Surdich on Bowling: Merced County USBC student scholarships available
The Merced County Bowling Hall of Fame board will award three $1,000 scholarships, including the Joyce Bigham Memorial Scholarship.
Bigham was inducted posthumously into the Hall in 2009. The scholarship is provided by Don Belden of Los Banos, a longtime companion of Bigham’s.
To qualify, a student’s sponsor must be a bowler in the Merced County USBC Association. The student can be an immediate family member, niece or nephew, cousin or foster child. The student must be younger than 25 as of Jan. 31, which is the application deadline. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5. The application must include an official school GPA for the current fall semester to receive the scholarship money for his or her community college, trade school or university.
The scholarship winners will be formally presented at the annual Hall of Fame dinner April 16 at the Atwater Community Center. For more information on the scholarships, contact Sharon Roper, chairwoman of the scholarship fund, at 209-357-0493 or sharon11437@aol.com.
Senior singles results – A total of 38 men and women rolled in the association’s annual Senior Singles Tournament on Saturday at Bellevue Bowl. The A division (ages 50-64) had Verna Fellows winning with a handicap score of 766 for $79, followed by Julie Egleston with a 761 for $60, John Flanagan with a 740 for $43 and Monty Stone with a 737 for $27.
As you can see, the scores were very close.
In B division (65 and older), there was a tie for first with Mike Coe and Keith Hunter each rolling a handicap score of 712 for $70 each. Pete DeVries was second with a 668 for $43, and Lou Cantaloube was third for $27.
Up next for our bowlers is the association’s championships in March.
League highlights – Rolling in the Commercial Classic was Ray Mayfield with a 287, close to his highest game of 289, and Dawn Fernandez with a 230 game and 646 series. ... Lefty John Krone had a 211 game and 557 series in the Bellevue Seniors. ... The Guys & Dolls had Chris Elias with a 279 game and Bryan Rivas with a 645 series.
Yosemite Lanes 6-gamer – Freddy Irvin of Freddy’s Tree Service is now sponsoring the tournament’s monthly scratch event.
It will not only increase the tournament prize fund each month, it will bring back the 6-gamer Bowler of the Year. The Bowler of the Year will pay the top three for the 2016 season $500 for first, $300 for second and $200 for third.
There will be a points system for participating in the monthly 6-gamers and other bonus points awarded during the year. Entry remains $60, and optional brackets, high-game pot, last-game pot and senior insurance also will be available. Each monthly event starts with check-in at 11 a.m., and first ball rolls at noon.
Next week – The Central Valley Senior schedule will be set.
The 10th frame – We’ve lost another senior and longtime bowler in Dennis Williams, 81, of Atwater, who died in a Modesto hospital recently. Williams served his country and retired from the United States Air Force in 1978. Before his retirement, Williams and a business partner had a very successful janitorial service, building maintenance company and supply store named Ward Enterprises.
Dennis bowled at Castle Lanes and Bellevue Bowl. I bowled against Dennis in several leagues, the last being the Commercial Classic, the top league in our association.
He won several championships during his service years. You never knew he was around, as he was very quiet when he bowled.
Dennis was involved in our Merced Men’s Bowling Association for years, having served as president and director before it merged with the Merced/Atwater Women’s Bowling Association to form the now Merced County USBC Association.
In 1999, he was inducted into the Merced County Bowling Hall of Fame. His services were held last Friday at the Wilson Family Funeral Chapel in Atwater, and he was laid to rest in the Winton Cemetery. A very good guy.
Don Surdich: 209-777-1111, desurdich@aol.com
SCORING LEADERS: Robert Chaney 244, Julie Herr 178, Keith Hunter 236, Casey McFarlin 258, Carol Brewer 222, Dave Cline 235, Jan Moore 169, James Layton 202, Ed Rowen 206, John Krone 211, Courtney Dahlin 246, Robert Gonzaga 200, Tony Lucero 201, Don Beldon 156, DeAnna Knapp 166, Renate McIntyre 190, Richard Snell 236, Jim Hamilton 236, Rae Coonce 242, Sherman Kishi 187.
SERIES LEADERS: Caren Thompson 531, Jim Hamilton 557, John Krone 557, Bill Dills 572, Jerry McMillian 573, Jenny Avellar 580, Richard Snell 650, Bill Botwright Jr. 661, Adam Barden 668, Mark Thompson 668, Jess Ramirez 679, Mike Coe 682, Jerry Hill 684.
This story was originally published January 27, 2016 at 5:14 PM with the headline "Surdich on Bowling: Merced County USBC student scholarships available."