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When I lived outside the US, I really missed two things: softball leagues and bowling. I was getting long in the tooth for softball, so when I came back, I got into bowling and learned the "crank". It was unreal, I had a 700 series and i really hadn't learned a reliable 7/10 spare technique. Then I played with co-workers in a league at a different alley...and carried about a 165 average. The difference in lanes was mind-blowing...I couldn't get any action, and flopped at King Louie too when trying different lanes. I went from a high score of 269 to rarely touching 200 everywhere else. Great sport, makes you adapt to oil, patterns, etc.
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:-):-):-):-)
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How many dads did you have?
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When I was in college at WSU, I enrolled in a bowling class. I had bowled my whole life at that point. In my bowling class, I was carrying a 211 average. Well, WSU had a heck of a team and a hell of a coach in Gordon Vadican. He would have lanes prepped different ways and pull me from my bowling class. He tried to recruit me for the Shockers bowling team. I wasn’t on the same mind track he was. I was trying to get my engineering degree so I could raise my two daughters. I wish I would have taken him up on the opportunity.
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I like to bowl when I can. Just finished a men’s league and we took 3rd. We won $1200 prize money. I think we donated more to them on beer drinking at $20 a bucket of five beers. We’d drink anywhere from 8-12 buckets a week.
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I've bowled for most of my life. Saturdays as a kid was league day and when we got old enough, we could stay after our league and keep score for the little kids to get 3 free games.

I bowled in several leagues as an adult and bowled two 300's in the early 90's. I also had a game where I left a 10 pin in the first frame and then 11 in a row for a 290. Bowling a 300 was a big deal back then. When you got to the 10th frame, the entire bowling alley stopped to watch. Now they are so common in some leagues, people barely bat an eye.

I took a few years off when I got burnt out on the long league seasons, but started up again about 10 years ago. I average in the upper 180's to low 190's. Never have carried a 200 average for a full season. I had a 287 a couple of years ago when I had the front 10. The 11th ball came in a little light and didn't carry.

I love bowling.
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Bowling Alleys usually have bomb ass burgers too. Hell even here around Wichita, the pizzas they make are better than most pizza places.
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My grandparents on my mom's side were big into bowling. When we'd visit them in Nebraska in the summer, they bowled in an 8 lane house in Gretna. The best part was the burgers after they were done.
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Let's bowl, let's bowl, let's rock n roll!
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Grew up in a 12 lane house. Still bowl there to this day. It still has the old wood floors. Retro decor throughout and a good burger.
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I always thought Duckpin Bowling was pretty neat
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I knew we had a lot in common as I studied Engineering at WSU as well.

211 Average is incredible, wow. I remember Gordon Vadican very well, he was a celebrity at WSU when I was attending classes there after the Navy. I had a bowling experience with him, but it has been so long ago, I can't think of what it was.

I league bowled with the Mrs. on Sunday nights at West Acres for years and on week nights with my buddies for years a couple nights a week . My two high year averages were 195 and 198, never could make over the 200 average mark. (was league President one year (94 I think) and mouthed off in a meeting about woman joining the men's league and received an application in the mail to join the woman's league anonymously)

Lots of good memories, in fact many of them are displayed in my man cave.

Several 700 patches, league champ patches, trophies etc. High scratch game was a 288.(choked in the 11th when everyone was watching) Bowled in couple State tournaments. One year I was in the late running for winning a Yugo and didn't go to the rolloff as I didn't want the POS.

In my late 40s I developed a wrist injury from working it against the metal wrist gadget I wore that helped me really crank the ball. I could pop the wrist in and out of the socket easily, very painful, long story on recovery, but had to take five years off.

I haven't bowled now in the 10 years since retiring, but still have a lot of gear.

A couple years ago I decorated the top of a retaining wall with a lot of my old bowling balls, but kept my two best ones (reactive resin) still in my bag.

My last year of bowling at 64 was my 198 average and anchor for my men's league team. :-)
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That's pretty good prize money!
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