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Paul's Bowling Place - Tournaments

The 2010 Central Maryland USBC Association Tournament

I bowled in this tournament on April 10, 2010, bowling nine games (Team, Singles, and Doubles) all in one day. The tournament was held at Thunderhead Bowl in Taneytown, MD this year where I bowl league on Thursday night. I shot 2196 scratch for 9 games, which is a 244 average. I had sets of 767 (with a 290 game), 704, and 725.

I ended up winning All Events scratch by 150 pins and All Events handicap by 145 pins! My team finished in third place and I finished in second place in singles. All-in-all a good tournament for me!!

The 2010 Greater Baltimore USBC Association Tournament

I bowled in this tournament on Feburary 27, 2010, bowling nine games (Team, Singles, and Doubles) all in one day. The tournament was held at AMF Southdale this year and this was the first time I had ever bowled at this house. I shot 2077 scratch for 9 games, which is more than a 230 average.

My high set was in singles, a 726. I added a 666 set in doubles and 685 set in team. My high game came in singles, a 268 game and my low came in doubles, a 194 game. I shot very consistently for most of the day, with only 4 opens, all splits. I am happy with my performance to say the least!

The results are in and here are the results: My team finished in 5th place in the handicap division, I finished tied for 13th place in Singles handicap, and I finished in 10th place in All Events handicap. I am satisfied with my results and hope to do better next year!

The USBC National Bowling Tournament

The national governing body for bowling is the United States Bowling Congress (USBC). They put on a yearly tournament that is the largest participatory sporting event in the world (well over 65,000 people per year)! I have been bowling in the tournament since 1998. Go to the tournament's main page here.

National Bowling Tournament Team

We have had a core group of people going out to the National Bowling Tournament since 2004 (and some of us have been going for many, many years). Each year we lose one or two bowlers and add new bowlers in their place. Our dates and results from recent tournaments are listed below.

• The Team Members
• • Tim Stitely, Young Stitely, Tom Haifley
  • Bill McKenzie, Mike Haines, Charlie Steeg, Paul Saunders, Guy Johnson

• The Tournaments
• 2010 Reno, NV - We bowled June 14 and 15, 2010. We are currently in 935th place out of nearly 14,000 teams.
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• 2009 Las Vegas, NV - 673rd place out of 17,200 teams!
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• 2008 Albuquerque, NM - 784th place out of over 12,500 teams!
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• 2007 Reno, NV - 306th place out of over 15,000 teams!
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My 2010 USBC Bowling Tournament Experience

Our group had a great time in Reno this year, even if the gambling and bowling was not too spectacular. I bowled decent enough for team and doubles and should get some cash back in both of these events. I shot 582 in team, 578 in doubles and 491 in singles. The singles lanes were brutal and my scores reflect this. I did not have a good "look" and very little carry as the lanes had been chopped up on the left side by a cranker who was playing all over the lane and pushed oil into the area where I was playing during team and doubles. I was forced to play the outside part of the lane because this was the only place where I could get the ball to move. I left too many splits and missed too many “make-able” spares.

I did not do too well at the gambling as it seems that the casinos have tightened up everything. The group I went with did some sight-seeing, going to Tahoe and San Francisco. Unfortunately, I left Reno early due to a family emergency and was not able to do any sight-seeing. But I have been to Reno so many times, I did not need to see Tahoe again. I am not sure that I am going to bowl in this tournament next year as it is in Reno again...

My 2009 Las Vegas Bowling Tournament Experience - An Eventful Trip...

I got a stomach bug right after I got there on Saturday, which dehydrated me to the point where I passed out at dinner on Monday night and ended up in the hospital for a day while they checked me out to make sure I had not had a heart attack. I think the Casino's buffet did me in, but I have no proof. After getting out of the hospital on Tuesday evening, I spent the next 12 hours sleeping in my hotel room and drinking massive amounts of Gatorade to replenish my body.

Ten of us did the coaching session with Mike Jasnau on Sunday. After the session, we bowled in the Bowler's Journal Tourney. The shot was very tough and was made tougher due to the fact that we bowled on the last squad of the day. Needless to say, no one did very well. The only highlight is that I got to watch Shannon Pluhowski practicing on the USBC Tournament shot.

I did get to bowl in the team event on Monday afternoon but did not do too well (554), I should have had a 600, but missed three single pins and chopped a 4-7 in the last game. I obviously missed the singles and doubles which I was really disappointed about because I was feeling really good about my line at the end of teams and I think I had a good chance at hitting my first 1800. I also left my doubles partner by himself.

Gambling was pretty good this year. I played a lot of blackjack at the Excalibur and ended up about $500 to the good. I played a little slots, video poker, and roulette, but they were not so good to me and I did not win anything from that. I came home with the same amount of money as I left with, so my casino winnings paid for my food and activities while there.

I also saw some sights - went up in the Stratosphere, saw the sharks, dolphins, lions and tigers (oh my), the fountains at the Bellagio, went to Red Rock Canyon and visited Red Rock Lanes ($40 million dollars buys a lot of bowling center!), and I went to the Shelby Auto museum and did the tour. We had one really nice meal at Emeril's resturant in Harrahs.

Fun Tournament Bowling Videos

Here are some fun videos I put together from our tournaments in years past: