Surdich on Bowling: Elections, USBC changes are meeting topics

The annual Merced/Atwater Bowling Association meeting is Saturday. On the agenda will be the election of four directors and a president.

Current vice president Dave Egleston will give a report on the United States Bowling Congress convention in Las Vegas last month. He said the USBC had several new items that were voted on and passed. A few of the items passed will be discussed during the meeting. Egleston mentioned that new membership dues have been approved at the convention and will be presented to the board.

If you have any new ideas on any items that would be of interest to the board, you should attend the meeting, 11 a.m. at Bellevue Bowl in Atwater. Do you want to be a board member and help the association or recommend someone? Be there.

League champions – In the Guys & Dolls on Tuesdays night, Fast Eddies Electric took the crown from La Nitas in a roll-off. The championship team with their averages are Sharee Frazier (152), Mike Coe (203), Larry Valenti Jr. (219), Larry Valenti Sr. (207) and newcomer Lynnell DiFrnacis (131). The champs were sponsored by Gene “Eddie” Frazier (191). League individual awards in the high scratch game went to Neill Barcellos and Richard Snell (300) and Kim Barcellos (265), and high scratch series went to Mark Thompson (794) and Caren Thompson (636).

Senior club coming to Bellevue – Coming in June will be the senior club’s stop in Atwater at Bellevue Bowl for a singles event on June 18 at 1 p.m. Men 55 and older and women 50 and older can join. Last month, the club paid out seven places to women.

McHenry Bowl no-tap – In the bi-monthly senior 9-pin no-tap, Jamie Schropp scored the women’s second high scratch game with a 273. In the men’s first scratch game, Don Surdich had a 281, and in the second scratch high game it was Jerry McMillian with a 295. Surdich also had a fourth place in the overall men’s handicap series with a 774.

Up next at McHenry is their Senior Fun Day no-tap on May 20, which means you don’t know what will be happening. Bumpers up, 8-pin or regular 9-pin no-tap? Who knows what Terry and Theresa are planing. One thing is for sure, it will be a fun day.

Camellia Invitational – The Camellia City 500 Club of Sacramento is hosting its 18th annual invitational tournament in Reno. The tourney has singles and doubles events during the weekend of Sept. 10-11. Entry fee is $25 per event plus an optional $5 for all events. Entries close Aug. 24. Forms are available at Bellevue Bowl.

Veterans tournament – A new handicap tournament is May 21 in the Bellevue Bowl’s Veterans division. The action starts at 1 p.m.

Division one is active or military veterans of any branch of the service who served, and there’s an Open division. It is open to all. You will use your highest average of 2015-16. If none, you can use your 2014-15 average. Entry forms are available.

The Veterans is a handicap tournament where you roll three games. It is not sanctioned by USBC. The fee is $20 and one out of five will cash. The tournament will receive a $100 donation from former Air Force Master Sgt. Chuck Shafer. Shafer retired from the service in 1980 and now works as chief of supply at F.E. Warren A.F.B. in Cheyenne, Wyo.

Some of longtime area bowlers and veterans might remember Shafer working the desk at Bellevue Bowl. He does not bowl anymore because of knee issues. Shafer reads this column to check on his old buddies to see how they are bowling. Thanks Chuck, you’re still a bowler.

This story was originally published May 11, 2016 at 5:36 PM with the headline "Surdich on Bowling: Elections, USBC changes are meeting topics."