Four bowlers join 50-Year Club at 2022 USBC Open Championships
The 50-Year Club at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships got four new members recently, and each earned a plaque, chevron and diamond lapel pin to commemorate the achievement.
Bill Fisher of Brodhead, Wisconsin; Tony Spigarelli of Edgerton, Wisconsin; Bill Bonow of Winona, Minnesota; and Joseph Bloedorn of La Crosse, Wisconsin, made their milestone marches to the lanes at the South Point Bowling Plaza in Las Vegas, while friends, family and fellow competitors looked on.
Fisher actually made his 50th appearance April 11 and chose to only bowl in the team event this year. The 77-year-old right-hander, whose USBC Open Championships journey began at the 1970 event in Knoxville, Tennessee, posted a 370 series.
In 50 tournament appearances, he has knocked down 74,946 pins for a career average of 168.7.
Spigarelli, a 71-year-old right-hander who also started his Open Championships career in Knoxville in 1970, has made sure to continue a tradition started by his father, Duvilio, who competed in the tournament 46 times from 1952-2002.
The tradition now includes Tony Spigarelli’s own sons, Anthony Jr. and Bryan, and they joined him on the lanes this week in Las Vegas.
In his 50th appearance April 14-15, Tony Spigarelli rolled sets of 565 in team, 527 in singles and 495 in doubles for a 1,587 all-events total. In his five decades on the tournament lanes, he has knocked down 81,962 pins for a career average of 182.1.
On April 16-17, the spotlight belonged to Bonow, who competed alongside his son Seth and wife, Kris.
Bill Bonow made his Open Championships debut at the 1971 event in Detroit.
In his career, he has knocked down 83,683 pins for a career average of 185.9.
This year, he rolled 557 in singles, 553 in team and 539 in doubles for an all-events total of 1,649.
Bloedorn, 75, took center stage on the afternoon of April 19 and will close out his 50th year of participation April 20.
He made his tournament debut at the 1965 event in St. Paul, Minnesota, and entered the 2022 Open Championships with a career average of 180.7.
Two bowlers roll perfect games at 2022 Open Championships
Michael Brenemen of Woodbridge, Virginia, and Gregory Box of Waukesha, Wisconsin, rolled perfect games this week at the 2022 USBC Open Championships, bringing the total for the year to 14.
Brenemen, a 52-year-old right-hander, broke through during his second game of doubles April 13. The 300 came between games of 154 and 225 for a 679 series.
The set was the top three-game series in Brenemen’s 16-year career at the Open Championships, and he added 597 in singles and 566 in team for a 1,842 all-events total, which also is a personal best on bowling’s biggest stage.
Box, a 64-year-old right-hander, started his singles event April 18 with the 14th perfect game of the 2022 tournament and became the third bowler in the history of the Standard Division to achieve the feat.
The Standard Division was introduced at the 2017 Open Championships, also at South Point, and includes bowlers with entering tournament averages of 156-175.
“It’s a blur, and it’s unbelievable,” Box said. “I’m still choked up. It’s something I never imagined I could do. This is my 30th championships and way beyond the best I’ve ever bowled here.”
Box finished with games of 300, 185 and 216 for a 701 series, four pins shy of Daryl Stephens of Gilbert, Arizona, who has occupied the top spot in Standard Singles since March 13, the first day of doubles and singles competition at the 2022 tournament, with 705.
Box’s 2022 tournament appearance included a 623 series in doubles and 578 in team for a 1,902 total, which is fifth in Standard All-Events. Gregory Witt of Phoenix leads with 1,982.
A look ahead
Eight bowlers will reach participation milestones this week at the South Point Bowling Plaza, and one reigning champion will be recognized on the tournament lanes for the success he found at the USBC Open Championships in 2021.
John Kamenitsky of Stratford, Connecticut (April 20), Edward Gronski of Mulkeytown, Illinois (April 23), and Jules Falcone of Media, Pennsylvania (April 25), each will be participating in the event for the 55th time.
Robert Benjamin of Downers Grove, Illinois (April 22); Larry Fulton of University Place, Washington (April 22); Mark Scullion of Salem, Ohio (April 22); Derold Millsaps of Hixson, Tennessee (April 23); and Robert Vidra of Oak Lawn, Illinois (April 23), all will join the tournament’s 50-Year Club.
There are 31 bowlers scheduled to reach 50 years of participation during the 2022 event at the South Point Bowling Plaza. The agenda for the year also includes three bowlers bowling for the 60th time, one competing for the 65th time and one making his 70th appearance on the championship lanes.
On April 26, reigning Classified Singles champion Barry Mortimeyer of Roseville, California, will be in Las Vegas to receive his championship watch. He’ll then see if he can find similar success in the Standard Division.
The Classified Division is for bowlers with entering tournament averages of 155 and below.
For more information on the Open Championships, visit BOWL.com/OpenChamp.
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2022 USBC OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
South Point Bowling Plaza
Las Vegas
(Division leaders with hometown and pinfall)
As of April 19, 2022
REGULAR DIVISION
Team
(Combined averages of 876 and above)
1, Storm Products Inc. 1 (Matthew McNiel, Jon Rakoski, Justin Veitch, David Langer, Ronald Mohr), Alva, Fla., 3,486. 2, DiLaura Brothers 1, Clinton Township, Mich., 3,468. 3, Ten Pin Alley 300, Fitchburg, Wis., 3,403. 4, Supreme Deck, Grand Haven, Mich., 3,372. 5, Next Gen Pro Shop 1, Chillicothe, Ohio, 3,358. 6, Big O Tires, Oakley, Calif., 3,329. 7, Holiday Bowl, Boonton, N.J., 3,305. 8, Mento Produce, Baldwinsville, N.Y., 3,303. 9, Vick Vick Boom 1, York, Pa., 3,294. 10, Him Bowling Team 14, Wilton Manors, Fla., 3,292.
Doubles
(Combined averages of 351 and above)
1, Nick Powanda, San Diego/Tony Odom, Palm Springs, Calif., 1,518. 2, Chris Barnes, Denton, Texas/Billy Rogers, Denison, Texas, 1,479. 3, Jay Lang, Sterling Heights, Mich./Ronnie Sparks Jr., Redford, Mich., 1,455. 4, Brett Cunningham, Clay, N.Y./Michael Tryniski, Fulton, N.Y., 1,440. 5(tie), Andrew Carson, York, Pa./Scott Kinkaid, Elizabethtown, Pa., and Brandon St. Onge/Drew Markwardt, Zephyrhills, Fla., 1,433. 7, Perry Crowell IV, St. Clair Shores, Mich./Jeffrey Mastny, Arlington, Neb., 1,431. 8, Trevor Yonan, Sheboygan, Wis./Rob Warren, Antigo, Wis., 1,425. 9, Gerald Johnson, Taylor, Mich./Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 1,424. 10, John Kelley, Clinton, Township, Mich./Ryan VanHecke, Chesterfield Township, Mich., 1,414.
Singles
(Averages of 176 and above)
1, Brandon St. Onge, Zephyrhills, Fla., 781. 2, DJ Archer, Simpsonville, S.C., 778. 3, Sam Cantrell, Roseville, Calif., 777. 4, Ryan Schlotfeld, Lincoln, Neb., 772. 5, Ronnie Sparks Jr., Redford, Mich., 771. 6, Ryan VanHecke, Chesterfield Township, Mich., 770. 7, Virginia Young, Sun City, Ariz., 769. 8, Gerald Johnson, Taylor, Mich., 762. 9(tie), Anthony Pepe, Long Island City, N.Y., and Brett Cunningham, Clay, N.Y., 761.
All-Events
(Averages of 176 and above)
1, Brett Cunningham, Clay, N.Y., 2,220. 2, Ronnie Sparks Jr., Redford, Mich., 2,201. 3(tie), Perry Crowell IV, St. Clair Shores, Mich., and Chris Barnes, Denton, Texas, 2,197. 5, Aaron Pawloski, Brentwood, Calif., 2,171. 6, Jay Lang, Sterling Heights, Mich., 2,167. 7, Brody Green, Delavan, Wis., 2,161. 8, Sam Cantrell, Roseville, Calif., 2,159. 9, Peter Zmozynski, Depew, N.Y., 2,146. 10(tie), Robert Callan, Vacaville, Calif., and Brandon St. Onge, Zephyrhills, Fla., 2,139.
Team All-Events
1, DiLaura Brothers 1, (Jay Lang, John Buffa, Ryan VanHecke, John Kelley, Ronnie Sparks Jr.), Clinton Township, Mich., 10,585. 2, Mento Produce, Baldwinsville, N.Y., 10,444. 3, Him Bowling Team 14, Chula Vista, Calif., 10,057. 4, Big O Tires, Oakley, Calif., 9,981. 5, Supreme Deck, Grand Haven, Mich., 9,917. 6, Nicholas J’s Pro Shop 2, La Crosse, Wis., 9,888. 7, Storm Products Inc. 1, Alva, Fla., 9,859. 8(tie), Upper Lip Surprise, St. Clair Shores, Mich., and Ansara Restaurant Group 2, Farmington Hills, Mich., 9,804. 10, Fireside Lanes, Sacramento, Calif., 9,646.
STANDARD DIVISION
Team
(Combined averages of 776-875)
1, Cinderella Shoes (Jordan Fox, Shea Nanos, Adam Lubert, Jesse Fox, Matthew Nanos), Bradley, Ill., 3,005. 2, Sweetheart Tenpin Bowling, Loveland, Colo., 2,970. 3, Parkway Bowl Team 1, Lakeside, Calif., 2,936. 4, Whitewater Cheated 3, Appleton, Wis., 2,934. 5(tie), #TeamHaidin20, Beaumont, Texas, and Les for Lawns, Alexandria, Minn., 2,933. 7, Minnesota Select Sires 1, Fergus Falls, Minn., 2,927. 8, Part Timers, Kissimmee, Fla., 2,923. 9, Ale N Angus Pub 1, Fulton, N.Y., 2,920. 10, Luke All Stars, Phoenix, 2,898.
Doubles
(Combined Averages of 311-350)
1, Douglas Becht, San Tan Valley, Ariz./Lee Rottman Sherrard, Ill., 1,360. 2, Michael Steppert, Weston, Wis./Dan Cherek, Wausau, Wis., 1,312. 3, Anthony Dann, Dayton, Ohio/Sheldon Short, Huber Heights, Ohio, 1,291. 4, Eric Davis, Fall Creek, Wis./Michael Holzhueter, Menomonie, Wis., 1,287. 5, Keith Betts/Bryan Miloshoff, Griffith, Ind., 1,257. 6, Johnny Baker III, Erda, Utah/John Harris, Tooele, Utah, 1,251. 7, James Rutherford Jr./James C. Rutherford, Coatesville, Pa., 1,249. 8, Blair Cleaver, Lakeville, Minn./David Hays, Escondido, Calif., 1,248. 9, Ashton Wardrup/Andrew Wardrup, Santa Fe, Texas, 1,245. 10, Jermaine Bautista/Danielle Jones, Santa Maria, Calif., 1,235.
Singles
(Averages of 156-175)
1, Daryl Stephens, Gilbert, Ariz., 705. 2, Gregory Box, Waukesha, Wis., 701. 3, Walter Shaft, Freeland, Mich., 700. 4, Tyler Smith, Malad City, Idaho, 697. 5, Jun Dailo, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., 695. 6(tie), John Tomcics Jr., Catasauqua, Pa., and Daniel Hudson, Comstock Park, Mich., 691. 8, Bill Robson, Easley, S.C., 684. 9, Robert Alvarado, Corona, Calif., 680. 10, Donald Schwartz, Port Charlotte, Fla., 676.
All-Events
(Averages of 156-175)
1, Gregory Witt, Phoenix, 1,982. 2, Dean Bruinsma, Clear Lake, S.D., 1,959. 3, David Lee, South Bound Brook, N.J., 1,944. 4, Steve Bowling, Union, Ky., 1,910. 5, Gregory Box, Waukesha, Wis., 1,902. 6, Allen Jackson, Belle Plaine, Minn., 1,898. 7, Michael Steppert, Weston, Wis., 1,895. 8, David Remsen, Loxahatchee, Fla., 1,894. 9, Eric Davis, Fall Creek, Wis., 1,856. 10, James Hallam, Streator, Ill., 1,855.
CLASSIFIED DIVISION
Team
(Combined averages of 775 and below)
1, Alamo City PINs (Miguel Villarreal, Frances Villarreal, Ruben Rodriguez, Luis Ramirez, Robert Rosas), Helotes, Texas, 2,788. 2, Witt’s Classified Family Affair, Phoenix, 2,681. 3, Farmers Grain, Greenville, Miss., 2,668. 4, Halos, Bloomington, Ill., 2,662. 5, Walker Farms, Portales, N.M., 2,648. 6, Northern New Mexico Elite, Ohkay Owingeh, N.M., 2,611. 7, Where’s Corby, West Jordan, Utah, 2,606. 8, FPA, League City, Texas, 2,584. 9, Pastime Lanes 3, Glenvil, Neb., 2,575. 10, Go Ugly Early, Casa Grande, Ariz., 2,563.
Doubles
(Combined averages of 310 and below)
1, Arick Shibata, Hilo, Hawaii/Ricky Torres Jr., Kea’au, Hawaii, 1,132. 2 Kurtis Weber, Carrollton, Ill./James Weder, Winchester, Ill., 1,113. 3, Jason Klimek, Glenwood, Minn./David Corneliusen, Alexandria, Minn., 1,109. 4, Shiong Chu, San Gabriel, Calif./Todd Van, Temple City, Calif., 1,107. 5, Angel Olmeda Jr./Elly Olmeda, Boise, Idaho, 1,106. 6, Theain Lim/David Lim, Las Vegas, 1,100. 7, Dan Rizzo/Ronald Rizzo, Florence, Ariz., 1,099. 8, Larry Flannigan/Nicole Flannigan, Kaneohe, Hawaii, 1,093. 9, Jeremy Wininger/Jacob Wininger, Georgetown, Texas, 1,091. 10, Edward Baiz Jr./David Baiz, Granger, Ind., 1,082.
Singles
(Averages of 155 and below)
1, Ron Hilliard, Lancaster, Calif., 665. 2, Hunter Reber, Cedar City, Utah, 657. 3, Edwin Humbert, Strasburg, Colo., 644. 4(tie), Dean Crick, Waddell, Ariz., and Benjamin Tingue, Stafford, Va., 636. 6, Billy Duvall, Bloomington, Ind., 633. 7, David Granados, El Centro, Calif., 632. 8, Chad Clapp, Casa Grande, Ariz., 630. 9, Travis Spier, Sioux Falls, S.D., 629. 10, Carl Schwabe, Waynetown, Ind., 628.
All Events
(Averages of 155 and below)
1, Ronald Hilliard, Lancaster, Calif., 1,824. 2, Bruce Heekin, Woodinville, Wash., 1,744. 3, Carl Schwabe, Waynetown, Ind., 1,730. 4, Zachary Watson, Thornton, Colo., 1,728. 5(tie), Jose Ruiz, Brighton, Colo., and Drew Manor, Winona, Minn., 1,723. 7. Edmund Manning, Pahrump, Nev., 1,718. 8, Brock Green, Plymouth, Minn., 1,707. 9, Adam Mojica, Chicago, 1,706. 10, Billy Duvall, Bloomington, Ind., 1,703.
United States Bowling Congress
The United States Bowling Congress serves as the national governing body of bowling as recognized by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC). USBC conducts championship events nationwide including the largest participation sporting events in the world – the USBC Open and Women’s Championships – and professional events such as the USBC Masters and USBC Queens.
Founded in 1895, today USBC and its 1,519 state and local associations proudly serve more than a million members. USBC is headquartered in Arlington, Texas, working toward a future for the sport. The online home for USBC is BOWL.com.
