Welcome. You know that I enjoy, well, maybe addicted to, bowling if you follow my blog. I bowl multiple times a week and have bowled in competitions in several states and foreign countries. I was a member of the Professional Bowlers Association for a time and won money in several regional tournaments. (No, I never won an event.)

Have you wondered how it all started? How did it grow and persevere over the years?

The story became one afternoon in my freshman year (ninth grade) at Spaulding Institute, a Catholic high school in Peoria, Illinois. Those who know me will realize I am speaking of 1961.

The school had an afterschool activity called bowling, ten-pin bowling. So I joined some classmates at a local bowling alley, where I learned the game’s rules and bowled some games. Unfortunately, I have no recollection of my scores for those games.

I was sidelined by a dislocated shoulder while playing flag football in the P. E. (physical education) class a few days later. I was on the offensive line (all 100 lbs. of me) against a 200 lb, or more, offensive lineman. He hit me, and my shoulder said “ouch” in a shrill voice.

I didn’t bowl again until taking a date to a bowling alley in 1969. As I sit here, I can’t remember how well I did or who she was. Time dims some memories but not others.

Now it was 1971. I am stationed in Hawaii, and my brother’s ship is in port. Cletus, also in the Navy, would be here for several months. He and a friend convince me to bowl in a league with them at a Pearl City bowling alley. The Navy base started an intramural league about the same time, and I joined the Electronics Maintenance team.

Then, I was bowling at least twice a week, often three times. I went the whole hog with having a bowling ball drilled to fit my grip, shoes, and a bag. I don’t remember much about my average in those leagues, but it was in the intramural league that I had my first 600 series. I was hooked on the game now.

The Navy moved me to Corpus Christi, Texas, to attend Del Mar College. I mainly had morning classes which allowed me to spend afternoons and evenings at Gulf Bowl. Soon, I bugged them so often that they hired me to work the customer counter. Besides working there, I bowled in leagues almost every night and weekend. Sometimes, I competed in both the 6 pm and 9 pm shifts. I rarely got home before midnight seven days a week the first year I was there. Saturdays and Sundays had me working or practicing.

Good coaching was another advantage to working at Gulf Bowl. They sent me to a coaching class before I could coach some local high school bowlers. Also, Heather, a very knowledgeable coach, took me under her wing. I improved significantly under her tutelage, having my first 700 series and several high scores. Unfortunately, the Navy saw fit to move me to Iceland before I had a 300.

My days of bowling twice a night and every weekend day changed on one Saturday night. I was working a lights-out promotion when two attractive young ladies came to the counter. After taking their money, I sent them to their lane. I had free time after the shift started and found myself near them. Being a bit forward, I chatted with who I thought the prettiest and, finally, asked her for a date. To make a story short, Lori and I began a whirlwind romance that found us at the altar just over six months later.

Dates with Lori battled with my bowling. Compromise, she joined me in a couple of leagues—becoming my life-mate and bowling partner. We have bowled together in Corpus Christi, Iceland, Italy, Florida, Panama, and Maryland over the past 48 plus years. And we both bowled in tournaments in Germany, but not together.

Lori was a novice bowler when she and I began bowling together. However, she improved quickly and won multiple “I beat my husband” awards when we were in Iceland. I have had to work diligently at my game to stay ahead of her, but even today, she gets a laugh when she outscores me.

Now you know the details of my bowling life until I met my wife, and the details of my game time since are less detailed—mainly from the paired view. Perhaps, one day, I will get into more details of the years since 1974.

Keep in your mind that this is how it started. But, this is not a complete story. I haven’t my last game yet. Nor has Lori. Although age and sore joints challenge us today, we still manage six to nine games weekly.

I write to share a part of my life with you. I encourage you to share yours with me via the comment form.

The first time was earlier this year. The league enjoyed a fun season, looking to several more weeks of completion when Governor Larry Hogan ordered the lockdown. He closed many types of businesses, including bowling alleys, gyms, and other recreational activities.

Of course, the base followed the state, and the base bowling alley was closed.

Why us

Funny how one could catch COVID in the bowling alley but not at big box stores like WALMART and COSTCO or the supermarket.

It seemed like years, yet in only a matter of months, the governor started to remove his restrictions. Welcomed was when he permitted businesses to fifty percent capacity. Shortly after, the base lanes began preparations to allow the leagues to return.

Returning was not a simple matter. The virus was still active, and no vaccine available.

Not everyone returns

When canvased, only sixteen of the leagues’ thirty-two bowlers desired to return in September under the base health department’s conditions. Instead of eight-four man teams, the competition started with six-three member teams. (The vacancy on two teams filled by the second week.) The league agreed to bowl a fifteen-week schedule with the hope that more would join in January.

Things were fine until Governor Hogan reinstituted lockdown rules when virus cases rose again.

Tuesday Night Men’s League’s fall season ended on week twelve when the lanes announce the base was closing the alleys until January 2021.

Next season?

Though enduring the restrictions placed on them this fall, all league members want to return as soon as the lanes reopen. Perhaps, by then, some of the previous league members will join us in the spring season.

Lockdown? Use the comment form to let me know how it has affected you or anything else of interest.

For the last thirty years, this would be the time when the bowling leagues wrapped up their summer seasons and the meetings for the fall season held. Well, there was no summer season this year.

COVID struck in March. Governor Hogan shut down all non-essential businesses, one being bowling alleys. Several weeks ago, the Governor allowed businesses to reopen with restrictions. Customers must wear masks, and there are social distancing requirements. Several local bowling alleys opened by conforming with the limits.

The Lanes at Ft Meade was not one of these. The military was taking it slower, being more cautious. Finally, the call came that we could start reforming leagues.

Preparation to Return

As league secretaries, the first order of business was to learn how many of our previous bowlers felt comfortable bowling under the COVID-19 mandates. My wife and I found many wanted to wait until January when they hope we will have a cure, but there was a good number desiring to start in September. The final count for restarting now was enough to establish fall leagues, though much smaller than last year’s.

Meetings convened, and the result was everyone agreed to short seasons that would end in December. It allows new leagues to form in January to include those desiring to wait.

My wife’s  Monday Seniors League kicked off yesterday with twelve teams, down from the 36. My Tuesday Men’s League restarts on 8 September with six-three man teams. Last season we had eight-four man teams. Her Friday Early Birds League had a good representation returning. Enough to form nine-four person teams, and three teams from the Armed Force League joined to make twelve. It restarted on 28 August.

These leagues have several things in common. They finish in December, the bowlers all wear masks while in the bowling alley, only every other pair of lanes used, and I bowl in all of them.

My New Normal

Yes, my usual has returned. Bowl Monday, Tuesday, and Friday. Do league books on Wednesday. Thursday is a day of rest or, sometimes, a day to practice. Saturday and Sunday, think about not bowling.

So, what do you think of my normal? Please don’t be shy; let me know. I provide a form for your convenience.

First, my wife and I are doing well, sitting out the Covid-19 in a half-opened Maryland.

Summer Time

Covid-19 has affected our usual summer. What do two senior retirees do for the summer? Other years, we would have bowled until early May in leagues. After the leagues, we would use a visit to the lanes to give a reason to leave the house. Sometimes, we would take some of our grandkids bowling on dollar day, so we could also afford to feed them . We mostly stayed home this year.

“Living” at the alleys since 1985 has gained us friends we enjoy being with away from the lanes. We would get together for dinner, sharing our lives over a delightful meal. The lockdown did more than keep us home. It enforced it with the closure of our favorite and not so favorite eateries. The upside is that we will have lots to catch up once we can dine together again.

Bowling in or after Covid-19

The lanes being closed does not disrupt our league participation, not yet. We don’t bowl summer leagues, though I practice several times a month. This year, it might not matter if fall leagues don’t restart. Currently, the base commander is allowing the lanes to open for food service but not for bowling until late August. The re-opening depends on the Covid-19 numbers then.

My fear has to do with league bowlers returning and attracting new bowlers. The men’s league, and most of the others, have a large number of seniors. My wife’s senior’s league requires bowlers to be fifty or older; most are older than sixty. How many seniors will return if the disease is still rampant?

We recruit new bowlers during the summer when they come to practice. This option is not available this summer. Will new bowlers seek a league in September, if the alley opens?

Finally, how much disruption to bowling practices will bowlers accept? Will they wear masks? Would they accept changes to regular schedules to comply with social distancing rules? E.g., bowling every other week, or split shifts? These, and other questions, worry me that my league may not start on time, or at all.

RVing or not

There are other effects of Covid-19. This week found us planning the meals and snacks for a recreational vehicle trip. Decisions based on if any grandchildren were traveling with us. But Covid-19 has disrupted our plans. We will not spend late July with relatives in Texas like we have the past three years.

Instead of making the Texas trip, we have considered a local RV excursion. I suggested taking the RV for a two day trip into western Maryland. We would enjoy some beautiful scenery and the road trip.  The RV would enable us to stay safer, eating, and sleeping in a space we control. We shall see.

Lastly, I am so disgusted with the anarchy seen daily. Laws ignored and federal, state, and local government is abetting the lawless. How, by refusing to confront the criminal segment who have co-opted lawful, peaceful protests. It needs to stop before it goes so far that average citizens feel the need to push back against the lawless themselves. Our leaders need to stop it before it goes too far.

Be safe during these trying times!

I always appreciate comments. Share your thoughts with me using the available form.

Change in format

Beside location, there were changes to the tournament format. The retired and senior retired divisions were too large for everyone to compete at the same time. The divisions’ schedules spread across Monday through Saturday. Some competed on Monday, but they delayed others in starting until Wednesday or Thursday.
For many years, as long as I have taken part, the Championship conducted a sweeper, mini-tournament, on Sunday before the Monday the tournament started. This was convenient for those with a Monday tournament start, inconvenient if one’s schedule began on Wednesday. Inconvenient if one came to bowl, but not vacationing at the same time.  This year the first section began bowling on Sunday with the sweeper moved to Wednesday.
The change in venue received the most comments, all positive. The rooms are spacious with expected amenities. There are many places to eat in the hotel, and all of the expected gambling opportunities.

The lanes we competed on were those used by the United States Bowling Congress for its annual national tournament. The stadium style seating for our supporters was appreciated after the cramped quarters at the Gold Coast, and its limited seating for observers.

South Point Hotel

The hotel offers other distractions from bowling or gambling. There are a bingo parlor, a movie theater and game rooms. The hotel hosted a girl’s gymnastics meet over the weekend I was there. And, an auction of a large collection of motorcycle was scheduled for the room next to the gymnastic meet the week I returned home.
As for bowling, this was my best tournament in years. I averaged 222 for the twelve games. The team cashed in the team event, my partner and I cashed in doubles, and I cashed in singles and individual all events.
I wonder if next year, I will find the Military Bowling Championship as enjoyable as this year’s tournament. Check back this time in 2021 to find out!

Musing, let see what is flitting at this moment.

I just finished bowling in the Monday Seniors League. Friday night in the Friday Early Birds I bowled a 728. The first 700 plus series in two years. I was concerned this morning that I would follow the exceptional (for me) series with a bummer series. Low and behold, I had a 641. Relief!

Someone came up to me during the league and made a comment about the Impeachment Inquiry. I try to minimize politics there and here. I listened and only added that I wished the House would leave him alone and get back to doing legislation to benefit Americans. Let the election next year decide whether President Trump should stay or go.

I lost an uncle recently. It made me think about everyone lost. My mother in 1996, my father in 2002, one brother in 2001 and the other in 2002, and my sister in 2011. All of my mother and father’s siblings are gone. So many to mourn.

I am considering taking part in NANOWRIMO this year. I skipped last year after taking part in the previous two years. It might be the break I need from the novel I am editing. Need to either commit and prep an outline or just jump in on November 1st. I would make faster progress with an outline.

Many other thoughts flit too fast to collect and relate here. They note computer processing speed in advertisements. Well, I contest none yet can match the human brain for speed.

Do you agree? Use the comment form to let me hear your opinion.

“It’s over!” I said at the Monday Seniors League banquet. How many times have I uttered those words in May? I haven’t counted, but I am sure it has been at least fifty.

I said them to my granddaughter as we waited for my wife to call the meeting to order. We were at the prize payout for the Monday Seniors League. The league ended last week. I presume I said those words last Monday.

Today was my second such payout. The previous was last year after I retired. I joined the league to fill a team needing a bowler. The team needed another bowler when a teammate died. Since I no longer was working Mondays, I accepted and have bowled with them for one and part of another season.

Age Requirement to Join

The requirement to bowl on the Monday Seniors is the bowler, man or woman, must be fifty years old. There is no upper age limit as evidenced by several bowlers being in their eighties and one turning ninety before we start again in August. At seventy-one, I am one of the younger league members.

Aside from having my Monday mornings free, why would I be happy the season has ended. I have one related to bowling.

Rotator Cuff

I had to take a few weeks free from bowling early in the season. I had a small tear in my rotator cuff which caused severe pain. My surgeon gave me the option of surgery or trying for a natural cure.

I opted to let nature try. I didn’t compete for four weeks. The other part of the process was to come back using lightweight balls and work up to my typical fifteen-pound equipment.

Near the end of the season, I noticed discomfort and think the healing was only partial. The long break should give my shoulder adequate time to heal completely.

Summer Time

Since bowling is an indoor sport, the long break provides the opportunity to enjoy sunny days outdoors. I hope we have more than last year, but they predict rain for the next several days. (Still hoping!)

It provides time to vacation. This year as with the previous will find us RVing to Texas to visit family and friends. Leaving Maryland for even a week or two is a positive morale builder.

The summer, without bowling or soccer training, will be a time for serious time writing. I will continue editing my work-in-progress until completed, maybe this year.

Now you know some reasons I said, “It’s over!”

I would like to hear if you have ever felt the exhilaration that caused you to voice the phrase. Comment form for your use provided.

Almost forty-six years ago, I met my soulmate. I have told the story many times, and this is one more time. Many find it hilarious that I am an avid bowler and we met in a bowling ally.

College on the US Navy

It was in the Summer of 1973. I was a Petty Officer Second Class in the US Navy attending Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, Texas. The Navy was paying me to go to school full time. I worked at Gulf Bowl while taking a light course load. I manned the customer service counter on an irregular schedule.

Working Part Time

The night it all started I was working a Saturday night Gold stamps event.

The event required the center to place three colored pins into the set of pins for each lane. A strike won the bowler several Gold stamps valued on how many and where the colored pins stood before the shot.

Did I mention the bowling would be with the lights over the lanes off? The pinsetters were lit, as were the service counter, the poolroom, and the snack bar.

That night I took the customer’s entrance fees and rented them shoes. I enjoyed this part of the job, meeting and dealing with families and individuals.

My night became interesting when two young ladies signed up. (I must note I was single.) I took their money and assigned them lanes. Now, these were not the only women bowling, but there was something about these two that piqued my interest.

The beginning

About midway through the event, I had a brief conversation with one, Lori, and learned the two were cousins.  I asked Lori for a date before returning to the service counter, and she accepted.

We had our first date the next week. It led to more. Lori accepted my proposal of marriage two months after we met.

My time in Corpus Christi would end after the Spring semester in 1974. I would receive orders several months before graduating. This complicated our plans to marry.

I would be responsible for the cost to move Lori to my next duty station unless we married before I received the orders.

I wanted to set a date, but we discussed I would ask her father first. Not a big thing, except he intimidated me. In those days, he had a gruff manner around me. A successful business owner, an avid gun collector and shooter, and he had the build of a stout Scotsman towering over me.

Lori worked at a dance studio. She was working when I confronted her father. Steeling my courage, perhaps I stole courage from her, I asked him for her hand in marriage. He gave me a quizzical look and appeared lost for words. Then he grinned and said, “I thought you would ask me for money.” He gave his permission.

I told Lori he approved, but she doubted me at first. With her mother’s blessing, we selected January 5, 1974, for the ceremony. That was two days after her twentieth birthday.

I got orders to Iceland shortly after we married. I transferred after graduation, and she joined me a few months later. Forty-five years later, we are still living the good life together.

The Story Continues

Our story may not be true love at first sight story, or maybe it is—you decide.

I look forward to hearing your soulmate story. Or, what you are looking for in a soulmate. The comment form is available to tell your story.

I am proving a glutton for punishment on the bowling lanes as I continue to return to Williamsburg, Virginia. Last year I posted about the conditions the Williamsburg tournament presents to one and all.

This year, only four of us ventured to Williamsburg the weekend of 7-8 April. Others selected different weekends. Trying different weekends didn’t change the lane conditions or the resulting scores.

Bowling at 1300, 1 pm if you use the 12-hour clock, place us on the lanes after other shifts have bowled. This means the lanes are drier than on the earlier shifts. This condition is not one we normally face and, as last year, resulting in lower scores for every one of us.

Expectations

I have bowled long enough to realize one must adjust to the condition. I, also, know sometimes only a limited adjustment can be made with the bowling balls one has with him. This year I thought I had enough variety in coverstock and drilling pattern to match the condition with one.

I was correct in this assumption if I had been better suited mentally. I think I allowed last year’s results to color my expectations for this year. As soon as I threw the first practice ball, I felt my scores would be low. I was toasted at this point, and my scores reflected my expectation.

Sunday, I entered with grander expectations. I had a mediocre first game but followed with an excellent second and third game. The three-game total was better than four of Saturday’s game total.

What lessons learned this weekend? Expectations cannot overcome physical conditions. However, they can affect how you approach a situation, and the amount of enjoyment garnered.

Next Year

Will we be back again next year? Today the discussion was first maybe not. After better scores, the discussion moved to maybe. As the equipment was moved off the lanes, it was probably if we could get the first shift on both days. Time will tell, but I think all of us will weather another Williamsburg tournament next year, if for no other reason than the opportunity to bowl with friends.

Tell me if you have you ever competed in a sporting event purely for the comradery using the comment form.

Two left feet has kept me off Dancing with the Stars. There are other sports, but all of them require chasing a ball or running. Bowling only requires a few steps, swinging my arm and releasing a round object onto the lane, and waiting for the ball to come back. Perfect sport for me.

The Kingpin came out in 1996. I hoped for a sequel that I could read for. I became a professional bowler in 1997 and felt I had the qualifications for a walk-on role.  Since the sequel was never made, my dreams of being a movie star remained unfulfilled.

How to become a star

Unfulfilled until last week. I now am a role player in a bowling movie. The producer was seeking bowlers for a movie she was making. She had several scenes requiring someone to bowl while she filmed. She wanted a selection of bowlers from young to mature (older is not a nice word for a 70-year-old.) I petitioned for my grandchildren, secretly wanting to make them stars.

I found that acting is not all it is cracked up to be as I sat while the younger actors, Elizabeth, Autumn, and Bradley performed for the camera. Watching other actors act can be boring.

My turn finally came. I eagerly donned my shoes and bowling glove. I cut and applied bowler’s tape to my thumb (covering an old callus) and carried my bowling ball to the lanes.

Star is born

Then it started. The Director required I make some deliveries of the ball to allow her to evaluate camera angles. I must have made twenty such shots before she said we would start taping.

I delivered shot after shot as the camera moved forward, back, higher or lower. The director asked for some shots to pass under the camera sixty-feet away from me. This taxed my shot making skill since the camera was moved to several spots over the lane. I was continually cautioned not to damage the camera. How could I be blamed for damaging the camera when someone should move it before the ball struck it.

The director called an end to the recording session. I collected my equipment and stored it. I was not privy to the raw footage and must wait to see what is left after editing.

Raw film becomes the movie

The attached video is the result of my wife’s efforts. It was for a beginner’s video editing class. She has received good reviews online from course classmates and friends.

I hope you enjoy the video as much as we enjoyed making it. (I am the fellow at the far end of the alley delivering a bowling ball. Wouldn’t I make a great extra in a sequel to The Kingpin?) If you want an autograph, email me or comment using the form.