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Hello again friends of bowling. we start this week with a huge thank you to everyone who has reached out bowlers and non-bowlers alike to say they not only read the article every week but enjoy the entire Hammonton Gazette.
Now let's go bowling: The title said if it's nice do it twice and therefore they did. Like last week, Steve Costello and Rich Preuster dominated the scoring but Steve took his all-time high to another level with games of 290, 266 and 298 for a breath taking 854 series and it is incredible to see his progress in just three months rolling the bowling ball at a level even yours truly has to stop and take notice. Used to be a Steve vs. Stinger competition? Now it's the top echelon Steve vs. all the best bowlers as he has become one of "them. " Stinger who?
Last week he fashioned a beautiful 23 strikes in a row to impress yours truly and the rest of our league. Even with the 854 he still managed to end up with a Monster second place score.
The King of the mountain once again and the first flirt with 900 in a very long time was a young man whose reinvented the five-step approach, he uses no steps. Rich Preuster—to try and describe what he did last Thursday night? Hmmm here goes: It takes 36 Strikes for a 900 series, Rich threw (hold your breath) 35 strikes. I don't care no tap or not I'll give you 500 to 1 anytime on anyone throwing 35 out of 36. I counted along as after game one, frame two, Rich went "off the sheet" with 34 in a row. Humor time: Rich did not have a spare all night—268, 300 and yes, what else could it be but another 300 for the best series in our league I can remember ever 868. We keep talking about the perfecto 900 but Rich was seriously making me think we could have one this year with all the amazing talent the Jim Cramer Memorial Fun League has this year. Rich and Steve, I'm wearing two caps and now I am tipping them to you both. Breathtaking, amazing and everyone reading this add your own adjectives. Just three weeks remain before our five-week holiday break. Our last night this month is
November 21 with the "If it's nice do it twice tournament!"
Before the tournament results let's go to the "Fearsome Five" High averages: Rich Preuster now a gaudy 258.4 leads the pack of amazing talented bowlers. Stayo staying right there with 253.7; Bob Luderitz at 253.5; Chris Calascione 245.2 and Steve Costello firmly up into 5th with 232.6 and his average is jumping up each week.
Tournament Results from last weeks 3-2-1 Tournament: Many bowlers completed the 3-2-1 challenge and ended up on lane 4. Some tough breaks for many would leave Mike Parker and Rick Rogers on seven strikes and tied. Roll off time as Mike Edged out Rick and was the Grand Champion this week. Congratulations Mike!
Our other two awards for each tournament the wonderful ladies prize and our age-based prize both went to the ladies high average leader Elaine Post as she converted up to lane 6. So Happy to see Elaine win and Stinger lose. Sorry Stinger. Many congratulations hugs for Elaine. Stinger gets a thanks for participating.
This week Mr. 868 Rich Preuster opens up the 700 club doors and we had Chris Calascione leading the way in with 267, 268 and 213 for 748. Rick Rogers, a helluva comeback with 243 and 298 for a come from nowhere 701. Butch Bowden showed his team why he is still the man with 242, 284 and 236 for a brilliant still got it 762. Stayo rounds out the 700s with a go to work performance 207, 268 and another 300 for 775. And yes, all of the great bowlers above participated in the 3-2-1 tournament to show you how tough crossing lanes in a tournament is.
Standings now 2 weeks in: S Team and NJ Curveball are 7-1. NJ already has a win and cannot win twice.
Only Thumbs checks in at 6-2, Philly Phans and Average Management at 5-3.
Now to the 600s: Matt Callo opens up the scoring with 263, 229, 630 and the most amazing strike in our tournament this week. Tim Bowden with 207 and 232 for 603. Zack Trull 222 and 207 for 603. Diesel stays hot 222 and 263 for 669. Jim Kenny 225, 218 and 604. Paul Capone with 209, 241 and 642. Paul "the man" Kaiser rounds us out with 221, 237 and 630.
This week’s trip down memory lanes features yours truly and a request. I wrote up here I have used seven bowling balls in 56 years of bowling. I've tried to chronologically go over in my head the exact years but it's a ball park figure so let's go: first serious ball was the AMF three dot from I'd say 1970 to maybe 1977. Then it was Columbia Yellow dot and remember they also had the blue dot, white dot and the easily forgotten orange dot. In between the yellow dot and my next ball, I tried the Earl Anthony "Magnum" series balls and what a disaster. I think I threw the Mag 10 three games and the Mag 11 maybe nine games and screwed up my average and boom right back to the yellow dot. Moving to 1985 and the ball I threw the longest and the best 25 years worth was the Columbia "U" Dot. When Casey Lomtev from Baker Lanes drilled this, he knew I had used the yellow dot for eight years since I bowled with him and John LaPaglia Sr. the whole time. He tried every year to get me a new ball to no avail (even free) He said that day, "If you outlive this ball you've had a good life." I tossed many honor scores with the same ball and while bowlers brought many balls each week to the Al Quesllette Classic League (I remember one bowler bringing 16 balls in one night to DiDonatos Bowling Center where we proudly finished up 25 years of the most talented league ever. In 2010 I went to the Green Hammer and in 2012 after the Green Hammer cracked all the way through it was the Pink Hammer. Sadly, Jim passed in 2014 and I used his blue hammer until Steve DiDonato the man got me into a 14-lb. blue hammer five years ago and that's the seven balls I’ve used. I don't suggest doing that for anyone. Balls today change like the wind and you should keep up with your Pro Shops and update your equipment. I've always felt that for myself the old school teachings of bowling I've learned and put to great use. But superseding all that is the fact I am left handed and all I heard through my bowling career was just that. There it is friends, 56 years and seven bowling balls and who knows what God has for me in the future? I'm pretty happy with this one ball I'm using right now. Oh, and never an insert or anything else. Just three fingers and a bowling ball. old school through and through.
Onto high games: Terry Casale with a beautiful 211. Mike Parker with a 231 and the tournament win.
Stinger 232 that is all. Shawn Dunleavy with 211. Kial Purnell with 243. Jerome Davis with 212. Barbie Giammona a terrific 231 game. Rick Jones with a 208. Jeff Rees 200 and 212. Sean Alber 201. Bill Alber 224 and 220. And one more at the end.
A special Halloween hats off to Layla Maciejewski and Chris Naples (?) for their amazing Halloween costumes of Poison Ivy and the Riddler.
Finally, the man everyone loves in our league, Ryan Preuster, started with the first eight strikes, won a lane pay and had his highest game ever a beautiful, exciting and cash winning 244 game and many hugs. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.
And that's a wrap ladies and gentlemen. I have two openings in our league for individual bowlers if you're interested in having big fun every Thursday night.
Here's to seeing you Thursday and welcome November. See ya then.