After 60 years and 537 games at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, Anthony Malone of Erie, Pa., left the tournament lanes last year 10 pins shy of adding his name to the short list of bowlers who have knocked down 100,000 pins at the storied event.

The determined 83-year-old anxiously waited a year for his second chance at the milestone and needed just two frames to become the 13th member of the elite club at the National Bowling Stadium on Friday.

After failing to convert the 3-6-10 in his opening frame, Malone delivered a strike on his next shot to earn his spot in the 100,000-Pin Club.

"I really wanted to get it in the first frame, but I chopped a spare," said Malone, who made his USBC Open Championships debut at the 1947 event in Los Angeles. "Luckily, in the second frame, I threw a good ball and got a strike, so I was very happy. After last year, I was worried about hopefully not getting sick or anything, so I could come back and get it. I was very lucky with my health, and everything turned out pretty good."

Malone received a standing ovation and a crystal bowling pin for his effort and finally was able to relax. He finished with games of 180, 169 and 157 for a 506 series and helped Ricardo's Rest to a 2,804 team total. Bowlers Edge Pro Shop of Neenah, Wis., leads with 3,408, the highest team score in six visits to the Stadium.

Malone was joined on the lanes by his son, Patrick (640), Paul Marnella (633), John Gage (525) and Vincent Orlando (500).

Malone will add to his career pinfall during doubles and singles Saturday. In his 61 tournament appearances, Malone has knocked down 100,496 pins for a career average of 186.1.

"This means quite a bit," Malone said. "Number one, it means you've been lucky and haven't been ill, and I've been very fortunate. I've got arthritis like all old people, but other than that, I still bowl four days a week. I played tennis and basketball in high school, and I still play golf. I've been very lucky. My next goal is to come back again next year. I want to come back here until I'm over 90."

Bowling just 11 lanes away from Malone on Friday, Ron Hosler (right) of Denver added 300 pins to his own career pinfall with the seventh perfect game of this year's Open Championships.

The 59-year-old left-hander added games of 178 and 224 for a 702 series and helped Coach's Corner 2 to a 3,138 team total, which earned the team a spot in the top 20 in Regular Team.

Hosler was joined by George Brooks (667), Andy Ogren (661), Scott Roberts (599) and John Greene (509).

"I haven't been throwing the ball all that well lately, so I decided to change a few things," said Hosler, who bowls league at Bowlero Lanes in Lakewood, Colo. "The last thing I did was get my hand more behind the ball, and things fell into place. I threw the 11th shot about as well as I could ever throw a bowling ball, and that gave me a lot of confidence for the last shot. I was nervous, and I don't know if I was shaking or not, but I felt like I was."

 

Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado and Silver Legacy Hotel/Casinos in Reno, Nev. Other sponsors include Sands Regency Casino Hotel, official brackets sponsor, Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, US Steltronic, official scoring system, and supporting sponsors Storm Bowling Products, UPS, Nationwide Insurance, Atlantis Casino Resort and Spa, Harrah's Reno Casino and Hotel and Peppermill Hotel Casino.

 

Related Articles

Big scores this weekend at Storm Bowlers Journal Championships
Les Zikes joins elite club at USBC Open Championships
Mark Frazier records sixth perfect game of 2010 USBC Open Championships
Former Junior Team USA members Erik Vermilyea, Jeffrey Mersch take Doubles lead at USBC Open Championships
Former team champion Bowlers Edge Pro Shop takes lead at USBC Open Championships
Jimmy Johnson shoots emotional 800 series at USBC Open Championships
Red Carpet Lanes takes a 522-pin lead in Regular Team All-Events
Wisconsin's Red Carpet Lanes makes run at lead at USBC Open Championships
Tom Milton, David Taylor take Doubles lead at USBC Open Championships
Turbo 2-N-1 Grips 1 rallies, takes lead at USBC Open Championships
Michigan bowler Terrence Syring shoots 833 to take the lead in two events at 2010 USBC Open Championships
Perseverance pays off at USBC Open Championships
Shannon Pluhowsky continues success at National Bowling Stadium
Rob Bailey's Pro Shop 1 wins four-team battle at USBC Open Championships
First-timer Jason Schwartz capitalizes on second chance at USBC Open Championships
Reno Bighorns compete at USBC Open Championships
Porter Angel IV rolls second perfect game of 2010 USBC Open Championships
USBC Hall of Famer Don Ellis reaches 60 years at Open Championships
Norm Cummings and Hal Kaminski reach 50 years at USBC Open Championships
George Kontos adds to success in Reno, ties for lead at USBC Open Championships
Barry Zimmerman rolls first 300 of 2010 USBC Open Championships
Iowa bowlers continues success at USBC Open Championships
Wisconsin bowlers take lead in Doubles and Team All-Events at USBC Open Championships
Former champions help Central Saw and Mower into lead at USBC Open Championships
Larry Thompson Jr. reaches top spot at USBC Open Championships
Butch Luther, Jim Larsen on top at USBC Open Championships
Bowlers overcome obstacles, find success at USBC Open Championships
Larry Pratt, Greg Benefield moves into Regular Doubles lead at USBC Open Championships
John Johnson wins 10 Million Dollar Jackpot while in Reno for 2010 USBC Open Championships
Inclement weather can't stop Georgia bowlers at USBC Open Championships
2010 USBC Open Championships are underway at National Bowling Stadium in Reno
New offerings and procedures for USBC Open Championships
Automated System to simplify entry process for USBC Tournaments
Entry deadline extended for 2010 USBC Open Championships

 

107th USBC Open Championships

National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev., United States (Feb. 20 - July 5, 2010)

REGULAR DIVISION

Top 10 division leaders with hometown and pinfalls

 

Team
1, Bowlers Edge Pro Shop (Brad Kuhr, Timothy Rice, Dan Paul, Kenny Kempf, Jason Wendt), Neenah, Wis., 3,408. 2, S & B Pro Shop, Clinton Township, Mich., 3,347. 3, Lakeview Lanes, Baldwinsville, N.Y., 3,313. 4, Turbo 2-N-1 Grips 1, Madison, Wis., 3,298. 5, Red Carpet Lanes, Greenfield, Wis., 3,250. 6, Ray Cyr's Pro Shop, Baldwinsville, N.Y., 3,248. 7, Up An Adam, Coral Springs, Fla., 3,247. 8, The Locker Guy 1, Mankato, Minn., 3,245. 9, Brian Brazeau Pro Shop, Ocala, Fla., 3,232. 10, Woody's, Mulvane, Kan., 3,228.

Doubles
1, Jeffrey Mersch, Orlando, Fla./Erik Vermilyea, Mansfield, Texas, 1,507. 2, Tom Milton, St. Petersburg, Fla./David Taylor, Seminole, Fla., 1,498. 3, Jeff Nimke, Oshkosh, Wis./Chad Maas, Brookfield, Wis., 1,480. 4, Kenneth Stephens, Frankfort, Ky./Randall Montoya, Albuquerque, N.M., 1,434. 5 (tie), Terry Hall, Rocklin, Calif./Andrew Udahl, Elk Grove, Calif., and Scott Helm, Hartford, Wis./Dave Beres, Greenfield, Wis., 1,421. 7, Mandy Wilson, Dayton, Ohio/Douglas Stone, Troy, Ohio, 1,419. 8, Art Alexander III/Matt Chetney, Baldwinsville, N.Y., 1,416. 9 (tie), Jason Hale, Des Moines, Iowa/Matt Smith, Altoona, Iowa, and Lana Schwab, Lake Villa, Ill./Davey Rosen, Northbrook, Ill., 1,411.

Singles
1, Terrence Syring, Bay City, Mich., 833. 2, Jimmy Johnson, Pataskala, Ohio, 804. 3, Dan Gould, East Hampton, Mass., 783. 4, Richard Brooks, Versailles, Conn., 767. 5, Barry Zimmerman, Grand Forks, N.D., 766. 6, George Kontos, Joliet, Ill., 760. 7, Nick Wissinger, Clinton Township, Mich., 758. 8, Christopher Webb, Racine, Wis., 755. 9, Larry Verble, Mason, Mich., 751. 10. Jimmy Hilligas, Kettering, Ohio, 749.

All-Events
1, Terrence Syring, Bay City, Mich., 2,155. 2, Chad Maas, Brookfield, Wis., 2,141. 3, Dave Ewald, Macomb, Mich., 2,116. 4, Jeffrey Mersch, Orlando, Fla., 2,112. 5, Jimmy Johnson, Pataskala, Ohio, 2,108. 6, Erik Vermilyea, Mansfield, Texas, 2,104. 7, Mark Moore, Macomb Township, Mich., 2,097. 8, Robert Gotchall, Lincoln, Neb., 2,096. 9, Larry Verble, Mason, Mich., 2,093. 10, Nick Wissinger, Clinton Township, Mich., 2,091.

Team All-Events
1, Red Carpet Lanes (Jeff Nimke, Scott Helm, Steve Brinkman, Chad Maas, Dave Beres), Greenfield, Wis., 10,131. 2, S & B Pro Shop, Clinton Township, Mich., 9,920. 3, Junior Team USA Support, Orlando, Fla., 9,893. 4, Don Johnson Memorial, Shepherdsville, Ky., 9,813. 5, Royal Scott, Lansing, Mich., 9,647. 6, Turbo 2-N-1 Grips 1, Madison, Wis., 9,609. 7, Bluebird Lanes, Orland Park, Ill., 9,602. 8, Professional Image Center 1, Coffeyville, Kan., 9,599. 9, Linds Limited, Milwaukee, 9,598. 10, Design Wizards, Mandan, N.D., 9,578.

 

CLASSIFIED DIVISION

Team
1, Huikko's Bowling Center 3 (Pam Strong, Ronda Bauman, Jeanne Schmid, Jeffrey Schmid, Dale Bauman), Buffalo, Minn., 2,730. 2, EWI/NPS/Denny's, Mentor, Ohio, 2,699. 3, Wothe Bait 1, Perham, Minn., 2,684. 4, Garden Center Lanes 2, Alexandria, Minn., 2,683. 5, Garden Center Lanes 3, Alexandria, Minn., 2,663. 6, Sportsman Bowling Club 5, Moreno Valley, Calif., 2,662. 7, Queen Bee's Bar/Grill 1, Paynesville, Minn., 2,651. 8, Paradise Lanes, Walden, Colo., 2,648. 9 (tie), Razorback Rollers, Stuttgart, Ark., and Nelson Cartage Company, Montgomery, Ill., 2,636.

Doubles
1, Tyson Sims/Scott Wilcox, Georgetown, Idaho, 1,182. 2, John Bishop/Dan Mosteller, Tooele, Utah, 1,175. 3, Wayne Doney, Lamar, Colo./Jim Matusek, Hartland, Wis., 1,174. 4, Pat Fitzgibbons, Colorado Springs, Colo./Pete Fitzgibbons, Goodland, Kan., 1,173. 5, Chris Nugent, Mays Landing, N.J./Jason Campbell, Galloway, N.J., 1,171. 6, Greg Allen/Stacey Bauer, Ogallala, Neb., 1,166. 7, Joe McKee/Mark Nalan, Sheffield, Iowa, 1,155. 8, Walter Cook, Inverness, Fla./Stephen Liik, Homosassa, Fla., 1,153. 9, Holly Ventura, Harwood Heights, Ill./Bob Zurek, River Grove, Ill., 1,149. 10, Delmar Brownell/Dale Brownell, Spearfish, S.D., 1,148.

Singles
1, David Garcez, Merced, Calif., 669. 2, Blake Sandidge, Lead, S.D., 653. 3, Joseph Buggs, Honolulu, 647. 4, Mark Plute, Montrose, Colo., 644. 5, Matt Tschann, Paynesville, Minn., 630. 6, Curt VanLaningham, Ogallala, Neb., 624. 7, Dan Dahlquist, Wheaton, Ill., 622. 8, Terrance Hall, Spanish Fork, Utah, 620. 9, Ryan Goettsch, Galva, Iowa, 618. 10, Ryan Burmester, Chandler, Ariz., 615.

All-Events
1, Steve Miller, Roanoke, Ill., 1,775. 2, Richard Eisenhut, Downers Grove, Ill., 1,766. 3, Harry Berg, Eau Claire, Wis., 1,743. 4, Matt Tschann, Paynesville, Minn., 1,742. 5, Paul Daniels, Bonner, Mont., 1,739. 6, Jake Acuna, Pocatello, Idaho, 1,736. 7, John Stolarski, Waterford, Mich., 1,733. 8 (tie), Tom Sellers, Barstow, Calif., and Douglas Drake, Princeton, Ill., 1,732. 10, Thomas Robinett, Mishawaka, Ind., 1,727.