South Carolina bowler rolls perfect game at USBC Open Championships
06/26/08
Many bowlers in pursuit of that elusive perfect game at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships strive year after year to better themselves and build on previous tournament experiences so that maybe one day, they too, can claim the ultimate achievement on the tournament lanes.
On Monday, Philipp Hudak of Columbia S.C., reached the milestone in only his second USBC Open Championships appearance and posted the 27th 300 of this year's tournament at the Albuquerque Convention Center.
His family and friends call him 'the machine' because he is so mechanical in his approach to the lanes, and years of hard work paid off as he rolled games of 202, 300 and 155 for a 657 series and helped Damage 1 of Columbia, S.C., to a 3,001 team total.
"I didn't do this alone," said Hudak, a 23-year-old right-hander and senior at the University of South Carolina. "I owe a lot to many others. My dad, Brian Hudak, got me started in bowling when I was 8 years old, and many others encouraged me and helped me get to where I am right now. Even my younger brother, Paul, pushes me. We all love it, and the whole family, even my grandparents, enjoy the sport and being together. We bowl in league every Tuesday night and just the fun of being together is what it is all about."
Hudak soon will graduate with a degree in civil engineering to go along with his machine-like methods in his approach to bowling, which has helped him to two successful years at the Open Championships. After a 1,913 all-events total in his debut at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev., last year, Hudak added 678 in doubles and 569 in singles this year for a 1,904 all-events effort.
"I'm really enjoying the whole tournament here in Albuquerque," Hudak said. "Even though my family could not travel with me for the tournament, I know my brother is watching me on the Internet, and I hope my mom, Kathy Manor, is watching, too. People say I didn't look nervous, but let me tell you, I was. Right now, I am still nervous, I mean look at the game right after the 300. I was still nervous about what just happened. I can hardly wait for next year. This is fun, and I like everything about it, especially the friends you make when you get out here and bowl. Everyone is rooting for you to make it."
Presenting sponsors for the 2008 USBC Open Championships are Eldorado Hotel Casino, Silver Legacy Resort Casino and Circus Circus Reno in Reno, Nev. Other participating sponsors are Kegel, official lane maintenance provider; Brunswick, capital equipment supplier; Storm Products, Inc.; Roto Grip, official sponsor of the Roto Grip Sport Bowling Challenge; Isleta Casino & Resort; Santa Ana Star Casino, the official brackets sponsor; Rainbow Ryders, the exclusive hot air balloon company of the 2008 Open Championships; and Sandia Resort & Casino.
Albuquerque Convention Center, Albuquerque, N.M.
Top 10 division leaders with hometown and pinfalls
Team
1, Team Tilt (Thomas Ault Jr., Russ Wilson, Chris Greene, Joe Keltner, Jay Futrell), Lawrence, Kan., 3,374. 2, Turbo Grips 1, Chesterfield, Mich., 3,308. 3, Rhino for President, Pleasant View, Utah, 3,298. 4, Bowlingfordumdums.com, Pritchett, Colo., 3,284. 5, Bluemound Bowl, Milwaukee, Wis., 3,268. 6, Ballard's Bowling Solution 1, North Richland Hills, Texas, 3,258. 7, Bowlers Universe 1, Rockford, Ill., 3,249. 8, Bluegrass Bowling & Golf, Lexington, Ky., 3,244. 9, Woody's, Mulvane, Kan., 3,239. 10, Marcor Technologies, Gaylord, Mich., 3,235.
Doubles
1, John Socha, Oak Creek, Wis./Dennis Rakauskas, Apopka, Fla., 1,467. 2, Skip Wolfe, Dixon, Ill./Tom Carter, Rockford, Ill., 1,462. 3, Robert Slayton, Apple Valley, Minn./Jason Lutgen, Brooklyn Park, Minn., 1,445. 4, Todd Koehler, Appleton, Minn./Doug Blood, Montevideo, Minn., 1,444. 5, Erik Mattingly, Puyallup, Wash./Robert Hanson, Tacoma, Wash., 1,441. 6, Ted Baer/Josh Edenburn, Omaha, Neb., 1,439. 7, Steven Levering, Landisville, Pa./Jim Rutherford, Coatesville, Pa., 1,428. 8, Ron Case, Oakley, Calif./Sam Carter, Ben Lomond, Calif., 1,422. 9, Mike Granberg, Batavia, Ill./Dave Rodak, Naperville, Ill., 1,419. 10, Ward Mocaby/Steve Elson, Wichita, Kan., 1,416.
Singles
1, Bryan Young, Everett, Wash., 832. 2, Jason Price, Grand Island, Neb., 817. 3, Wilbert Moorer, Dover, Del., 784. 4, Warren Crawford, McKinleyville, Calif., 779. 5, William Uthoff, O'Fallon, Mo., 775. 6 (tie), Larry Aldridge, Aurora, Colo., and Alexander Shand, Myrtle Beach, S.C., 774. 8, Alan Pecora, Drums, Pa., 773. 9, Ryan Shepherd, Collinsville, Va., 769. 10, Don Pyle, Wilmington, Del., 768.
All-Events
1, Jay Futrell, Derby, Kan., 2,183. 2, Bryan Young, Everett, Wash., 2,165. 3, Mike Rose Jr., Rochester, N.Y., 2,161. 4, Randy Weiss, Columbia, S.C., 2,160. 5, Warren Crawford, McKinleyville, Calif., 2,159. 6, Brian Kjergaard, Fulton, Ill., 2,147. 7, Edward Gallagher, Clarksville, Tenn., 2,141. 8, Todd Fenske, Weston, Wis., 2,132. 9, Chris Gibbons, Madison, Wis., 2,122. 10, Don Pyle, Wilmington, Del., 2,118.
Team All-Events
1, Team Tilt (Thomas Ault Jr., Russ Wilson, Chris Greene, Joe Keltner, Jay Futrell), Lawrence, Kan., 9,986. 2, Team Pabst, Madison, Wis., 9,977. 3, MoRich Enterprises, West Bend, Wis., 9,901. 4, Rhino for President, Pleasant View, Utah, 9,801. 5, Bowlingfordumdums.com, Pritchett, Colo., 9,794. 6 (tie), S & B Pro Shop 2, Sterling Heights, Mich., and Pam's Boys 1, Salem, Ore., 9,736. 8, Sack Toe, Sacramento, Calif., 9,717. 9, Pollard's Bowl, Versailles, Ind., 9,708. 10, J & S Auto Supply Inc., Valparaiso, Ind., 9,684.
Top 10 division leaders with hometown and pinfalls
Team
1, Cardinal Lanes (Edward Hitschmann, Mike Steinert, Reuben Flagor, Tim Higgins, Gary Boxberger), 2,804. 2, Lake Country Rollers 1, Clarissa, Minn., 2,799. 3, T-Rays, Jamestown, N.D., 2,795. 4, Garden Center Lanes 2, Alexandria, Minn., 2,789. 5, D&H Glass, Harrison, Ark., 2,787. 6, Plattsburgh Bowl, Plattsburgh, Mo., 2,773. 7, Sego Electric, Clarion, Iowa, 2,759. 8, Pla-Mor Lanes 5, New Weston, Ohio, 2,750. 9, Lady Pros, Albuquerque, N.M., 2,748. 10, Firenab 2, Lincoln, Neb., 2,745.
Doubles
1, Jacqueline Snyder/Bill Calhoon, Cooksville, Ill., 1,282. 2, Janet Vaccari/Joe Vaccari, Gillette, Wyo., 1,255. 3, Frank Smyle Jr., Reeder, N.D./Jesse Smyle, Bowman, N.D., 1,240. 4, James Whisenhant, Robertsdale, Ala./Dean Swindle, Foley, Ala., 1,237. 5, William Palmer, Sussex, Wis./Henry Dotson, McCool, Miss., 1,220. 6, Daryl Peake, Mount Holly, N.C./Bob Butts, Charlotte, N.C., 1,207. 7, Ron Schara, Big Timber, Mont./Tom Schara, Rio Rancho, N.M., 1,205. 8, Arthur King, Grass Valley, Calif./Sandy Wagner, Loomis, Calif., 1,203. 9, Jim Kohlman, St. Paul, Minn./Michael Roscoe, White Bear Lake, Minn., 1,196. 10, Judy Waliczek, Pflugerville, Texas/Christopher Brown, Jonesboro, Ark, 1,192.
Singles
1, Jeremy Noland, Chelsea, Okla., 696. 2, Daniel Dabkowski, Columbia, S.C., 688. 3 (tie), Brian Washington, Hopewell, Va., and Tim Hoffpauir, New Iberia, La., 676. 5, Tim Wagner, Hardin, Mont., 669. 6, Jeffrey Kistler, Marion, Ind., 668. 7, John Zapalac, Bishop, Texas, 662. 8, Randy Gaines, Austin, Minn., 658. 9, Ed Wethington, Poplar Grove, Ill., 657. 10 (tie), Dale Fuller, Otter Lake, Mich., and Bill Ingram, Aloha, Ore., 648.
All-Events
1, Daniel Dabkowski, Columbia, S.C., 1,857. 2, Bill Calhoon, Cooksville, Ill., 1,852. 3, Daryl Peake, Mount Holly, N.C., 1,849. 4, John Millet Jr., Greenland, N.H., 1,821. 5, Troy Schultz, Clarion, Iowa, 1,820. 6, Dave Lisson, Browerville, Minn., 1,815. 7, Kenny DeYoung, Valley Springs, Ark., 1,805. 8, Kenny Halsted, Harrison, Ark., 1,805. 9, John Victor, Rockford, Ill., 1,794. 10, Glenn Shields, Bowling Green, Ohio, 1,791.
United States
Albuquerque Convention Center in Albuquerque, NM, United States (Feb. 16 - July 7, 2008)
Many bowlers in pursuit of that elusive perfect game at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships strive year after year to better themselves and build on previous tournament experiences so that maybe one day, they too, can claim the ultimate achievement on the tournament lanes.On Monday, Philipp Hudak of Columbia S.C., reached the milestone in only his second USBC Open Championships appearance and posted the 27th 300 of this year's tournament at the Albuquerque Convention Center.
His family and friends call him 'the machine' because he is so mechanical in his approach to the lanes, and years of hard work paid off as he rolled games of 202, 300 and 155 for a 657 series and helped Damage 1 of Columbia, S.C., to a 3,001 team total.
"I didn't do this alone," said Hudak, a 23-year-old right-hander and senior at the University of South Carolina. "I owe a lot to many others. My dad, Brian Hudak, got me started in bowling when I was 8 years old, and many others encouraged me and helped me get to where I am right now. Even my younger brother, Paul, pushes me. We all love it, and the whole family, even my grandparents, enjoy the sport and being together. We bowl in league every Tuesday night and just the fun of being together is what it is all about."
Hudak soon will graduate with a degree in civil engineering to go along with his machine-like methods in his approach to bowling, which has helped him to two successful years at the Open Championships. After a 1,913 all-events total in his debut at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev., last year, Hudak added 678 in doubles and 569 in singles this year for a 1,904 all-events effort.
"I'm really enjoying the whole tournament here in Albuquerque," Hudak said. "Even though my family could not travel with me for the tournament, I know my brother is watching me on the Internet, and I hope my mom, Kathy Manor, is watching, too. People say I didn't look nervous, but let me tell you, I was. Right now, I am still nervous, I mean look at the game right after the 300. I was still nervous about what just happened. I can hardly wait for next year. This is fun, and I like everything about it, especially the friends you make when you get out here and bowl. Everyone is rooting for you to make it."
Presenting sponsors for the 2008 USBC Open Championships are Eldorado Hotel Casino, Silver Legacy Resort Casino and Circus Circus Reno in Reno, Nev. Other participating sponsors are Kegel, official lane maintenance provider; Brunswick, capital equipment supplier; Storm Products, Inc.; Roto Grip, official sponsor of the Roto Grip Sport Bowling Challenge; Isleta Casino & Resort; Santa Ana Star Casino, the official brackets sponsor; Rainbow Ryders, the exclusive hot air balloon company of the 2008 Open Championships; and Sandia Resort & Casino. 2008 USBC Open Championships
Albuquerque Convention Center, Albuquerque, N.M.
REGULAR DIVISION
Top 10 division leaders with hometown and pinfalls
Team
1, Team Tilt (Thomas Ault Jr., Russ Wilson, Chris Greene, Joe Keltner, Jay Futrell), Lawrence, Kan., 3,374. 2, Turbo Grips 1, Chesterfield, Mich., 3,308. 3, Rhino for President, Pleasant View, Utah, 3,298. 4, Bowlingfordumdums.com, Pritchett, Colo., 3,284. 5, Bluemound Bowl, Milwaukee, Wis., 3,268. 6, Ballard's Bowling Solution 1, North Richland Hills, Texas, 3,258. 7, Bowlers Universe 1, Rockford, Ill., 3,249. 8, Bluegrass Bowling & Golf, Lexington, Ky., 3,244. 9, Woody's, Mulvane, Kan., 3,239. 10, Marcor Technologies, Gaylord, Mich., 3,235.
Doubles
1, John Socha, Oak Creek, Wis./Dennis Rakauskas, Apopka, Fla., 1,467. 2, Skip Wolfe, Dixon, Ill./Tom Carter, Rockford, Ill., 1,462. 3, Robert Slayton, Apple Valley, Minn./Jason Lutgen, Brooklyn Park, Minn., 1,445. 4, Todd Koehler, Appleton, Minn./Doug Blood, Montevideo, Minn., 1,444. 5, Erik Mattingly, Puyallup, Wash./Robert Hanson, Tacoma, Wash., 1,441. 6, Ted Baer/Josh Edenburn, Omaha, Neb., 1,439. 7, Steven Levering, Landisville, Pa./Jim Rutherford, Coatesville, Pa., 1,428. 8, Ron Case, Oakley, Calif./Sam Carter, Ben Lomond, Calif., 1,422. 9, Mike Granberg, Batavia, Ill./Dave Rodak, Naperville, Ill., 1,419. 10, Ward Mocaby/Steve Elson, Wichita, Kan., 1,416.
Singles
1, Bryan Young, Everett, Wash., 832. 2, Jason Price, Grand Island, Neb., 817. 3, Wilbert Moorer, Dover, Del., 784. 4, Warren Crawford, McKinleyville, Calif., 779. 5, William Uthoff, O'Fallon, Mo., 775. 6 (tie), Larry Aldridge, Aurora, Colo., and Alexander Shand, Myrtle Beach, S.C., 774. 8, Alan Pecora, Drums, Pa., 773. 9, Ryan Shepherd, Collinsville, Va., 769. 10, Don Pyle, Wilmington, Del., 768.
All-Events
1, Jay Futrell, Derby, Kan., 2,183. 2, Bryan Young, Everett, Wash., 2,165. 3, Mike Rose Jr., Rochester, N.Y., 2,161. 4, Randy Weiss, Columbia, S.C., 2,160. 5, Warren Crawford, McKinleyville, Calif., 2,159. 6, Brian Kjergaard, Fulton, Ill., 2,147. 7, Edward Gallagher, Clarksville, Tenn., 2,141. 8, Todd Fenske, Weston, Wis., 2,132. 9, Chris Gibbons, Madison, Wis., 2,122. 10, Don Pyle, Wilmington, Del., 2,118.
Team All-Events
1, Team Tilt (Thomas Ault Jr., Russ Wilson, Chris Greene, Joe Keltner, Jay Futrell), Lawrence, Kan., 9,986. 2, Team Pabst, Madison, Wis., 9,977. 3, MoRich Enterprises, West Bend, Wis., 9,901. 4, Rhino for President, Pleasant View, Utah, 9,801. 5, Bowlingfordumdums.com, Pritchett, Colo., 9,794. 6 (tie), S & B Pro Shop 2, Sterling Heights, Mich., and Pam's Boys 1, Salem, Ore., 9,736. 8, Sack Toe, Sacramento, Calif., 9,717. 9, Pollard's Bowl, Versailles, Ind., 9,708. 10, J & S Auto Supply Inc., Valparaiso, Ind., 9,684.
CLASSIFIED DIVISION
Top 10 division leaders with hometown and pinfalls
Team
1, Cardinal Lanes (Edward Hitschmann, Mike Steinert, Reuben Flagor, Tim Higgins, Gary Boxberger), 2,804. 2, Lake Country Rollers 1, Clarissa, Minn., 2,799. 3, T-Rays, Jamestown, N.D., 2,795. 4, Garden Center Lanes 2, Alexandria, Minn., 2,789. 5, D&H Glass, Harrison, Ark., 2,787. 6, Plattsburgh Bowl, Plattsburgh, Mo., 2,773. 7, Sego Electric, Clarion, Iowa, 2,759. 8, Pla-Mor Lanes 5, New Weston, Ohio, 2,750. 9, Lady Pros, Albuquerque, N.M., 2,748. 10, Firenab 2, Lincoln, Neb., 2,745.
Doubles
1, Jacqueline Snyder/Bill Calhoon, Cooksville, Ill., 1,282. 2, Janet Vaccari/Joe Vaccari, Gillette, Wyo., 1,255. 3, Frank Smyle Jr., Reeder, N.D./Jesse Smyle, Bowman, N.D., 1,240. 4, James Whisenhant, Robertsdale, Ala./Dean Swindle, Foley, Ala., 1,237. 5, William Palmer, Sussex, Wis./Henry Dotson, McCool, Miss., 1,220. 6, Daryl Peake, Mount Holly, N.C./Bob Butts, Charlotte, N.C., 1,207. 7, Ron Schara, Big Timber, Mont./Tom Schara, Rio Rancho, N.M., 1,205. 8, Arthur King, Grass Valley, Calif./Sandy Wagner, Loomis, Calif., 1,203. 9, Jim Kohlman, St. Paul, Minn./Michael Roscoe, White Bear Lake, Minn., 1,196. 10, Judy Waliczek, Pflugerville, Texas/Christopher Brown, Jonesboro, Ark, 1,192.
Singles
1, Jeremy Noland, Chelsea, Okla., 696. 2, Daniel Dabkowski, Columbia, S.C., 688. 3 (tie), Brian Washington, Hopewell, Va., and Tim Hoffpauir, New Iberia, La., 676. 5, Tim Wagner, Hardin, Mont., 669. 6, Jeffrey Kistler, Marion, Ind., 668. 7, John Zapalac, Bishop, Texas, 662. 8, Randy Gaines, Austin, Minn., 658. 9, Ed Wethington, Poplar Grove, Ill., 657. 10 (tie), Dale Fuller, Otter Lake, Mich., and Bill Ingram, Aloha, Ore., 648.
All-Events
1, Daniel Dabkowski, Columbia, S.C., 1,857. 2, Bill Calhoon, Cooksville, Ill., 1,852. 3, Daryl Peake, Mount Holly, N.C., 1,849. 4, John Millet Jr., Greenland, N.H., 1,821. 5, Troy Schultz, Clarion, Iowa, 1,820. 6, Dave Lisson, Browerville, Minn., 1,815. 7, Kenny DeYoung, Valley Springs, Ark., 1,805. 8, Kenny Halsted, Harrison, Ark., 1,805. 9, John Victor, Rockford, Ill., 1,794. 10, Glenn Shields, Bowling Green, Ohio, 1,791.