THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 3, 1996 TAG: 9603010212
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 19 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Long : 110 lines
Ever drop a bowling ball on your foot? Or somebody else's foot? Or somebody else drop one on your foot?
It happens dozens of times every season across the country.
Once we had a local duckpin bowler hit herself in the head with her ball. She wasn't a novice. This was a top-flight bowler competing in a tournament. She cranked up on the approach and briefly lost control of her ball, which was lofted straight up and came down on her head.
Maybe you think bowling is a non-hazardous sport but you have another think coming.
According to data compiled by the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, there are about 25,000 emergency room cases for bowling related injuries in a single season.
Boxing has about 5,000.
Does that make bowling more dangerous than boxing? Not quite. Bowling has about 41 million participants in this country. Boxing has yet to reach the 1,000,000 mark.
Actually the survey showed more injuries in billiards than in boxing. But, again, the pool rooms draw far more than the rings.
And which sport has the most emergency room cases?
Bicycling.
If your buddy is a fisherman and gives you a hard time about the stupid mishaps that take place in bowling centers, just tell him the emergency room gets more fishermen every year than bowlers.
Bowler of the Week honors go to Robin Stewart, who slammed a 300 game and went on to break the three-game record in the Screwballs Tenpin League at Pinboy's of Norfolk.
Stewart was the second Screwballs bowler to roll a 300 this season. He added games of 216 and 226 for the league record 744 series.
It also upped his average over the 200 barrier.
Tenpin topics: There were two more additions during the week to the 300 Game Club. Brent Whitehead posted his 12-striker in the Monday Scratch Doubles League at Pinboy's of Chesapeake. Charlie Durr notched his in a 720 series in the Southern Comfort League at Indian River. . . . Scott Hall pocketed $375 by breaking the bank at Pinboy's of Military when the Zone Ball League bowler tossed a 296 game and 672 series. Hall opened with 11 strikes in a row. . . . Melissa Hunter fired a 278 game en route to her 637 series in the Ford Mixed League at Indian River.. . . Teri Jeske fashioned a 263 game and 684 series in the Screwballs League and hit a 703 series in the Tuesday Commercial/Divisional loop, both at Pinboy's of Norfolk. . . . Wonder how many bowlers have ever rolled a game nearly FIVE TIMES over their average? Impossible, you say? Well, Melissa Pilley did it in the Prep League at Pinboy's of Chesapeake. She averages 35 and pitched a 174 game. . . . Junior bowler Michael Gilukin joined the Century Club with a 220 game in the Big/Little League at Indian River. He averages 115. . . . A 279 game helped Tommy Lacey to a 732 series in the Monday Nite Mixed League at Pinboy's of Military. . . . Carol Dail chalked up an all-spare 181 game in the Wednesday Mixed Nuts League at Pinboy's of Chesapeake. . . . Tom Beaudry climbed 100 pins over average with his 278 game in the Pioneer Mixed League at Pinboy's at the Beach. . . . Both Mark Tarkington and Ernest Jefferies racked up 279 games in the Tuesday Men's Commercial League at Pinboy's of Western Branch. Tarkington had a 745 series. . . . Matt Kurz had a 241 single and 646 series in the Falcons Junior League at Pinboy's at the Beach. . . . A week ago 10-year-old Theus Aspiras was featured as Bowler of the Week. Now listen to the recent achievement of his older brother Phil. Fourteen-year-old Phil rolled games of 235, 289 and 278 for the highest series in the 11-year history of the Mid-Atlantic Scratch Bowlers Association, which has a monthly tournament around the state for bowlers 21 years of age and under. Phil, from Chesapeake, has been a 5-time finalist and 2-time champion on the tour. He is currently the frontrunner as Bowler of the Year in MASBA. In MASBA's recent Newmarket Classic, Portsmouth's Harold Credle took top honors after qualifying in third place. . . . The Norfolk Bowling Association City Championship concludes today. Unofficial winners will be announced here next week.
Duckpin data: Bowling lost one of its most ardent supporters with the death of Chauncey Brown. Brown was a local lanes standout for nearly 30 years and an active supporter of the game. . . . Christy Mattern won the Virginia Ladies All-Star tournament at Bowlarama, edging Susan Paddock in the final. . . . The Hurt swept four points from previously unbeaten Gloria's Team, the leader in the Good Times League, winning all games in the final frame. They are no longer called The Hapless Hurt and one team member said ``the drama was profound.'' . . . The Portsmouth Match Game Tournament field trims to the quarterfinalists today at Victory Lanes. Fred Genera already has reached the finals of the winners bracket and will bowl for the title on March 10. . . . Debbie Briggs had an eight-mark 157 in the Thursday Morning Mixed League. She averages only 102. . . . Lil Hollinger registered a 107 triplicate in the Good Times League. . . . Sunday School Leaguer Eddie Williams welcomed a new grandson, who checked in at about twice the weight of Eddie's bowling ball. . League. . . . The ninth annual Oneil Wynne Handicap Classic, honoring Norfolk's former national champion, will be two weekends this year: March 16-17 and March 23-24. Eight different bowlers have won in past years. George Smith was the 1995 winner. . . . Barbara Stearns, an 86-average bowler, zipped 50 over averages with a 136 in the Wednesday Morning Mixed League. . . and won the veteran bowler her first Diffy Duck award. . . . Sylvia Hart pounded out a 160 game in the Thursday Night Ladies League. . . . Wanda Strawderman shattered the ladies high game record in the Elimination Doubles League with a 165. . . . John Brice soared 80 pins over average with his 422 series in the Sunday School League. . . . After 13 years away from the game, Bambi Freeman has returned to bowling and joined a pair of leagues. . . . After 10 years away from bowling, David and Wendy Horner joined the Independent Loafers League. David promptly pitched a 404 series and Wendy, who averages 103, had a 376. . . . The Virginia State Tournament opened Saturday at Victory Lanes and continues through March 24. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Phil Aspiras
Champion
by CNB