I ask that you come see me. It would matter greatly to me.
I started with 187-174 tonight in league. I bowled pretty well to get such low scores, complicated by such strangeness as pocket 7-9s, pocket 4-8-10s, 10 pins that were going over but got stood back up by something else, etc. I was doing this with a Roto Grip Epic Saga.
Having lost the first two games, I decided what the heck, I'll throw the Tsunami H20 I couldn't get to play during practice. And I proceed to start with the front eight.
The worst shot of all was the eighth frame. I let the pressure affect me just enough to grab the ball on the way down. I figured it was DOA for sure and would leave a split, but some mystery oil appeared in the middle of the lane and it held up just long enough to get a very, very high strike.
I don't know why I gagged on that shot -- I've been to the 12th ball before, once. Shot 296 and didn't even feel that pressured on the 12th shot. In fact, I shot 296 because I was expecting to lurch it, and sent it out wide on purpose. Just my luck, I got out of the ball cleanly, and left the 2-4-5-7.
So I step up in the ninth. I was less than half as nervous as the eighth frame, even with the crowd. You know the old days when everyone stopped to watch a 300 try? Well, the good ol' days were back. I had probably 30 people watching, including a few who came out of the bar to do so.
I pured this shot, maybe a half-board inside target at most, and left a blast 10-pin down there. If the 6-pin wasn't broke in half it was at least chipped from the force of the 3 hitting it, I swear. I couldn't have thrown it any better. I covered the spare.
I then go to the 10th, and not that it matters but I left a charging pocket 9 and for some stupid reason missed it to bag 257 on the night.
I say all that to say this -- I've been bowling in leagues, without a break, since I was 17. I'm now 35. That's 18 years of being in a bowling alley at least once a week.
I've averaged 185-200 most of the last 8-9 years with the exception of the time I was down for a right wrist injury, and even then I still booked in the mid-170s. I've averaged 200+ twice, once in a sanctioned league, averaged 170 in PBAX and shot enough 700s to forget the number.
But I don't have that 300, and I don't get as many chances as I used to. I used to get the front four routinely. Now it rarely happens. I've managed to do a good job extending it past four when I've had it, because I'm well aware I haven't got the talent to have unlimited rounds in the chamber.
The injuries are starting to add up, and the economy has kept me from practicing as much as I'd like. My window of opportunity gets smaller.
So the next time you hear someone say "300s don't matter," or "300s are a joke," point them my way. I'll be glad to take as many off them as they'll give me. One would be enough.
Jess
Edited on 7/2/2008 1:03 AM
