Three-time United States Bowling Congress Open Championships titlist John Socha of Oak Creek, Wis., and two-time winner Jay Futrell (pictured left) of Derby, Kan., headlined the first group of defending champions in town to put their titles on the line at Cashman Center this year. While neither will leave Las Vegas in position to win for the second consecutive time, they both have a greater appreciation for what they accomplished last year in Albuquerque, N.M., and they were reminded just how difficult it is to find success on bowling's biggest stage.
Cashman Center in Las Vegas, Nev., United States (Feb. 21 - July 24, 2009)
In 1974, Olympia Beer of Omaha, Neb., bounced back from a rough
start at the USBC Open Championships and
fired two big games on the way to the Regular Team title. After claiming the prestigious championship, the team members parted ways and never defended their crown. On Tuesday evening, the five Olympia Beer bowlers, Gary Wilson, Jim Rood, Bob Lane, Boyd Hayden and Tom Kelley Sr., reunited on the lanes at Cashman Center to celebrate the 35th anniversary of their title.
Cashman Center in Las Vegas, Nev., United States (Feb. 21 - July 24, 2009)
This week, Dennis Rakauskas (right) of Apopka, Fla., will make his first appearance at the USBC Open Championships as a tournament champion.
For a brief moment Wednesday night, all eyes will be on Rakauskas and John Socha (left) of Oak Creek, Wis., as they celebrate their 2008 Regular Doubles title with an escorted march down Center Aisle before their team event. The Regular Team and Regular All-Events titles also will be on the line this week at Cashman Center.
Cashman Center in Las Vegas, Nev., United States (Feb. 21 - July 24, 2009)
During his USBC Open Championships debut in 1998, Michael Burns (pictured) of El Cajon, Calif., started a game with eight consecutive strikes before a 10 pin ended his run at perfection. Another bowler on the same squad rolled one of 17 perfect games that year at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev. Burns never forgot that experience and even talked about it recently with his teammates. On Monday, Burns got a second chance at perfection on bowling's biggest stage and finished it off for the 23rd 300 game of the 2009 USBC Open Championships.
Cashman Center in Las Vegas, Nev., United States (Feb. 21 - July 24, 2009)
Jeff Hart (pictured) of Columbus, Ohio, had his father by his side when he made his United States Bowling Congress Open Championships debut 18 years ago, and the two were together on the lanes again Thursday when Hart rolled the 22nd perfect game of this year's event. The USBC Open Championships has become an annual destination for Hart and his father, Thomas Hart of Morgantown, W.Va. They spend a week each year bowling, golfing and catching up since they live three hours apart. The two paired up for doubles at Cashman Center on Thursday, and Thomas was there with words of encouragement as his son closed out the event with 12 consecutive strikes.
Cashman Center in Las Vegas, Nev., United States (Feb. 21 - July 24, 2009)
Vernon Daniels (pictured) of Bermuda wasn't overly satisfied with his performance at the 2009 USBC Congress Open Championships. Despite his disappointment after sub-500 efforts in team and doubles, Daniels had actually taken the lead in Classified Singles with games of 236, 224 and 232 for a 692 series. Ed Gronski of Mulkeytown, Ill., previously held the lead with 687. Daniels started with a 484 series in team and added 474 in doubles
Thursday morning at Cashman Center. After doubles, he realized that
what he was doing wasn't working, so he moved to where he felt
comfortable, and everything fell into place.
Cashman Center in Las Vegas, Nev., United States (Feb. 21 - July 24, 2009)
With butterflies in his stomach, Clyde Buggs of Janesville, Wis., made his 50th tournament appearance at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships on Monday. The 77-year-old right-hander was excited to celebrate the milestone in one of his favorite cities, but he did not expect all of the attention he received as the man of the hour at Cashman Center. Reaching 50 years at the Open Championships immediately became Buggs'
favorite tournament experience and has him excited about attending many
more.
Cashman Center in Las Vegas, Nev., United States (Feb. 21 - July 24, 2009)
Les Berry of Wooster, Ohio, and Bud Stoudt of Lebanon, Pa., each reached personal milestones at the USBC Open Championships this weekend. Berry (l.), the tournament's active participation leader, made his 66th tournament appearance and became the newest member of the elite 100,000-Pin Club, while Stoudt (r.) competed in the event for the 50th time. Late USBC Hall of Famer Joe Norris of San Diego tops the all-time
pinfall list with 123,770, which he accumulated in a record-tying 71
tournament appearances.
Cashman Center in Las Vegas, Nev., United States (Feb. 21 - July 24, 2009)
Ed Gronski (pictured) of Mulkeytown, Ill., waited for the perfect time to put together his best series in nearly 20 years at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships. The 66-year-old right-hander posted games of 197, 245 and 245 for a 687 series and moved into the top spot in Classified Singles at Cashman Center on Sunday. It was the second-highest series of his USBC Open Championships career and moved him past Dennis Tomhave of Vermillion, S.D., and Tom Hammack of Jenks, Okla., who previously led with 679.
Cashman Center in Las Vegas, Nev., United States (Feb. 21 - July 24, 2009)
For the first time in almost 11 weeks, there is a new leader in Classified Team at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships. K&K Bowling Services 11 of Las Vegas put together games of 877, 952 and 984 for a 2,813 total at Cashman Center on Tuesday and moved past Malad Gun Club of Malad City, Idaho, which previously held the lead with 2,745. Now that the hard part is over, K&K Bowling Services 11 will have
to sit back and wait until the tournament concludes its record 154-day
run on July 24.
Cashman Center in Las Vegas, Nev., United States (Feb. 21 - July 24, 2009)
With summer right around the corner, the mercury is on the rise in Las Vegas, but the temperature isn't the only thing that's been red hot in the Entertainment Capital of the World this week. Bowlers have been blistering the pins at the USBC Open Championships, and three competitors accounted for four honor scores at Cashman Center in a 20-hour period beginning Sunday afternoon. The first was Joe Ciach (pictured left) of Mississauga, Ontario, a seven-time member of Team Canada who rolled the 20th perfect game of this year's championships during the afternoon team event Sunday.
Cashman Center in Las Vegas, Nev., United States (Feb. 21 - July 24, 2009)
The 2009 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships reached its halfway point Friday. The first 77 days of the event featured a fair share of excitement and record-breaking performances that will be hard to top before the tournament concludes on July 24. The tournament began its record 154-day run on Feb. 21 as the first of more than 86,000 bowlers took to the lanes at Cashman Center. With 17,200 teams scheduled to compete, it is the lsecond-largest in history.
Cashman Center in Las Vegas, Nev., United States (Feb. 21 - July 24, 2009)
Derek Sapp of Keokuk, Iowa, has enjoyed a successful career at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, but his time on the tournament lanes came to a bittersweet end at Cashman Center on Friday. Because he will be an exempt player on the Lumber Liquidators Professional Bowlers Association Tour next season, Sapp will not be eligible to compete at the USBC Open Championships. Once his Tour career is over, he will be able to return. Sapp has found regular success at the Open Championships and entered
the year as the tournament's 10-year average leader with 224.47.
Cashman Center in Las Vegas, Nev., United States (Feb. 21 - July 24, 2009)
Frank Boehm Jr. proved that his two-day car ride from Canada to the 2009 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships was more than worth it as he moved into second place in Classified All-Events on Thursday. Boehm, who hails from the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, started off strong with a 650 series in team Wednesday afternoon at Cashman Center and added 607 in singles and 561 in doubles for a 1,818 all-events total. Anthony Kastle of Charlotte, N.C., leads Classified All-Events with 1,834.
Cashman Center in Las Vegas, Nev., United States (Feb. 21 - July 24, 2009)
Earlier this week, Raymond Smoot of Greenwood, Ind., was packing his suitcase, and the only thing on his mind was his upcoming trip to the USBC Open Championships. All of that changed when his wife, Maxine, fell and injured herself Wednesday, and bowling quickly became less of a priority. Smoot wanted to cancel his trip and stay home to take care of her, but she insisted that he not miss his day in the tournament spotlight. Smoot made the journey to Las Vegas as requested, and on Friday, he became the 105th bowler in history to make 50 appearances at the USBC Open Championships.
Cashman Center in Las Vegas, Nev., United States (Feb. 21 - July 24, 2009)
Lonnie Thielbar of Fargo, N.D., made his first United States Bowling Congress Open Championships appearance at the 1986 event in Las Vegas when he was just 19 years old. Thielbar's debut was the lowest scoring of his 21 trips to the event, but he made up for it when he returned to Cashman Center 23 years later and rolled the 19th perfect game of the 2009 USBC Open Championships. The 42-year-old right-hander started slowly, but everything came together in his final game.
There have been some memorable performances and record-breaking scores at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships in the past week, and Kevin Shafer of Eaton, Ind., added to the excitement with the highest triplicate score in tournament history. The 35-year-old right-hander rolled three consecutive 248 games on the way to a 744 singles series at Cashman Center on Tuesday night. He topped the previous mark set by Alan Hardesty of Chicago, who tossed three straight 247 games during his singles event in 1993.
Cashman Center in Las Vegas, Nev., United States (Feb. 21 - July 24, 2009)
Like any meticulous bowler, Gordon Kilpatrick of Waterloo, Iowa, traveled to the 2009 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships with a map in his mind of what he wanted to accomplish on the lanes this year. Not everything goes according to plan, however, and even though the 55-year-old right-hander didn't reach the two goals he had in mind, he did post the 18th perfect game of the tournament. Kilpatrick started his 2009 tournament campaign with a 624 series in team and 632 in doubles before things really came together.
Cashman Center in Las Vegas, Nev., United States (Feb. 21 - July 24, 2009)
Two teams of former University of Nebraska bowlers, Richard Volhard (pictured left) of Marathon, Wis., and Kyle Shunkwiler (right) of Lincoln, Neb., took to the lanes at the USBC Open Championships this weekend, and tossed the 16th and 17th perfect games of this year's USBC Open Championships. Volhard's 300 came in his last game of doubles, while Shunkwiler saved his for his final game of singles.
Cashman Center in Las Vegas, Nev., United States (Feb. 21 - July 24, 2009)
Sean Riccardi of Piscataway, N.J., finished 12th at the Lumber Liquidators U.S. Open earlier this month and walked into the 2009 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships with a little extra confidence. The 34-year-old right-hander was at his best again this weekend as he rolled the 15th perfect game of this year's USBC Open Championships and cracked the top five in Regular Singles and Regular All-Events.
Three-time United States Bowling Congress Open Championships titlist John Socha of Oak Creek, Wis., and two-time winner Jay Futrell (pictured left) of Derby, Kan., headlined the first group of defending champions in town to put their titles on the line at Cashman Center this year. While neither will leave Las Vegas in position to win for the second consecutive time, they both have a greater appreciation for what they accomplished last year in Albuquerque, N.M., and they were reminded just how difficult it is to find success on bowling's biggest stage.
In 1974, Olympia Beer of Omaha, Neb., bounced back from a rough
start at the USBC Open Championships and
fired two big games on the way to the Regular Team title. After claiming the prestigious championship, the team members parted ways and never defended their crown. On Tuesday evening, the five Olympia Beer bowlers, Gary Wilson, Jim Rood, Bob Lane, Boyd Hayden and Tom Kelley Sr., reunited on the lanes at Cashman Center to celebrate the 35th anniversary of their title. 
This week, Dennis Rakauskas (right) of Apopka, Fla., will make his first appearance at the USBC Open Championships as a tournament champion.
For a brief moment Wednesday night, all eyes will be on Rakauskas and John Socha (left) of Oak Creek, Wis., as they celebrate their 2008 Regular Doubles title with an escorted march down Center Aisle before their team event. The Regular Team and Regular All-Events titles also will be on the line this week at Cashman Center.
During his USBC Open Championships debut in 1998, Michael Burns (pictured) of El Cajon, Calif., started a game with eight consecutive strikes before a 10 pin ended his run at perfection. Another bowler on the same squad rolled one of 17 perfect games that year at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev. Burns never forgot that experience and even talked about it recently with his teammates. On Monday, Burns got a second chance at perfection on bowling's biggest stage and finished it off for the 23rd 300 game of the 2009 USBC Open Championships.
Jeff Hart (pictured) of Columbus, Ohio, had his father by his side when he made his United States Bowling Congress Open Championships debut 18 years ago, and the two were together on the lanes again Thursday when Hart rolled the 22nd perfect game of this year's event. The USBC Open Championships has become an annual destination for Hart and his father, Thomas Hart of Morgantown, W.Va. They spend a week each year bowling, golfing and catching up since they live three hours apart. The two paired up for doubles at Cashman Center on Thursday, and Thomas was there with words of encouragement as his son closed out the event with 12 consecutive strikes.
Vernon Daniels (pictured) of Bermuda wasn't overly satisfied with his performance at the 2009 USBC Congress Open Championships. Despite his disappointment after sub-500 efforts in team and doubles, Daniels had actually taken the lead in Classified Singles with games of 236, 224 and 232 for a 692 series. Ed Gronski of Mulkeytown, Ill., previously held the lead with 687. Daniels started with a 484 series in team and added 474 in doubles
Thursday morning at Cashman Center. After doubles, he realized that
what he was doing wasn't working, so he moved to where he felt
comfortable, and everything fell into place.
With butterflies in his stomach, Clyde Buggs of Janesville, Wis., made his 50th tournament appearance at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships on Monday. The 77-year-old right-hander was excited to celebrate the milestone in one of his favorite cities, but he did not expect all of the attention he received as the man of the hour at Cashman Center. Reaching 50 years at the Open Championships immediately became Buggs'
favorite tournament experience and has him excited about attending many
more.
Les Berry of Wooster, Ohio, and Bud Stoudt of Lebanon, Pa., each reached personal milestones at the USBC Open Championships this weekend. Berry (l.), the tournament's active participation leader, made his 66th tournament appearance and became the newest member of the elite 100,000-Pin Club, while Stoudt (r.) competed in the event for the 50th time. Late USBC Hall of Famer Joe Norris of San Diego tops the all-time
pinfall list with 123,770, which he accumulated in a record-tying 71
tournament appearances.
Ed Gronski (pictured) of Mulkeytown, Ill., waited for the perfect time to put together his best series in nearly 20 years at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships. The 66-year-old right-hander posted games of 197, 245 and 245 for a 687 series and moved into the top spot in Classified Singles at Cashman Center on Sunday. It was the second-highest series of his USBC Open Championships career and moved him past Dennis Tomhave of Vermillion, S.D., and Tom Hammack of Jenks, Okla., who previously led with 679.
For the first time in almost 11 weeks, there is a new leader in Classified Team at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships. K&K Bowling Services 11 of Las Vegas put together games of 877, 952 and 984 for a 2,813 total at Cashman Center on Tuesday and moved past Malad Gun Club of Malad City, Idaho, which previously held the lead with 2,745. Now that the hard part is over, K&K Bowling Services 11 will have
to sit back and wait until the tournament concludes its record 154-day
run on July 24.
With summer right around the corner, the mercury is on the rise in Las Vegas, but the temperature isn't the only thing that's been red hot in the Entertainment Capital of the World this week. Bowlers have been blistering the pins at the USBC Open Championships, and three competitors accounted for four honor scores at Cashman Center in a 20-hour period beginning Sunday afternoon. The first was Joe Ciach (pictured left) of Mississauga, Ontario, a seven-time member of Team Canada who rolled the 20th perfect game of this year's championships during the afternoon team event Sunday.
Derek Sapp of Keokuk, Iowa, has enjoyed a successful career at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, but his time on the tournament lanes came to a bittersweet end at Cashman Center on Friday. Because he will be an exempt player on the Lumber Liquidators Professional Bowlers Association Tour next season, Sapp will not be eligible to compete at the USBC Open Championships. Once his Tour career is over, he will be able to return. Sapp has found regular success at the Open Championships and entered
the year as the tournament's 10-year average leader with 224.47.
Frank Boehm Jr. proved that his two-day car ride from Canada to the 2009 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships was more than worth it as he moved into second place in Classified All-Events on Thursday. Boehm, who hails from the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, started off strong with a 650 series in team Wednesday afternoon at Cashman Center and added 607 in singles and 561 in doubles for a 1,818 all-events total. Anthony Kastle of Charlotte, N.C., leads Classified All-Events with 1,834.
Earlier this week, Raymond Smoot of Greenwood, Ind., was packing his suitcase, and the only thing on his mind was his upcoming trip to the USBC Open Championships. All of that changed when his wife, Maxine, fell and injured herself Wednesday, and bowling quickly became less of a priority. Smoot wanted to cancel his trip and stay home to take care of her, but she insisted that he not miss his day in the tournament spotlight. Smoot made the journey to Las Vegas as requested, and on Friday, he became the 105th bowler in history to make 50 appearances at the USBC Open Championships.
Lonnie Thielbar of Fargo, N.D., made his first United States Bowling Congress Open Championships appearance at the 1986 event in Las Vegas when he was just 19 years old. Thielbar's debut was the lowest scoring of his 21 trips to the event, but he made up for it when he returned to Cashman Center 23 years later and rolled the 19th perfect game of the 2009 USBC Open Championships. The 42-year-old right-hander started slowly, but everything came together in his final game.
There have been some memorable performances and record-breaking scores at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships in the past week, and Kevin Shafer of Eaton, Ind., added to the excitement with the highest triplicate score in tournament history. The 35-year-old right-hander rolled three consecutive 248 games on the way to a 744 singles series at Cashman Center on Tuesday night. He topped the previous mark set by Alan Hardesty of Chicago, who tossed three straight 247 games during his singles event in 1993.
Like any meticulous bowler, Gordon Kilpatrick of Waterloo, Iowa, traveled to the 2009 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships with a map in his mind of what he wanted to accomplish on the lanes this year. Not everything goes according to plan, however, and even though the 55-year-old right-hander didn't reach the two goals he had in mind, he did post the 18th perfect game of the tournament. Kilpatrick started his 2009 tournament campaign with a 624 series in team and 632 in doubles before things really came together.
Two teams of former University of Nebraska bowlers, Richard Volhard (pictured left) of Marathon, Wis., and Kyle Shunkwiler (right) of Lincoln, Neb., took to the lanes at the USBC Open Championships this weekend, and tossed the 16th and 17th perfect games of this year's USBC Open Championships. Volhard's 300 came in his last game of doubles, while Shunkwiler saved his for his final game of singles.
Sean Riccardi of Piscataway, N.J., finished 12th at the Lumber Liquidators U.S. Open earlier this month and walked into the 2009 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships with a little extra confidence. The 34-year-old right-hander was at his best again this weekend as he rolled the 15th perfect game of this year's USBC Open Championships and cracked the top five in Regular Singles and Regular All-Events.