With “T N T” only taking a single point this week, we lost a place in the standings, with Team 14 (our opponents this week) moving ahead of us. The league championship is starting to look like a runaway for “Phoenix Kings,” as they are now 14 points ahead of a tie for second between “Git R Done” (our opponents next week), “Country Bumpkins,” and “Heaven Help Us” (our opponents in two weeks).

My Week 7 bowling (BowlSK)

There was not much to like about tonight, as I had no strikes after the 8th frame of the first game. I had reached the conclusion in the second game that my Hy-Road was too strong tonight, so I went to the High Voltage, and the ball change may have been ill-advised, in hindsight. If there was a bright spot, it was the second game, where I had my closest approach to an all-spare game yet, with a big split to open but spares in the other nine frames. My spare game wasn’t that solid, however, as I left the 7 pin four times and missed all of them, including 3 in a very forgettable last game.

Result: 155-173-125=453
Average (21 games): 182 Last 9 games average: 179
Next week’s AVG+1 score: 552

This wasn’t a good night for the team, either, as we only managed a first game tie, and we didn’t learn about the tie until the end of the night, as the other team had a new bowler who had to average in. Team will need to regroup quickly, however, as we face very good teams in the next two weeks.

My team’s winning night against “Wyld Stallyns” had the net effect of leapfrogging that team into 11th place in the standings, 2 points off of a 3-way tie for 8th. “Phoenix Kings” are really hitting stride now, as they now lead “Heaven Help Us” by 8 points. Next week’s opponents are Team 14, who are behind us in the standings.

My Week 6 bowling (BowlSK)

As I noted in the BowlSK comment on the series, this was a nice first league game and set with my new Hy-Road. I knew if I could make good shots and find the pocket, the ball would likely carry, and that was borne out in the first game with a turkey in the middle (after a split) and the final 6 in a row for a 245. Some bad shots hurt me in the second game, but I was even happy with that game, as I got a couple of “messengers” (a “messenger” is when the head pin bounces off the side wall and heads for the 10 pin), even though those “messengers” missed; I hadn’t been getting those with the High Voltage, showing how strong the Hy-Road is.

Result: 245-162-211=618
Average (18 games): 188 Last 9 games average: 183
Next week’s AVG+1 score: 582

This was another good night for the team, as well. The first game set up the night, as everyone was well over average, particularly Rob, who had a 235 himself; we won that game by better than 200 pins. Second game was a disappointment, but I helped carry my team (combined with the other team, who had a pre-bowl and a low-average absentee, not doing so well) to the third game win for 6 points on the night.

The updated standings were run today, so this is as fresh as it comes. 😀

My team’s winning night meant that we are now all alone in 12th place, 2 points ahead of “The Insiders,” but 2 points behind Team 14 (which is not, as it turns out, Brian and Ralph’s team). “Phoenix Kings” are now the league leaders, 2 points ahead of “Heaven Help Us.” Next week’s opponents are the “Wyld Stallyns,” another middle-of-the-pack team.

If you go to my member information page on bowl.com (linked in the sidebar in the “Author’s links” category) and click the “Leagues/Averages” tab, you should find that my Brunswick Mixed League average for the past season has been posted. Last year’s Wednesday Summer Mixed average still shows 0 because the local association generally does not submit summer league averages.

Last week’s split with “Going Pro” moved “T N T” into a four-way tie for 12th place, with my team getting the top position in the tie on the basis of pinfall. There is now a tie at the top between “Phoenix Kings” and “Heaven Help Us,” with “Git R Done” and “Shihoots” only 2 points off the pace. We have “Amelia” tomorrow night; I believe that team has the league’s two-handed bowler, Ed Alfieri (I believe…I don’t know for sure if it’s him or Jim Alfieri), so the opponents should be fun to watch.

Giving this post a generic title b/c I have no cute title for this one…

My Week 4 bowling (BowlSK)

I had my worst night in some time, and I kind of sensed it in my warm-up session before the lanes were turned on for league, the second game of which I failed to have a strike. Most of the night’s problems came in the first game, where I seemed to have one lane going, but couldn’t get out of my own way on the other lane, getting only 1 spare and 4 opens. I did seem to get progressively better as my head cleared (I didn’t get much sleep the night before), and I had my only run of strikes near the end of the last game, getting a turkey. Also on the bright side, I did make all of my single pins, and improving on my single-pin spares was something I wanted to work on this summer.

Result: 143-164-189=496
Average (12 games): 185 Last 9 games average: 182
Next week’s AVG+1 score: 561

The team again got a split, but this time via the “hard way,” losing the first 2 games, then taking the last game by enough to also take total. Bonnie was a big part of the last game, as she tossed the last 5 at a point where we needed to get over the threshold for total. Rob also had a great night for him.

I think I’m going to use June 1 each year to wrap up each season, as the winter leagues will pretty much be all over by then. As I did on New Year’s Eve (which I used as an “unofficial” halfway point), I’m going to list the highs at Westgate Lanes for both the men and the women:

Men

High average: 228.3 Sean Richard (Thursday Handicap Doubles)
High series: 817 Sean Richard (Westgate Mixed)
High game: 300 Danny Khuu (Saturday Seniors {youth}), Harry Thibeault Jr. (Westgate Mixed), Bob Hamilton (2, Westgate Mixed and TNBA), Richard Mines (TNBA), Rai Doblmeier (Tuesday Scratch Sportsmen), Tom Hedding (Saturday Seniors {youth}), Steve Healy (Brockton Ten Pin), Dan Esdale (Westgate Mixed)

Women

High average: 218.1 Amy Aldridge (Westgate Mixed)
High series: 735 Amy Aldridge (Westgate Mixed)
High game: 300 Jessica Lowe (Westgate Mixed)

Notes: High averages are based on a minimum of 72 games in the league. When considering high series, the first three games of series in the Tuesday Scratch Sportsmen league was used, as per USBC rule on series awards.

Before the start of bowling tonight, Bonnie brought in team t-shirts for everyone, including Grace, as she’ll be rooting for us each week through the summer season. The t-shirts have the team name with a ball and pins on the front, and the person’s name on the back. I’ll have to try to get a photo with the team in the shirts sometime during the summer.

My Week 3 bowling (BowlSK)

A decent 566 tonight, but it could’ve been better, as I had a couple of open frames in each game. I got over average in the first and last games, but my inability to get lined up in the middle game held that game down to a 170. I also could’ve had a gem in the last game, but a 6-7-10 in the 10th frame bit me when I was working on a four-bagger; the way I was going, it probably should’ve been in the 240s (this supposes I make the two left-corner spares in the middle of the game).

Result: 196-170-200=566
Average (9 games): 192
Next week’s AVG+1 score: 583

As a team, it was our best performance so far this season, as we gained a split against Team 15 by taking the first and last game; it was the middle game that was the big letdown, as we won the first game by 53 pins and the last game was a nail-biter. Star of the night for my team went to Rob, as he was well over his average in every game and only missed tying my scratch series by 3 pins.

With only 2 points won in the first two weeks, the updated standings find “T N T” near the bottom, tied for 14th (but leading in pinfall) with “The Insiders.” Every team has now lost points, but “Wyld Stallyns” and “Heven Help Us” have each lost only 2 points and are tied for the early lead.

My team’s first battle for Brunswick Mixed League bragging rights (sort of) comes tomorrow, as we face Team 15, which has the Hays (Bob Sr. and Jr.) from “8 Is Great” and Herb Brown from “The Handicaps” as members (I said “sort of” because one member of Team 15 did not bowl in Brunswick Mixed this past season.).

Before I get to what I did last night, I wanted to mention that the Westgate Mixed League’s payouts were last night, and when it was announced that Harry Thibeault Sr. won the sportsmanship award (posthumously), a good ovation went up from those present, so that, indeed was a tribute.

My Week 2 bowling (BowlSK)

I seem to have gotten off to a consistent start to this summer league, as I was only one pin under last week’s series last night. There were only four open frames on the night, two of them on splits, but three of them were in the second game, with two coming on missed 10 pins. Had I made both 10s, it would’ve been worth two points for my team, as the first two games were close enough that missed spares could have been the difference. On the bright side, the third game was clean, and a clean game is always good.

Result: 195-181-207=583
Average (6 games): 194
Next week’s AVG+1 score: 588

I alluded to the close first two games earlier, but we lost the last game by 90, so “T N T” failed to win a point last night. I knew going in we could have trouble with “Hocus Pocus,” as the middle of their lineup is usually consistent, but everyone on that team was “on” at some point last night, and a bad first night for Ed Godino (the elder one, not the one in the Brunswick Mixed League) inflated their handicap (Ed bowled quite well last night, with, if I remember, two games in the 200s).

We also received the full league schedule last night, and two dates I’m personally circling on the calendar are June 24 (Brian and Ralph’s team) and August 5 (my cousins, the “Lounge Lizards”). My team as a group will also have July 15 circled (for the “Wild Samoans,” the Boermans’ team, which none of us like because they’re all New York Yankees fans, but not liking them may be stretching it for me, as I do get along with them).

EDIT: Ed Godino had a 587 series against us last night, with a high game of 216 in the second game.

Here are your 2008-09 Brunswick Mixed League champions, “The Badgers”:

Thank you to Joan Geddes, Steve’s wife and Bobby’s mother, for the photo.

My league’s banquet was tonight, and I arrived at the lanes (the banquet would be in the adjoining pub/restaurant) fairly early, so, as the NEBA tournament was getting started, I hung around the center to watch some of it and also said hello to Jon in the pro shop. The bulk of my team didn’t arrive until around the time dinner was served, and I ate with Helen and Ted.

The business meeting would be held after dinner, which featured the election of officers, with the only change being Warren Young stepping down as president of the league, electing Jim Blythe, who actually had to sit out the year with a knee injury, as Warren’s replacement. Some by-law amendments were then voted on, with the major change approved being the handicap basis; the league will be a 90% (of 1000, team) league next season, which is supposed to give the lower average teams more of a chance.

Finally, prizes were handed out, and the major surprise as far as I was concerned was that there were no handicap awards, and that the bulk of the prizes were individual awards, for high average, game and series, both overall and in the average classes. The effect of this was that I received a $40 award, not for high handicap series in the men’s Class A, which came while I was averaging in, but high game in the class, which was the 257 back in February. My team also got $9.20/bowler in point money, and I got an extra $5 for perfect attendance. The way prizes were structured, and because of the rule that a bowler can only be awarded one individual prize, just about everyone got a good piece of it (and it’s not a large prize fund overall), which is how it should be in a fun league like this one.

The last bit of a surprise came from my league treasurer, who gave me a personalized bowling t-shirt, as, in her 30 years of being a treasurer in various leagues, I was the first one to pay league dues in full for the season as early as I did. There was also a drawing for door prizes, and I lucked out there too, winning a $25 Lowe’s gift card (which I’ll probably give to my brother as an early Father’s Day gift to my dad).

I caught a ride home with Helen and Ted, as Carl and Patrick wanted to hang around to shoot some pool, and I wished a good summer to those that I could whom I knew I wouldn’t be seeing until September. I told Shawn, as a parting word, that I was glad that my prize was for something that didn’t happen until after I had averaged in.

As a final word, I had wanted to get a photo of the league champions, “The Badgers,” but was out of position when they were together. Someone in their group did get a digital photo of them, however, so I gave her one of my email addresses and asked her to send a copy my way. I hope to get the photo up soon.

I was on hand for my league’s roll-off tonight, and I can report that “The Badgers,” the first-half winners, won the league championship in a three-game, total pinfall match against “MT Bed” by a score of 2991-2868 (with handicaps). It was actually looking good for “MT Bed” after one game, taking a 70-pin lead into the second game. “The Badgers,” however, woke up to take a 23-pin lead after the second game and just cruised from there. I told the winners to expect a photo-op at the banquet, which is a week from Saturday.

We may have avoided the basement, but we also failed to gain ground on “8 Is Great,” the 8th place team, because they won their match with “The Handicaps,” 3-1. Overall, we’re in 9th place, but whether that has any bearing on payouts remains to be seen.

Individually, my 730 handicap series from opening night has held up in my average class with only the roll-off left. Of the roll-off participants, only Bobby Geddes, carrying a 4 handicap, has a chance to knock me off for the men’s A lead, meaning Bobby would have to bowl better than a 718 to take the spot from me. Elsewhere, Rob Dickens may have had his first-ever 200 game with a 208 first game; it’s definitely his first 200 game award of the season (as he has an average low enough to qualify for it)…I’m definitely looking forward to bowling with him this summer. 😀

I forgot to note in last night’s post that “MT Bed” won the 3 points required to take first place in the second half, so they will roll off against “The Badgers” next week for the Brunswick Mixed League championship. I’d like to watch, but I would like to also go out for a karaoke night in my week off, so we’ll see what happens.

My Week 33 bowling (BowlSK)

I would’ve liked to have had a better set to end the season, and it was looking like I would have a good one after one game, but I lost it in Game 2 and never really recovered. As the 223 first game featured one of my longer strike runs on the season, I guess I’ll take that out of the end of the season and be happy. I will consider my first winter season back to be a success, as the average given below represents the highest average I’ve ever booked (my last winter league average before this year was in the 160s). Here’s hoping next winter season finds me improving now that I have some idea of what to expect.

Result: 223-151-146=520
Final average (99 games): 183 Last 9 games average: 173

As for the team, we won the first game by 100+ pins, and that held up for total, so we managed to avoid the basement again. I don’t know what the prize fund looks like, but it doesn’t look like I’ll get much back based on team standings (though I don’t know if they give out team prizes in this league). My best hope for payment comes if my 730 series with handicap holds up for the best in the men’s A average class.

With “DNFTD” sweeping us this week, my team fell to 9th place, meaning we will be bowling “The Backyard Bowlers” next week in an attempt to avoid the second-half basement. Two teams are still alive for the second-half title, “The Dynasty” and “MT Bed,” who must take at least three points from the former team in order to win the second half. As “The Badgers” cannot win the second half, there will be a roll-off between “The Badgers” and the second half winner on May 6 for the league championship.

With my winter league winding down, I checked with my brother a couple of weeks ago about my financial status, and he indicated that I would be able to bowl summer league again this year. Having obtained the green light, the question then shifted to which league it would be in. When I talked to my cousin Debbie around the winter holidays, there was some doubt about whether she and the rest of her crew would be bowling in the Wednesday Summer Mixed League again. However, calling her again this week, she indicated they would be bowling in that league, as usual, so my mind about the league was made up at that point.

My team is less set in stone, however. I had hoped to hook up with Brian Shea and Ralph Marple again, but they informed me last night that both would like to bowl with their sons, and, as the four-man teams in that league don’t necessarily have to include a female member, that would likely constitute their full team. Wanting to bowl with people I know, and knowing she bowled in the Wednesday Summer Mixed League last year, I asked Bonnie MacDonald of the “MT Bed” team in the Brunswick Mixed League what her plans were. She told me she was trying to get a team together with Grace Heath and Rob Dickens of “The Handicaps.” I was also informed that Grace wanted one of her friends on the team as the fourth person, but, as I was told that that person wasn’t definite, I left the option open with them for me to join the team if the friend backed out. Given my in-limbo status, though, I am on the sign-up board for the league for now as having no team.

As a final aside, I was hoping for a good break between seasons (the summer league didn’t start until after Memorial Day last year), but, checking the Westgate Lanes site, I was informed that the league starts on May 13, giving me only a one-week break.

My Week 32 bowling (BowlSK)

I should’ve taken the hint about tonight this morning when I stubbed a toe on my left (slide) foot on one of my kitchen chairs when I woke up. After a couple of ibuprofen before dinner, the toe felt good enough to bowl, but it turned out to be one of those nights when I couldn’t get out of my own way. When I wasn’t missing my mark, it seemed something else wasn’t right, and I seemed lost most of the night. The second game actually could’ve been disastrous, but I saved some semblance of respectability with good 9th and 10th frames.

Result: 165-158-166=489
Average (96 games): 183 Last 9 games average: 171
Next week’s AVG+1 score: 585

It was a bad night for the team, too, with only my finish in the second game making that game look respectable; we were crushed in the other 2, with Shawn only missing Ed Godino’s high scratch series of the season by a few pins with a 704. The bright moment for my team? Carl, facing the 4-6 split in the third game, got the 4 pin to bounce and converted the split.