Surdich on Bowling: Manteca’s Steve Davis rallies at Modesto Masters

Steve Davis of Manteca bounced back after losing his first match in the Brunswick Modesto Masters to win seven in a row for a showdown with the winner’s bracket champion, PBA pro Wayne Garber.

Davis averaged 251 in the process and had to defeat Garber twice for the championship. He edged Garber 511-494 and 504-471. Davis took home a check for $3,170, Garber $1,603.

There were several 300 games during the weekend by Sal Bruno of Antioch, Christ Preble of Clovis, Dan Long of Bakersfield and Davis. Three 800 series were bowled during qualifying by Dennis Horan of Oakley (826), Norm Palomares of San Francisco (825) and Preble (814). A total of 152 bowlers from the Valley, Bay Area, Southern California and Nevada competed. Next year, the Masters is scheduled for April 2 and 3.

League highlights

▪ Raul Soria, who rolls in the Friday Merchants, bowled a super 289/625 with a 166 average.

▪ June Kishi, 93, rolled a great 194 game in the Central Valley Nisei league.

▪ In the Guys & Dolls on April 7, Jeff Stout (279/684), Jim Hamilton (279/660) and Larry Valenti Jr. (279/748) set the lanes on fire.

▪ Monday Night Merchants had Ruby Arandia, who averages 141, roll an outstanding 200 game.

The 900 club

Only 27 perfect 900 series have ever been bowled, the first by right-hander Jeremy Sonnenfeld on Feb. 2, 1997, in Lincoln, Neb., and the last by right-hander Hakim Emmanuel, on Feb. 19, 2015, in Stoughton, Mass.

Four left-handers have accomplished the feat, and only two 900s have come from California, both rolled from the right side: Vince Wood of Moreno Valley in 1999 and Jimmy Schmitzer of Riverside in 2012.

Robert Mushtare of Fort Drum, N.Y. has rolled two 900 series, in 2005 and 2006. United States Bowling Congress gave him an 1,800 ring, I guess.

PBA Anthony results

It looks like Will “The Thrill” Garber is making a name for himself, as he placed fifth last weekend at the PBA Earl Anthony Memorial Classic in Dublin, earning $800. Roseville’s P.J. Haggerty had a great tourney with a fourth-place finish for $900.

Remember when

Highlight scores from Bellevue Bowl from 1978: Judy King with a beautiful 628 series, Kathy Giordano a 660, Jeff Chezzi a 655, Joe Alkas a 652, Ray Mayfield a 632, Jan Moore a 586, Sue Basham a 235 game and 550 series, Audrey Granger a 519 series, Barbar McLane a 234 game, Stella Pimentel a 231, Rabbit Cornejo a 204, and Leland Lariosa an all-spare game of 186.

This story was originally published April 15, 2015 at 6:09 PM with the headline "Surdich on Bowling: Manteca’s Steve Davis rallies at Modesto Masters."