If I had my druthers, I would prefer to not spend time on a deserted island. Sure there is something to be said for peace and quiet, but I'm a people person. Life would not be nearly as interesting if you didn't have someone to share it with. Good times or bad, it's always nice to spend quality time with others.
To be sure, when you bowl in a league, you will be surrounded by an interesting group of people. Whether it's quality time or not ? well, I'll let you decide.
One of the things that will take place on any given league bowling night is the use of the dart. I have talked about it in the past, but this week a new variation surfaced. When a team's opponent gets on a roll such as throwing several strikes in a row, a bowler will pretend to shoot a dart at the guy. I guess the theory is that the dart will cause the bowler to suddenly mess up and of course that helps your team. Yes, we do know that this doesn't work, but we can't help ourselves.
There is normally some decorum associated with darting one's opponent. It is done secretly so as not to suggest that you are showing poor sportsmanship. I'm not sure it's totally secret however, as it is very noticeable when four guys lean out of the way so their teammate can get a good angle for the shot.
As the evening wore on and the outcome of game three was already determined, a bowler came up to my teammate and from point blank range, shot him right in the chest with a "so-called" dart. Boy, talk about not mincing darts. There was no intent on secrecy this time. He wanted to let him know that the man was bowling too well. It was all in good fun and we laughed, though I think one of my own teammates was about ready to dart the guy himself.
Each bowler on our team pays money to the teammate who is most over average and the 10th frame would decide the winner. We will stop at nothing to save 50 cents! Now if I were on a deserted island, how could I have so much fun?
I don't know of any other sport where a person takes as much grief from his own teammates as bowling. Wednesday night I was at Dunn's Lanes in Fostoria. Again something new happened. This time it involved modern technology. It never ceases to amaze me how friends can be so cruel to each other. You really don't want to do anything to give your teammates a chance to razz you, but it will happen. An example would be throwing a gutter ball.
One member of my team managed to do just that. To make matters worse he threw four strikes in a row before dumping one into the channel. As the ball fell off the lane, I didn't want to leave the foul line. I mean HE didn't. Oh, what the heck, it was me.
When you do this you hope that no one noticed. That of course never happens when you do something stupid. To my teammates' credit, they did not make fun of me. My opponent wanted to know if I hit my leg with the ball. I was not quick enough to agree to that possibility, as everyone is sympathetic when you do that. I just dumped it. Converted the spare though, which just brings the proverbial "why didn't you throw that ball first" comment.
If you throw a great shot, flush in the pocket and leave a single back row pin, you get comments such as, "throw nine, get nine" or "you're ball will be right back." This is from your own teammates, mind you. Take too long to get your first strike of the evening and you get, "what time is it" or "unexpected help!"
Put together a string of open frames and my buddies will tell you that "you are allowed to contribute." I have been bowling well enough lately to not hear that kind of criticism ? or so I thought.
Wednesday night I missed an easy spare, failed to convert a tough split and then missed another easy spare. I returned to my seat a little unhappy. As I sat there my cell phone lit up. I got a text message that read "u gonna contribute?" I turned around and there stands one of my teammates, cell phone in hand, laughing heartily!
Does anyone know where I can find a deserted island?
Tim Sturgill shot 702 in the Rocket League to top the scoring list this week. Steve Barnes had 660, Dave Depinet 651, John Funk 648, Jack Kramer 632, Tyson Shope 607, Sue Coppus 462 and Dottie Funk 449. In the Sportsman League Kevin Fitch shot 647, Rich Yates Jr. 638, Greg Anspach (who was wearing a dart-proof shirt) 626, Jack Kramer 609, Phil Neikirk 598, Chris Johnson 590 and Greg Tiell 586.
Steve Steinmetz Jr. posted a 664 to top the Imperial-Majorette League. Ben Hoyda rolled 659, Steve Steinmetz, Sr. 648, Jeff Peer 638, Rhonda Fitch 624, Deb Nominee 515 and Dianne Smith 480. Brian Kidwell shot 647, Jeff Mostoller 646, Dirk Nimocks 642, Mark Phillips 636, Steve Barnes 629, Jerry Meyer 632 and Janice Young 502 in the Sunday Night Rock N Roll League. In the Twilight League, T.J. Morrow was on target as he fired a 690 series. Tom Tiell shot 674, Hank Wagner 660, Aaron Sherman 654, Steve Barnes 633, Bill Biddle 613, Rhonda Fitch 542, Robin Brownell 489 and Michelle Wagner 365.
Action at the K of C Lanes found Deb Hoerig shooting 441, Marilyn Gangluff 422, Val Krombach 415, Carol Burmeister 413 and Lela Gaietto 407 in the Lady Knights League. In the 55 Plus League Jim Ruess shot 557, Bill Mizen 548, Mike Ditslear 527, Rick Hanna 518. Steve Schafer 514, Paul Gosche 509, Dick Gabel 508, John Ferstler 501, Jim Donaldson 487, Bob West 481, Bob Reinhart 480, Dan Coppes 466, Paul Fey 436, Dave Murray 422, Jim Ferstler 421 and Dave Everhart 329.
Al Stephenson is the A-T Bowling Columnist.
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