Surdich on Bowling: Herrera, Docherty inducted into Merced County USBC Hall of Fame

Sharon Roper, chair for the Merced County USBC Scholarship Fund, informed me that this year’s dinner was a success. She said more than 140 people were served dinner and participated in the raffle and auction.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame were Marie Herrera (Pioneer) and Peggy Docherty (Ability). During the evening, Roper presented five $1,000 scholarships, including three from our association, one courtesy of the Merced/Atwater Women’s 500 Club in memory of late association president Karen Tweed, and one courtesy of Don Beldon of Los Banos in memory of his companion and Hall of Fame member, Joyce Bigham.

These scholarship awards went to deserving Merced County students who are continuing their education. This year’s total from the dinner was more than $4,650.

PBA regional and pro-am

The 10th annual Vanessa Brown Homes PBA Western Region is running the weekend of June 19 at Yosemite Lanes in Modesto. The pro-am fills fast, so get your entry in quick.

Bellevue Bowl has forms at the side desk. The pro-am will have three divisions – junior, adult and senior. Our bowlers have won a few bucks in the past. The tourney has a special entry fee that will include a new Columbia or Ebonite ball with drilling. I’ll have more info on this popular event in the coming weeks.

League champions

In the Friday Night Handicap league, the Rolling Stones were crowned as champions for the 2015 season. They won the title by 20 pins Friday night by edging CMS Delivery.

Stones team members with their handicap scores in the championship match were Jason Decker (701), David Walker (698), Kris Walker (588) and anchor Stephanie Kapsimallis (658). The Stones with their league averages: Decker (116), David Walker (152), Kris Walker (193) and Kapsimallis (189). There are two more leagues to close out the fall season, the Twilighters and Commercial Classic.

McHenry senior no-tap

McHenry Bowl has mini-tournaments going on all this week, and Yosemite Lanes had the Pot of Gold tournament on Friday. A few seniors had enough bowling during the week, leaving the senior field sparse for the no-tap Friday.

Bellevue senior Kim “Money Bags” Heller placed in the high game pot twice for $14, which normally is higher for high games. Yosemite Lanes will hold its senior no-tap this Friday at 1 p.m. Entry fee is $15.

500 club tourney

The Merced/Atwater Women’s 500 Club is hosting its annual Three on a Team tournament on June 14. This handicap tournament is limited to the first 33 paid teams, with a team maximum average of 540. Your 2014-15 book average will be used, and you’ll roll three games of regular bowling. The tourney is open to men and women. Entry fee is $22 per bowler, and forms are available at Bellevue Bowl.

Simas places in Silver Foxes

Modesto’s Manny Simas, rolling in the Silver Foxes Bowling Club’s monthly tournament, tied for fifth in doubles at Rodeo Lanes in Clovis last Saturday. His partner was Luci Dominico, and they rolled 1,818 in their four-game set. He said the lanes were very dry. The bowlers received $133. Next for the club is a singles event at Sierra Lanes in Fresno on June 14.

Remember when

In February 1983, when Century Bowl in Merced started a new event with a field of 96 rolling for a shot at $700 in prize money in the No-Tap Doubles.

Marty Daniel, a 177 average bowler, put together games of 261, 253 and 246 for an outstanding 760 scratch series to carry partner Dave Cline into first place. Daniel and Cline outdistanced Andy Work and Bill Greenlee by two pins.

Clarence Thomas and Doug Laidlaw bowled 300 games. Laidlaw used his 300 to go with games of 266 and 259 for a fine 825 scratch series to pick up $42. Daniel and Cline picked up $200 for first place, and Work and Greenlee hauled in $100.

Other top finishers included Jim Boyenga and Frank Gasper in third, Norm Vierra and Ed Tacheria in fourth, Nena and Lencho Acosta in fifth, Chris and Rick Elias in sixth, Dennis Berry and Gus Penzari in seventh, and Joe Jusunoki and Steve Donell in eighth.

This story was originally published May 13, 2015 at 8:04 PM with the headline "Surdich on Bowling: Herrera, Docherty inducted into Merced County USBC Hall of Fame."