Dickinson opening game helps with top score (6.18.2021)

It has been awhile since Steve Dickinson has posted the high weekly series and the opening week of the Rolling Thunder Summer league was a good opportunity to show his ability.

He started the first game with a nine spare and then had strikes through the ninth frame before a 9 pin hit and miss in the 10th stopped his string. After the opening 257 game he added individual games of 214 and 209 for a nice 680 series for the weekly honors.

Steve has multiple perfect games to his credit and he was trying to add to his count but the 8 pin in the first frame and a 10 pin in the 10th stopped his bid.

T.J. Mooney also had a good opening game of 256 and then added games of 209 and 200 for a 665 set.

Mike Unger rolled a very nice 660 total and Mark Svatek posted a nice individual game of 255.

Megan Lee was high for the ladies with a 474 total and Lori Hammack was a close second with a 473.

The TROTTERS League closed out their nine week schedule last Sunday with the BREW CREW team finishing on top by two points. Team members are Leslie Voelkel, Laura Patek, Amy Arroyo, and Connie Bevel.

I was at the lanes practicing Sunday and the Trotters seemed to be having a lot of fun. I am sure they will be back in force next season. Kyle Hengst (Victoria) and Robert North (Hallettsville) are in third place in the Texas State Open Tournament Div 4 Doubles event, with their score of 1,460. They were in first place last week.

Kyle and Robert knew each other from the Giddings USBC and when Hengst moved to Victoria two years ago they bowled in the Thursday night league. Although his average in Victoria is not as high as he would like, Hengst felt comfortable on synthetic lanes in San Antonio. This was his 3rd consecutive Texas Open tournament.

It is with sorrow that I note that former league bowler Daniel C. Gutierrez passed way recently at the age of 98. Dan first started locally in the 1970’s at the Victoria Lanes. He stopped league bowling for about six years before his brother Carlos asked him to join a senior league at the Woodlawn and then the Over The Hill League at the Century Lanes in 1988. He bowled through the 2018-19 season before heart valve surgery stopped him from competing. I first met Dan about 12 years ago and admired him for his good humor, friendliness and of course his resilience. Anytime I felt that I was getting too old, I would look at Dan and see his determination to enjoy life. I send my deepest condolence to his family on his passing and celebrate a well lived life of a World War II Pacific War veteran.

Professional bowling is back this week with a special King of the Lanes Empress addition where PWBA stars compete against each other to go against Empress Kelly Kulick. This will be the first time fans are allowed after the COVID-19 virus and the fans in Bayside Bowl in Portland Maine were ready to be loud.

The first match was broadcast on FS1 June 15 with contenders Daria Pajak (Poland) competing against , a Colombia native that has established residence in the Austin area. Pajak defeated Guerrero 245-219 to face PWBA star and Hall of Famer Kelly Kulick, the reigning Empress. Kulick had two big splits that she failed to convert and lost to Pajak. Contenders Danille McEwan and Maria Jose Rodriguez battled for the right to face Pajak, with McEwan winning the match 235-204. In the battle for the crown McEwan had a big lead in spite of having missed the 10 pin in the 5th frame. Going into the 10th frame, all she needed was a mark to win the match but she left the 7-10 split. That forced Pajak to strike the first ball and 9 spare to win, which she did for a 214-213 victory. In the next contenders match Missy Parkins defeated Diana Zavjalova for the right to face Pajak. Both bowlers left two splits in the game but Parkins was able to convert the difficult 3-6-7-9-10 split to give her the momentum for a 209-193 win and ascend the throne. Parkins has to win two more matches to become Empress for the 2021 season.

The PBA will start its King of the Lanes run at 1 p.m. Saturday on FS1 and continue through Sunday’s 1 p.m. start. The King of the Lanes is Kris Prather who dethroned and then defeated Pete Weber to keep the crown last year.

Special bowling telecasts will continue June 26 and 27 with PBA Tour Finals broadcast by CBS Sports.

TROTTERS 1ST Place winners, BREW CREW Women: L. Hempel 434; M. Oehlke 434; FUNTAPPERS (No Tap) 1st (4 way tie) WE ONLY NEED NINE, 9 IS ENOUGH, SPARE ME, and WE’LL TAKE IT Women: L. Hammack 239-645; S. Wharton 256- 641; R. Wortham 221-607; K. Kuecker 233; Men: M. Michalec 277-754; J. Silgero 300-743; T. Crowe 267-737; A. Whitehead 274-734; M. Brown 300-733; D. Matthews 255-712; D. Tamm 263-711; B. Turek 264-701; R. Lyman 256-690; E. Smith 265-678; ROLLING THUNDER 1ST (4 way tie) TEAM #8, HAVE BALLS WILL TRAVEL, OH CRUD, and TEAM#13. Women: M. Lee 474; L. Hammack 473; Men: S. Dickinson 257-680; T.J. Mooney 256-665; M. Unger 235-660; JD Villalobos 646; R. Lyman 235-631; M. Svatek 255-622; S. Snow 620; K. Schupbach 613; B. Olson 612; W. Wood 225-600; B. Bonewald 591; D. Matthews 233-584; D. Hale 584; R. Marques 569; J. Silgero 568; M. Stacy 568; B. Hammack 227-564; T. Crowe 557; C. Hammack 554; J. Martinez 554; T. Williams 236; I. Stuart 224;