in league play, you knew it was just a matter of time before he rolled one. In league play, he strings out strikes all night long, and last Wednesday he finally strung 12 together.
His high game had been a 288. He has rolled several 700 series and averages 210. Great bowling, Mike.
Senior no-tap
McHenry Bowl is hosting its senior no-tap tournament Friday with a “Swing into Spring Crazy Bowl.” You never know what the bowl might come up with. It could be 8-pin in the first game, 9-pin in the second and possibly regular bowling in the last game.
You won’t know till you get there. The event starts with a pot-luck lunch at noon, sign-ups at 12:30 p.m. and the action starting at 1 p.m. Entry fee is $15.
Hall of Fame dinner
Association manager Keith Hunter informed me that all the winners in the recent 69th annual City Championships will be guests at the annual Hall of Fame dinner.
At the dinner, the winners will be recognized by the association and will be awarded their championship plaques. For more information, contact Hunter at (209) 722-7175. President Tom Brewer told me that prizes for the raffle and auction have started to come in with four balls, a pair of two-ball rollers, many dinners, and a PBA autographed bowling pin. It should be a great party this year.
Tickets now on sale
Tickets for the Hall of Fame and Scholarship dinner are on sale at the desk at Bellevue Bowl. The price for adults is $20, $10 for children 6 to 12 and children younger than 6 are free. The dinner is set for April 11 at the Atwater Community Center.
Don Surdich is a Sun-Star correspondent. He can be reached at (209) 777-1111 or via e-mail at desurdich@aol.com.
SCORING LEADERS: Mark Heffner 245, Gene Frazier 254, Patty Harrell 199, Marie Herrera 189, Dave Souza 189, Larry Valenti Sr. 258, Caren Thompson 216, Manuel Frade 187, Chris Elias 243, Charlie McMillian 178, Jane Moore 168, Bob Simons 179, Kim Barcellos 192, Tom Ragsdale 201, Marcus Kendrick 249, Tolby Wescott 174, JoAnn Baker 175, Alice Koehn 169, Reuben Johnson 201, Peggy Docherty 216, LaDonna Stone 198, Susan Codd 185, John Lema 225, Kenna Campbell 146.
SERIES LEADERS: Reuben Johnson 501, Laura Ruell 523, Ed Rowen 532, Barbara Bustos 533, Rikki Cascia 548, Mike Danel 551, Bob Weimer 606, Jess Ramirez 647, Mark Moua 661, Jim Hamilton 661, Jerry Hill 655, Tommy Cardoza 670, Adam Andrino 680, Richard Snell 683, Gene Frazier 699, Neill Barcellos 723.
This story was originally published March 25, 2015 at 5:55 PM with the headline "Surdich on Bowling: Docherty and Herrera voted into Hall of Fame."