To borrow and slightly modify a rather boastful line from a famous Eddie Murphy film: “There’s a new sheriff in town and his name is …” Bill Whetstine! That’s right folks, remember just a short time ago when we predicted big things for this show me Missourian? Well, he delivered, big-time, in the Fraternal at storied Orchard Lanes last week. Tenpin bowling in Hood River hasn’t seen the likes of this for quite a few years. Bill, who we’re all going to learn very quickly is quite an accomplished bowler, started out his session with a scary good scratch 268 game.
That was just a warm-up! Bill filled every frame in his second game with strikes, 12 straight beauties for a perfect 300 game. His sixth career perfecto! And he wasn’t done showing us his stuff as he went on to finish up with an unflappable 247 game for a towering scratch 815 series! It’s not very often that our star bowlers in Hood River crack that monumental milestone.
An 800 three-game series is truly special even in our modern high scoring game. It means that at a minimum, Bill tossed 26 strikes out of a possible 34 tries and averaged 271-plus for the night. That’s the definition of machine-like. It was Bill’s second career 800 series. Wow, what a night!
So, what was it, what happened last week? Scoring was great. In addition to Bill, there were four scratch 700s, two by Lynn Spellman in the Industrial and Fraternal with a 704 and 716, respectively.
We were chatting with Lynn after the Fraternal, and he said he couldn’t remember a week where he had two 700s. We think he has a short memory, as he’s already posted ten 700s this season!
Young superstar Chad Mason had a big scratch 718 set in the Tuesday Nite Mixed and Mark Chabotte vaulted out of a slight slump as the mailman delivered the goods in the Fraternal with a nice 706 series.
Other notable efforts last week included Da Kine’s fav lefty, Bill Morrissey, who notched his first scratch 600 series of the season in the Mixed with a fine 604.
Bill is such a talented golfer, we expect big things like this on the lanes since the two games require similar skills. All-star Bernie Keys led all scoring in the senior Colts and Fillies with another 600 set, a slick scratch 618. Bernie also racked up a scratch 603 series in the senior Lads and Lassies. She’s always on a roll! Steady Eddie Busick returned to action after surgery like Sly Stone’s Rocky with a nifty scratch 616 set in the Lads.
Ed is wearing a neck brace, which may become the next scoring aid in this great game. Soon we may see everybody wearing one! And, to wrap things up, Steve Watt electrified the County league where he amped up a solid scratch 603 series. Good shooting everybody, let’s go bowling!
LEAGUE REPORTS
Monday night Industrial: Lynn Spellman, 256, 236 games and 704 series; Nancy Asai, 218, 216 games and 623 series; Steve Byers, 237 game; Sue Spellman, 224 game
Tuesday Nite Mixed: Chad Mason, 279 game and 718 series; Nancy Asai; 236 game; Paul Dethman, 235 game
Wednesday afternoon senior Colts & Fillies: Bernie Keys, 232, 201 games and 618 series; Lynn Spellman, 243 game and 605 series; Lee Rogers, 232 game; Jesse Flores, 224 game; Quinton Cox, 215 game; Dick Sherrell, 200 game
Wednesday night Fraternal: Bill Whetstine, 300, 268, 247 games and 815 series; Lynn Spellman, 287 game and 716 series; Mark Chabotte, 257, 246 games and 706 series; Chad Mason, 245 game and 677 series; Roger Montavon, 253 game and 656 series; Jeff Brittle, 253 game; Josh Worth, 236 game; Ciena Brittle, 204 game
Thursday afternoon senior Lads & Lassies: Ed Busick, 208, 205, 203 games and 616 series; Bernie Keys, 221 game and 603 series; George Buck, 203 game; Neil Johnson, 203 game
Thursday County: Rod Pratt, 236, 227, 224 games and 687 series; Steve Watt, 224, 201 games and 603 series; Nate Lain, 204 game
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