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300 Game Timely For Father's Day

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By BOB AUSTIN Tribune correspondent

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 11, 2008

Jerry Caldwell has had bowling perfection staring him in the face several times before, but this time, when a 300 game finally became a reality, it meant so much more.

"When I receive my 300 ring from the United States Bowling Congress," said Caldwell, "I'm giving it to my dad for his Father's Day present."

You see, Caldwell's father is Tampa Bowling Association Hall of Famer (1984 selectee) Jim Caldwell, who, at age 87, is still knocking 'em dead on the lanes.

"My dad taught me how to bowl when I was 7," said Caldwell, who, at age 55, is actually a slight neophyte where bowling experience is concerned. "I bowled a couple of years during my 20s. I stopped bowling for a long time before taking the sport up again three years ago."

Caldwell's 300 was the middle game of a 756 series in the Oakfield Lanes Friday Night Ball and Chain League. It was sandwiched around games of 234 and 222.

Caldwell had begun several games in the past with nine straight strikes, but a nasty 10-pin leave on the 10th ball always seemed to stymie him.

"I wasn't nervous at all until the 12th ball," Caldwell said. "Then I was definitely nervous. And it didn't help that someone two lanes over decided to bowl at the same time.

"But that last ball was right in the 1-3 pocket."

Now that Jerry Caldwell has reached bowling's one-game pinnacle, he can take solace in the fact that if he does it again, he'll be one-up on his dad. This time, the ring stays home.

Not too far behind Caldwell at Oakfield Lanes was Michael Murkin with a 277-733 in the Thursday Nite Men's League.

Other scores for the men last week at Oakfield Lanes were Lou Bartkowski 266-717, Wes Prochaska 278-686, Kevin Wrobel 270-679, Carlos Rodgers 268-671, Rich DeVillier 268-647 and John Miller 268.

Stephanie Talley led the women with 223-603, followed by Gail Baxley 225-575, Bonnie Rundle 227-557, Carol Wrobel 225, Bertha Powell 225, Margie Wilkerson 225 and Barbara Bain 222.

BROWNSTEIN IS NO. 1: Tampa's Jerry Brownstein, who returned to bowling six years ago when smoking was outlawed inside most bowling centers, has found the clean air to his liking.

Brownstein, who was runner-up to Lou Caro in the 1961 City Match Play Championship when it was being held at the defunct Tampa Bowling Center on Grace Street, captured high average honors (233) in the Monday Night Businessmen's League at Countryside Lanes in Pinellas County.

En route, the smooth-throwing, left-handed 66-year-old rolled three perfect games and two 800 series, with the highest being 846. Since returning to 10-pin action in 2002, Brownstein has connected on nine 300s.

And one of Brownstein's teammates, Lou Alessi (232 average), is extremely proud of Brownstein's accomplishments, although Brownstein says Alessi detests southpaws.

AMF UNIVERSITY LANES: Chris Hickman's 278-745 paced the men, while Jodi Moores led the women with 211-571 last week.

Other good scores for the men were Matt McBride 245-645, David Beronda 234-643, Robert Albee 264-626 and David Positano 268-606. Behind Moores for the women were Sharon Bossick 193-547, Denise Jamerson 199-530 and Nezetta Page 186.

Send local bowling news to bobaustin@verizon.net.

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