The last couple of weeks have seen some extraordinary action in league play at Hood River’s Orchard Lanes. Nancy Asai was simply brilliant in the last Wednesday night Fraternal league, where she racked up a huge 747 three-game series — the top women’s series score for this season at Orchard Lanes.
To give you an idea as to just how good that is, it’s a scratch score so there is no handicap added in. Her 747 series equates to a 249 average per game for the night, which means she had over 20 strikes in the session. That works out to an amazing 67 percent success rate, rolling two strikes out of every three tries. Think you could do that?
Nancy definitely had that down-and-in game of hers in high gear. What are the secrets to her exceptional and durable success in the game? For years now, Nancy’s been one of the best bowlers in town. To over-simplify, she bowls often, she’s talented and her game really works. She rolls a nice, tight hook, down the boards, around the second arrow on the lane. You don’t have to crank up a roundhouse hook to be successful; in fact, as the old saying goes, straighter is usually greater.
It’s easier to control a smaller hook and if you should happen to get tapped once and a while, spares are easier to make too. Nancy’s nice, tight hook makes the pins literally jump off the deck. Ladies, you should all try to do what Nancy does: For right-handed bowlers, roll your ball on the right side of the lane to get as much entry angle in to the pocket as possible. This simple method gives your ball a greater chance to strike. If you are afraid of the gutter and consequently roll your ball down the center of the lane, you will get far fewer strikes because the ball is not coming into the pins at an angle, it’s hitting them straight-on.
Next, learn to roll a hook, not that dreaded back-up, reverse hook that plagues many women. That hook will give you an even greater chance of getting strikes.
In other bowling news, take a look at our impressive Team of the Week scores. Granted, it’s compiled from two weeks of action but the numbers are all big-time and two of our top women bowlers highlight the fab five. That makes it really special. Nancy’s jumbo 747 was the top score of all league bowlers at the lanes in the past two weeks and Mary Finley also powered a sweet 709 series in the Fraternal to anchor our super squad. Hats off to our women bowlers; logging those magical 700 sets is always a special feat in this great game. Men, how does it feel to get trounced? Three guys made our fab five who have been away from the limelight for a while, all with fine outings in the Fraternal.
The man with the biggest curve ball in town, Jeff Brittle, fired a fine 729 series. New daddy and still one of the best players around, Bill Pullum stacked up a solid 726 set and finesse artist Roger Montavon fashioned a fine 718 three-gamer. Roger hooks the ball so effortlessly and smoothly from deep inside that you do a double-take in amazement because he hits the sticks with such power; it’s almost like his ball floats down the lane and then when it hits the pins, they explode.
So, with all of these big scores, who do you think was the Bowler of the Week, as measured by bowling the most pins over average? There were some notable contenders who were outside the team of the week. For example, Dan McHale was +149 after tossing a huge 278 game and nice 626 series in the Monday night men’s Industrial league. In the same session, Joey Sheirbon was +113 pins after logging a solid 662 set and big-time golfer Mike Roberts was +111 after he really found his short game on the lanes to notch a blistering 633 set. Bernice Keys was +132 after having another great day on the lanes in the Tuesday morning women’s Workshirkers, where she shot a super 639 series. And, as far as our really big shooters on the Team of the Week, Jeff Brittle was +147, Bill Pullum was +120, Mary Finley was +115, Roger Montavon was +109.
Nancy Asai topped everybody. Nancy was a whopping 183 pins over her average, clearly making her the Bowler of the Week. Let’s all buy Nancy a pizza.
In other news, congratulations are in order for team On the Ball, which won the second half of the Thursday afternoon Lads and Lassies league. Bowling for the winners were Joyce Hert, Dee Hert and Marge Meyer. This league simply enjoys getting together every week to socialize with each other and to just have some fun with a little exercise. They don’t roll off to have an overall league champion, the winners of both halves get the gold.
Individual awards in the league went to Gordon Sim for men’s high average at 192 pins per game and Joyce Ebersole for women’s high average at 150 pins per game; Gordon Sim took home high scratch series for the men with a blistering 710 and Joyce Ebersole had high scratch series for the women with a 533; Gordon Sim continued to fill his trophy collection with the high scratch game for the men with a nifty 269 and Marge Meyer took high scratch game for the women with a nice 215.
Team of the Week
Nancy Asai, 747
Jeff Brittle, 729
Bill Pullum, 726
Roger Montavon, 718
Mary Finley, 709
League highlights
Industrial: Jeff Miller, 702 series; Dan McHale, 278 game
Workshirkers: Bernie Keys, 221 game and 639 series
Colts & Fillies: Gordon Sim, 246 game and 691 series; Peggy Dunn, 534 series; Bonnie Ternahan,189 game
Fraternal: Nancy Asai, 266 game and 747 series; Jeff Brittle, 729 series; Josh Worth, 266 game
Lads & Lassies: George Buck, 571 series; Marion Campbell, 245 game; Joyce Ebersole, 468 series; Marge Meyer, 175 game
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