The honor score list in the Genesee Region USBC this season continues to grow at a rapid pace as five more bowlers posted 300 games over the past couple weeks, with one of them making it a “daily double” by recording an 800 series as well.
Matt Slocum of Perry shot his eighth USBC-certified perfect game in the middle of a 267-300-248—815 effort on Nov. 21 in the Monday Napa 400 League at Perry Bowling Center.
The big 31-year-old right-hander, nicknamed Strapper, said he took a five-year-old Roto-Grip Nomad Dagger out of the closet recently and, despite it having “3,500 games on it,” as he said, crushed the 1-3 pocket on lanes 3-4.
He said he wasn’t trying to add up his score but knew he was approaching 800. When he struck on the first ball in the 10th frame the honor score was secure. His high series is 836.
An officer at Groveland Correction Facility in Sonyea, Slocum bowls on a team with his cousin, Ryan Smith; Brian and Brady Weber, and Don Parrott.
Slocum has enjoyed much tournament success over the years, but said he’s now devoting more time to teaching his stepdaughter, Allie Faryna, the finer points of the sport, and is excited to see his 4-year-old son, Gavin, stepping onto the lanes.
Nathan Wright of Batavia credited his parents for encouraging him to play sports in high school after rolling his second 300 game while substituting in the Realty USA/No Finer Diner Doubles League at Mancuso Bowling Center on Monday (Dec. 5).
The 27-year-old Wright, a 6-foot, 300-pound muscular NYS corrections officer, started with the 300 game on lanes 9-10, and finished with 247 and 202 for a 749 series. Last year, he had his other 300 in the same league.
A league bowler for only the past five years (he’s a regular in the Antique World Tuesday night league at Mancuso’s), Wright said he sees the game as an extension of a commitment to athletics that began while a student at Pembroke Central School.
“I was in wrestling, football, baseball and track (at Pembroke),” he said. “I’m thankful that my parents pushed me to stay in sports. They said I would stay out of trouble … and keep me off the streets. As it turned out, if I would have had any misdemeanors on my record, I wouldn't have been able to work for the State.”
Wright throws a high-revving ball, without placing his thumb into the hole, with a smooth delivery. Fellow bowler John Gerace rewarded him – and the other 16 members of the league -- by purchasing cheesy bread after the perfect game.
Thomas Friedl of Fillmore, better known as T.J., said the first-time experience of bowling a 300 “is just surreal” when talking about his perfect game on Nov. 27 in the Sunday Night Mixed A League at Letchworth Pines in Portageville.
“I’ve never done anything like this before,” said the 37-year-old righty, a third shift supervisor at Morton Salt in Silver Springs. “Everything just came together.”
Friedl admitted he was a “little nervous” entering the 10th frame of the third game on lanes 5-6, following games of 206 and 266. He finished with the last seven strikes in the second game, giving him 16 in a row going into the final frame.
“I buried the first ball. The second ball was a bit wide, but came back (to strike). I thought I was going to leave the 10-pin,” he said.
His last delivery was solid in the 1-3 pocket and minutes later he was filling out the application to receive his ring from the United States Bowling Congress.
Friedl, who averages around 200, also has a 299 game to his credit. The 772 is his high series. He’s the patriarch of a bowling family that includes his wife, Erica, and daughters, Sage, 12, and Summer, 9.
Rob Sease of Brockport added to his lengthy list of honor scores with a 300 game while substituting in G&W Vending League at Rose Garden Bowl on Nov. 29. The 38-year-old right finished with a 740 series.
Sease, who now has about a dozen perfect games to go with a handful of 800 sets, also had a 290 game in the same league on Oct. 18.
Jeff Baes of Gasport rolled his second 300 game of the season on Nov. 23 in the Wednesday Community League at Medina Lanes. His first one came on Sept. 14.
His games were 203-256-300 for a 759 series, raising his average to 214.
Unofficially, there have been 16 perfect games and 11 800 series so far this season in the GRUSBC.
