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!

One of the curses of living is watching our family and friends pass from this life. Today I attended a funeral for a friend, a man I have known for nearly thirty years.

Goodbye Friend

During those years, he and I competed against each other in bowling leagues and together in tournaments. My first trip to Las Vegas was to bowl on a team with him in a tournament. He was a great competitor and fought cancer until his body could fight no more. He will be missed by family and friends of all ages.

I listened to the Chaplin extolling his life as related by family. I found interesting he, like me, retired from the military. He continued service to the country working for an intelligence agency. I worked as a contractor for an intelligence service.

We fathered a son and a daughter. We have grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. The correspondence wasn’t lost to me. One day, a chaplin will stand in front of a group of my family and friends and eulogize me.  The details will be similar but personal to me.

Enough melancholy, life is to be enjoyed. I love mine and I am not ready to leave the fun behind. Yes, heaven is waiting, and I desire to make it there one day. But as the song goes, “Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to go right now.” I prefer to attend my funeral many years in the future, thank you!

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