If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again – with a different bowling ball -- until you do succeed!
For Harris Busmire, a lifelong Bergen resident and 25-year assistant chef at the Viking Valhalla Restaurant, that was the story of a memorable night of league bowling last Tuesday (April 4) in the G&W Vending League at his hometown lanes, Rose Garden Bowl.
Busmire recorded 30 strikes in his three games – a notable achievement – but what makes it more remarkable is that all of those 1-3 pocket hits came after the fifth frame of the first game. In other words, the 52-year-old right-hander struck on 30 of his last 31 deliveries!
His games were 214, 277 and 300 for a 791 series, with the last game marking his third USBC-certified perfect game. His previous 300 was part of an 811 series (his lone 800 effort) in March of 2003.
“I really struggled early,” Busmire said, pointing out that he used two bowling balls in the first five frames before switching to a Columbia 300 Enigma in the sixth frame. “Nothing was working.”
Indeed. He missed a single pin spare in the first frame and spared in the second frame with a MOTIV Talon before leaving two splits (and failing to convert them) and then getting a spare with an Ebonite Disruption.
“When I switched to the Enigma, the whole lane opened up,” he said. “I just kept my hand behind the ball and I was able to use three different lines.”
Busmire said every ball from the sixth frame of game one to the end of game three was solid in the pocket except for the fourth frame of game two when he left the 3-6-10 on lane 8.
“I came too much off the side of the ball, almost over the top,” Busmire said of the errant shot. He did pick the spare, however, and went on to string 20 consecutive strikes.
Despite chronic knee problems (he wears a knee brace when he bowls, along with a hat and shorts), Busmire bowls in three leagues at Rose Garden and averages 203 on Tuesday, 195 on Wednesday and 190 on Thursday.
Busmire wasn’t the only high scorer last week as Chris Bardol of Rochester continued his super bowling in the G&W Vending League with a 299 game and 811 series – his third 800 set to go along with a pair of 300 games and the 299.
Other recent honor scores:
-- Scott Budde of Albion registered his first 300 game, capping a 716 series, on April 2 during the New York State Elks 70th Annual Bowling Tournament at Boulevard Bowl in Schenectady.
His perfect game came on the first weekend of the tournament, which runs for five weekends at Town & Country Lanes in Guilderland (Team event) and at Boulevard Bowl (Doubles & Singles).
Budde, who turned 53 last month, started with 202 and 214 before burying all 12 balls in the 1-3 pocket for the 300.
A sales rep for Kaman Automation in Tonawanda, Budde said he was more nervous after the game was over than during it.
“I didn’t know what do to after it was over,” he said.
Budde used a new Roto-Grip Daredevil bowling ball to eclipse his previous high game – what he termed a “wacky” 284 in the early 1990’s. He took about 18 years off from bowling before starting up again a couple years ago.
His 300—716 came during the Doubles event where he and his partner, Dan Ward, posted 1,470 with handicap (1,260 scratch) to top the standings.
-- Danny Hunt of Geneseo posted a 300 game at Livingston Lanes in his hometown on April 9 in the Sunday Evening Mixed League.
MOTHER, DAUGHTER DUO WINS GRUSBC TOURNAMENT DOUBLES
Perry residents Joann Van Duser and daughter, Rachel, combined for a 1,306 score with handicap on the final day of competition to claim the Women’s Doubles title at the Genesee Region USBC Association Tournament.
Joann (143 average) rolled 431 scratch while Rachel (176 average) posted 603 scratch to edge another mother-daughter team in Laurie Cole and Virginia Metzger of Albion (1,278). Ironically, both teams were bowling on the same pair of lanes during the tournament’s last squad.
While the number of entries continues to lag, there were more bowlers than last year. In the Open Team event at Letchworth Pines in Portageville, entries rose from 16 to 20, and in the Women's Team event, entries increased from five to 10. Also, in Open Doubles, (Doubles & Singles took place at Perry Bowling Center) entries jumped from 32 in 2016 to 51 this year.
According to GRUSBC President Tom Fluker, a committee of GRUSBC directors and selected bowlers will be put together to evaluate the tournament and to implement changes next year in an effort to increase participation.
Unofficial champions:
Open Team -- McClurg Five, Perry Bowling Center, 3,755. Members are Tracy Werner, Steve Werner, Wes McClurg, Beth Ann Kaczmarek and Dave Kaczmarek.
Women's Team – King Brothers, Bennington Lanes, 2,572. Members are Debbie Huber, Carley King, Angela Zymowski and Mary Meyer.
Open Doubles -- Casey Palmer Sr. and Casey Palmer Jr., 1,623.
Women's Doubles -- Joann Van Duser and Rachel Van Duser, 1,306.
Open Singles -- Al Vlietstra, 860.
Women's Singles -- Caroline Appleby, 664.
Open All-Events -- Casey Palmer Jr., 2,358.
Women's All-Events -- Patricia Gilbertson, 1,913.
EAST TOPS WEST IN 3RD ANNUAL SENIOR CUP MATCH IN OAKFIELD
The Genesee Region USBC East (Wyoming and Livingston counties) defeated the GRUSBC West (Genesee and Orleans counties), 45-43, in the third annual Senior Cup match at Scopano’s Lanes in Oakfield on Saturday (April 8).
Competition in the 50-and-over event took place in Doubles, Singles and Baker Team. The teams tied after the Doubles, and the East led by two points after Singles. The teams split the 18 points awarded during the Baker Team match, enabling the East squad to break a 1-1 tie in the series.
Bob Santini led the way for the East by winning all three of his matches, posting 290—732 in Singles. Team captain Kevin Gray Sr. also won his three matches while Brenda Komenda averaged 220, second only to Santini’s 234.
Other East members were John LaGeorge, Jerry Davis, Al Vlietstra, Mark Comstock, Eric Galton, Brett Van Duser and Don Parrott.
For the West, Roger Stone and Bruce Kraus each averaged 217.
Other East members were captain Paul Spiotta, Scott Gibson, Scott Shields, Joe Mortellaro, Gregg Wolff, Bob Hodgson, Jerry Currier and Joe Trigilio.
GRUSBC BANQUET & HALL OF FAME DINNER IS MAY 13TH
The GRUSBC Association Banquet & Hall of Fame Dinner is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on May 13 at Batavia Downs Gaming on Park Road.
Tournament champions, scholarship winners and Hall of Fame inductee Robert Foss Jr., who is being enshrined posthumously, will be honored.
Tickets are $25, with GRUSBC directors, league secretaries and Hall of Famers receiving a 50 percent discount. Reservations can be made through May 1 by sending an email to mikep@bowlgr.com.
No reservations will be taken after May 1 and no one will be allowed to “walk in” on May 13. The banquet is open to all GRUSBC members.
The final Pin Points column for the 2016-17 season is scheduled to appear on The Batavian on April 27.
