Bowling can be a humbling experience

The scratch doubles summer session settled back to a somewhat quiet night last week after their tremendous opening session the week before. Perhaps it was the new pins (3-pound, 6 ounce; 3-pound, 7-ounce) that caused the decline in big scores as the bowlers just couldn't get anything going. Could it be they were expecting big things again and it just didn't happen?

Was it the new pins? Maybe the lane conditions? Bowlers seem to need a reason or excuse why they didn't score well, but this night was a reality check after such a tremendous start of the season. However, there were still many excellent scores registered by the grumpy keglers as they searched for the right equipment necessary to get the job done this night. Some weren't too successful and some just grinned and vowed to get the job done somehow for the remainder of the short season.

Bowling is a very humbling experience and it causes bowlers to say bad words quite often when a seemingly good hit doesn't get that much needed strike, while a sloppy Brooklyn mixer knocks them all down and causes the crowd to groan.

"Mighty fine ball" is all you can say when that ringing 10 pin just stares back at you and you wonder if it was caused by the ball or pins off spot or just bad luck. Join the crowd because there will be times when you get a strike on a much less quality shot and you can then say thank you to the bowling gods.

Bowling is a fun game, but when you are competing in a scratch league, you need everything going for you without any outside interferences to get in your way. Many games are settled by just a single pin and you hope the final tally won't be affected by that harmless single pin spare that you missed way back in the beginning of the game.

It is always full speed ahead for four games, with no let-up and you get emotionally drained when it is over. The adrenaline flow keeps you going and you don't even consider that you could be getting tired. Don't ever give up or let your opponent know that you may be slowing down just a bit. There will be plenty of time to recover while they add up the scores. You can then let your hair down and check to see how you did and if you moved up in the standings. The standings are really quite close at the start of the league and the distance between top and bottom begins to widen after about the first six weeks, then it's position round time at the halfway point and things really tighten up once again.Hang on to your hats as the race to the finish is hot and heavy and it becomes a dog-eat-dog run to the finish wire at the end of August.

Fun and games, but still a friendly rivalry as you compete with your friends on the same team on one league night, and then the next time, you are arch rivals. What you get is what you get in a scratch league and there isn't any handicap differential to help you out. There are many bowlers who talk about wanting to bowl in a scratch league, but when the opening night comes around, they are no where to be found. We'll see you in the fall handicap leagues. Meanwhile, the scratch bowlers will be out there working on their game and enjoying their summer months at the lanes.

Jeff Toyne had the most fun this week as he led the action with a four game block of 782 with games of 206-170-200-206 closely followed by Bill Brady at 779 (189-191-186-213), Teresa Manning 776 (187-178-205-206), Andrew Leikvoll 775 (202-172-226-175) and newcomer Jerry Cotton 762 (179-186-152-245) for the top five scores.

Next in line came Steve Dietz at 758, Tom Yuhas 755, Mike Robinson and Jake Fulcher 733, Chuck Schorr 718, Clarence Heyward 710 and Heavy Scott 703 to round out the top big hitters among the 12 teams competing.

Top team high game scores of 534 by the Bowlaholics (Manning/Brady) and scratch series of 1755 by Numero Uno (Leikvoll/Robinson) were still tops for the season with Manning's high game of 290 and Robinson's high series of 950 also still atop the list. Brady and Robinson share high average honors at 210 with Manning and Oswald next at 200 to round out the big shooters early in the season. It will be an interesting race to the finish. Good luck to you all.

Strikes & Spares

• The Beaufort delegation to the 250 Masters Seniors will travel to Augusta, Ga., this weekend. Good luck to you all.

• The Parris Island Bowling Club will bowl at Parris Island Lanes on June 14. Squad times are 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

• There are several openings still available for summer leagues. Contact your favorite bowling center to find a league that meets your needs/schedule for any day/time of the week. Many of the winter bowlers say they aren't going to bowl in the summer, but once they don't bowl for a couple of weeks, they find that they miss the friendly atmosphere and action and just happen to be in the area and stop by to see their friends. You guessed it, they end up deciding to become a sub for the league. Subs are always welcome and are an integral part of any league. Thank you very much. Enjoy your summer bowling.

• The state tournament in Greenville continues on through June 8. Several Beaufort teams and bowlers have made the long journey and have reported they had a nice trip but their scores weren't that spectacular. Perhaps the last delegation going up for the last two weekends will have better luck and make the scoreboard. Good luck.

• Joe Boissonneault, former Beaufort Senior bowler, passed away on May 22 in Seneca.

• Good luck to the Beaufort bowlers heading to Chattanooga, Tenn., to bowl in the Southeast tournament later in the month.

LEAGUE HIGHLIGHTS

SCRATCH DOUBLES: (based on 4 game format)-Jeff Toyne 782 (206-170-200-206), Bill Brady 779 (189-191-186-213), Teresa Manning 776 (187-178-205-206), Andrew Leikvoll 875 (202-172-226-175), Jerry Cotton 762 (179-186-152-245), Steve Dietz 758(175-229-173-181), Tom Yuhas 755 (181-192-212-170), Mike Robinson 733 (151-201-191-190), Jake Fulcher 733 (215-166-148-204), Chuck Schorr 718 (167-190-178-183), Clarence Heyward 710 (179-198-185-148), Heavy Scott 703 (203-178-135-187), John Walton 697 (202), Chuck Lather 695 (213), Roy Nygaard 693 (193), Hawk Lewis 690 (184).

VIP SENIORS: Men-Roy Nygaard 623 (185-231-207), Tom Yuhas 534 (185), Sal Salomon 534 (181), Bob Culp 533 (200), Ben Green 524 (202), Mike Pernell 523 (190), Curtis Pauling 489 (201), Willie Faulkner 466 (171), George Ladson 453 (170), Tony Martinez 154, Ike Johnson 156, Charlie Meyer 170, Bruce O'Hora 157, Dick Rider 156, Robert Smith 166. Women-Barbara Tapio 496 (187), Beverly Garrett 488 (177), Gardenia White 483 (192), Lori Hooper 473 (180), Ethel Ladson 471 (167), Ida Cuthbert 152, Ellen Richardson 170, Lois Cable 146, Mary Robinson 143, Jackie Johnson 159, Earlene Bellamy 153, Odessa Simmons 141, Loraine Ferguson 133, Betty White 127, Theresa Jenkins 134, Pat Powers 135, Teege Culp 142.

PRIME TIMERS: Men-Mike Pernell 639 (198-215-226), Lionel Cabaniss 570 (205), HF Capps 555 (191), Jim Adamcheski 544 (223), Bob Culp 541 (200), Karl Waldhauer 491 (185), Bruce O'Hora 483 (172), Tom Yuhas 206, Curtis Pauling 167, Harold Rivers 154, Robert Smith 107. Women-Ellen Richardson 445 (161), Miriam Enochs 430 (161), Peaches Hayes 151, Gardenia White 149, Lucy Golden 143, Maybell Hayes 144, Lois Cochrane 144, Betty White 141, Fran Waddell 102.