HUNTSMAN WORLD SENIOR GAMES-BOWLING

I want to tell you a little about the bowling event that is associated with the Huntsman World Senior Games. BOWLING !!!!!

Bowling started at the same time softball did. There was only one bowling alley,"Dixie Bowl" just off main street. They had 12 lanes and they still have only 12 lanes today. Bowling has grown and grown. This year, in 2008, they had 335 bowlers. 25 more than last year.

We have always been interested in bowling. I bowled with the PTA in Buena Park, CA and John has always been on one or two leagues for years. I'm not positive when they built the other alley but I think it was around 1994, it's named "Sunset West". They have 20 lanes.

When you bowl in the Huntsman Games you can sign up for Singles, Doubles, Mixed Doubles and Team. If you qualify for the finals you can bowl as many as many as 24 games during the competition. I have done that before and felt like my legs were never going to be the same.

We have had many great bowlers within our own town and many from different states. Here are some photos of different items you have to bowl with. Every league bowler has his own shoes, ball and some times a bowling bag. If your really good you can have 2 or 3 balls for different ways you want to make the pins go down.

The perfect ball and the way the pins are lined up.See how the ball is hitting the pins. The object is to get a strike and all of the pins go over.
WOOPS !!!!!! That is not what we wanted. :( picture below :(
This is like my ball, but it is a green color. I wanted a "Pearl Ball" but they didn't have it in my weight. But I love what I have.Rolling Bowling Bag. Really a must when your no longer a "teenager and if you have more than one ball you bowl with. They can be heavy and hard to carry if they aren't on rollers.Shoes are nice so you can slide better and they come in all colors and makes. Mine are white and black. They are a Dexter brand.These funny looking covers fit over your bowling shoes so you can walk around and not collect dust when your off the alley, waiting for your turn to bowl. They now have one that fits over your sliding foot and you don't take it off, I think.

NECESSARY ITEMS TO HAVE WHEN YOUR BOWLING ON A LEAGUE. These items are shown above. Also some of the crazy way the ball hits the pins.This is a picture of our bowling shirts for the mixed doubles and also for our Tuesday Mixed League.

We have always been interested in bowling. I bowled with the PTA in Buena Park CA and John has always been on one or two leagues for years.

21 years ago The Huntsman Senior Games were organized. John Morgan and his wife Daisy were behind the idea.

Bowling is one of the "fun but very competitive sports. To date we have 25 different sports. Every event is exciting for the participants.

We have had many friends from all over the country and still our "St.George Teams have come out on top. John's team was with Ted Kezos, Bill Hukill, Russell Walter(s) . There have been many others but these teams stick out in my mind.

We had a Bowling Legend come to The Huntsman World Senior Games . John said he was here two or three years. I'll try to find out for sure but until then just know that he was here and bowled with our friend Pat Guckenburg in 2000.His name was Joe Norris.

I could not find his actual birthday or death date but I do know he was born in Springfield and reared in Detroit. Joseph is a source of Yosel, a Hebrew name being " The Lord's addition.

He shot a perfect game, 300 at the age of 18.

His first Open Championship appearance was in 1926, an event in Toledo, Ohio. The only year he missed besides 1943-45 when the tournament was not being held because of World War 11, was in 1942 because of an emergency appendectomy.

During his 71 -year Open Championship s career, he posted a 192.78 average for 642 games He had three titles, Regular Team in 1934 and 1954 and Team All-Events in 1954.

He was a prankster and pin punster. He was lovable, witty, had a impish side that matched his gift of gab and the love of people. He also loved water because he was always had a thing for old, smelly fish, and would place them in the oddest places, like in the locker room beneath the massage table or near a star's locker.

In 1934 he captained the Stroh's All-American team to the A.B.C. team title and two international triumphs in the famous 1936 Berlin Olympic bowling exhibition witnessed by Adolph Hitler.

He was the first bowler to be inducted into the San Diego Hall of Champions.

Joe Norris was a foreman and salesman for Brunswick and Director of Bowling Balls Sales He retired from there at age 55.

1994, he became the oldest Champion bowler in A.B.C. Tournament history to roll a 300 game.

He died on a Monday at the age of 93. ( If anyone can find the correct information on this great bowler I would appreciate it.) Pearl

Back to the Huntsman Games. I met and bowled beside Norris. He was a perfect gentlemen and was always willing to give you pointers after or before you bowled. It was a great honor to know this impressive man, as a bowler and as a friend.

Bowling has grown since the humble beginning of the games and this year 2009 we had 335 bowlers. 25 more than last year. We had a week long bowling tournament, Monday through Saturday. This is the first time and I'm sure it won't be the last.
Like the other events, you can bowl at age 50. Here are some of the older bowlers that were pareticipants this year at the games.
The age group is wonderful. Bette Jensen, 88, Eva McHale, 88, Jessie Seminious 87, Mary Villanueva, 82, average 166, Mike Mickelson, 87, Gordon Sorensen, 89, and Len Gilbert, 90 with a 161 average. There were 5358 games bowled in 6 days.

I hope I'm still bowling at that age and my average is better than 137 or still that high. :)
The friendship that have been formed through out the years are lasting and we are all glad to see each other another year.