Hello All,
This is a fairly long post, because it is an article I was sent by Westside News. I normally wouldn't post something like this, but we have been working with Jason for several years, and we are very proud of his accomplishment. For the forum moderators, we were granted permission from the Westside News to use and post this article, so there are no copyright issues posting this.
Jason Brown's 300 was a sight to behold
by Mark McClain
Jason Brown is only in his fifth season as a league bowler. On October 18 at Domm’s Bowling Center, the 26-year-old reached one of his bowling goals by recording the first 300 game of his career. Not bad that a fifth year bowler could improve to the point where he was able to roll a perfect game. An incredible feat knowing that Jason’s visual acuity is less than 20 degrees - which means he is legally blind.
In layman’s terms, Jason has tunnel vision. Take a dime and hold it immediately in front of one of your eyes. That is Jason’s window of vision.
Two concussions as a high school hockey player and then a car accident 3 ½ years ago were the cause of Jason’s visual problems.
“My first concussion left me with very little memory for the first year-and-a-half,†recounted Jason. “Then I got another concussion and spent about eight months at a special brain surgery center in Boston. It was like a group home and that’s where I got my high school GED.â€
“I took up bowling about five years ago and my sight was good then. A car accident about three-and-a-half years ago and I had another concussion. The part of the brain that handles my vision was injured. Doctors told me that the brain reverts back to the most basic thing and I see what’s right in front of me. Once I move, everything goes blurry until I come to a stop again and get my focus,†he said.
Jason said that following the car accident he spent nearly two years studying up on bowling as much as he could.
“I read up on equipment and the basics of the game,†he said.
But no one could help him with his approach to the line. That was something that would take quite a bit of practice.
“Who could teach me,†he asked.
“I line up by looking down at my feet. With no peripheral vision, or depth perception, and because my eyes don’t accommodate for movement, I have to rely on feel,†Jason explained.
“When I stop at the foul line, I can pretty much tell if there’s a pin standing or not…I just can’t tell for sure what number pin or pins are left,†he said. “I move my feet on the approach to adjust for spares and if my strike ball isn’t going to the pocket I move. My teammates help me with that.â€
But the cheering of his league mates in the Saturday Night Mixed League at Domm’s let Jason know what he wanted to know. His 12th ball was a strike for a perfect 300.
“The bowlers in the mixed league aren’t accustomed to watching people roll 300 games so everyone was pulling hard for him,†said Frank Martorella, who was running the center that evening. â€In the 10th frame everyone stopped bowling…it was an amazing feat.â€
Jason followed up his perfecto with games of 200 and 222 for a 722 series.
“I was a little disappointed in my series, though,†he admitted. “I had a high of 743 (at Domm’s earlier this season) and had a good shot to beat 750.â€
Jason also has a 742 set at AMF Empire Lanes this year. He averages between 196 and 215 in his five leagues, which also includes sessions at Sunset Lanes and AMF Terrace Garden Lanes.
“I’m up about fifteen pins this year,†he said.
Jason is also on the Visionary bowling ball products test staff - he reviews all of the company’s latest products and posts his comments on ballreviews.com.
Jason rolled his 300 game with Visionary’s Centaur Pearl drilled by Mark DiSanto at Bowlers World in Henrietta.
Congratulations Jason from all of us at Visionary!!
