By By Mike Carson / bowling columnist
April 20, 2004
The first "Relay for Life" Benefit 9-Pin No Tap Tournament has been set for Monday, May 17 and Tuesday, May 18 at 6:30 p.m. Teams will consist of two Relay for Life team members and one league bowler chosen at random from those who sign up to participate. Tournament Director Jason Pierce encourages all league bowlers to enlist in this worthwhile cause. You may take part both nights or just once. The number of teams participating depends largely on the number of league bowlers we have who sign up. The entry fee is $10 per person and the payout will be one in six. The prize money awarded to winners goes toward their team's Relay for Life total. The entry deadline for each squad will be 6:15 p.m. both nights. We would love to see our bowlers show their support for this very worthwhile cause. Please contact Jason and sign up. Let's show Meridian that bowlers care too.
The Dixie Belle league will be concluding their season this week with their championship roll off. Other leagues will be winding down in the next two to four weeks. With this in mind, check out the summer league schedule posted at Dixie Bowl. The 11-week season is an excellent chance for new bowlers to "get their feet wet" and see what league bowling is all about. Pick up a schedule and let any of the staff sign you up.
One near miss and one that didn't miss were the highlights of last week's action on the lanes. Keith Fike came oh-so-close with 11 strikes in a row before a light hit on the final ball came up a bit shy to leave him closing out with a 296 game. Keith has had a couple of shots at perfection this year and I have no doubt he will claim his spot on the wall in the future. We all know how hard that first one is to collect so keep up the good work, Keith. In the meantime, Tim Van Doren has been in the zone for a while and collected his ninth career 300 game during action in the Hucklebuck league on Monday night. It was his third perfect game in less than six weeks. You may remember he also grabbed two during the City Tournament in late February.
Congratulations to both of these bowlers and we look for more from them in the future. It's good to see Andrew Clayton getting back in the groove after undergoing knee surgery early in the season. His 745 last week was second only to Mike Cothern's 749 set. Leon Fike has been hot lately and chalked up two 7s last week, a 700 and a 734. Rodney Bounds chalked up a nice 725 while David Daw carded his first 700 of the season with a 714. Steve Eastman ran up a 711, Tyrone McAlpine pounded out a 712 and John Lott snuck in the door with a 701. Just to show that age doesn't matter, Meridian's most senior of Senior Bowlers at the age of 97 Jamie Hagwood claimed a 166 Triplicate during action in the Senior Citizens league. It just goes to show there is always something to look forward to.
On the ladies side, the big news came from the Monday Nighters league when Janie Tisdale, a.k.a. The Kemper County Flash, scored big with the first 700 of the season for the ladies by crushing out a 268, 232 and a 204 for a 704. Memory fails me when it comes to the last 700 for the ladies but I am fairly positive in saying it has been over a year. Maybe somebody can help me out on that. Nevertheless, it was an outstanding performance and I am sure you join me in congratulating Janie on a job well done. Shelia Dearman also claimed a nice series last week using games of 222 and 224 to record a nice 660 while Matar McClinton carded a 608. Shirley Gaines topped out the list with a nice 246 game. Congratulations go out to Janet Smith of the Dixie Belles league. The 149-average bowler claimed her first deuce with a nice 214 game and was last seen in the clouds.