By By Mike Carson / bowling columnist
June 4, 2002
The 55th Annual Mississippi State Bowling tournament will close out its' run in Meridian with the sixth and final weekend of competition this Saturday and Sunday. Scores have been good and the competition has been intense. We've seen some good bowling during the first five weeks and this weekend promises to be no exception. There are still some spots available in most shifts for the final weekend, so those of you who want to take some last minute shots at the top spots should get in touch with Tournament Director Jim Lacy at 601-582-8916.
By now most of you are aware that local bowler C.W. "Shine" Gray was voted into the Mississippi State Bowling Hall of Fame during the annual meeting on May 25. Shine will be officially inducted during the 2003 tournament which will be held at Rebel Lanes in Tupelo. Shine has been bowling for most of his 80 years and no one I know could be more deserving of this honor. His contribution to the sport extends far beyond the lanes themselves. His love for the game, and his generosity and support of all bowlers, both young and old, are unmatched. It is truly a fitting honor for a deserving gentleman. Congratulations, Shine. All of us in the Meridian bowling community salute you.
The conclusion of the Mississippi state tournament doesn't mean the action is done for the summer. June 15 &16 will see the State Games of Mississippi bowling competition at Dixie Bowl Lanes. Shift times are 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday and 12 noon and 2 p.m. Sunday. I also understand that an extra shift will be added Thursday evening for those who want to participate and can't make it for the weekend. However, no time has been set at this time. I hope to have more information on that next week. Bowlers will compete in their own class (ABC, WIBC, or YABA) against bowlers in their average division. Each class will have five separate divisions. All medals will be awarded following the conclusion of the last shift on Sunday, June 16. Reserved entry fees are $16 per person. Late entry will be allowed with an additional $5 up to 30 minutes prior to shift times on a space available basis. For more information or to obtain entry forms, contact Dixie Bowl Lanes at 483-2283 or Bernard Hoy at 482-2207.