Illinois bowler Andrew Mank rolls 900 series
03/27/10
United States
Andrew Mank (pictured) of Belleville, Ill. has joined an elite club becoming the 15th bowler in history to roll a United States Bowling Congress-approved 900 series.
"In the ninth frame of the third game I rang a 10 pin," Mank said. "Then a messenger came and took it out. Thank God."
Mank, 22, rolled 36 consecutive strikes March 18 in the Thursday Men's Handicap League at Bel-Air Bowl in Belleville. Everyone in the bowling center gathered behind lanes one and two to watch his final frames.
"The whole place went wild like a Cardinals baseball game," Bel-Air Bowl staff member Paulette McCullough said. "We were all so happy for him."
Mank, who started bowling at age 3, had several certified 300 games and 800 series to his credit heading into this season. Mank aspires to bowl professionally some day and said he is thrilled his league voted to be a USBC certified league allowing the accomplishment to go in the record books.
"I am glad it was certified," Mank said. "If it wasn't, who knows if it could ever happen for me again."
The first USBC approved 900 occurred Feb. 2, 1997 when Jeremy Sonnenfeld rolled three consecutive perfect games in Lincoln, Neb. There has never been a 900 on Sport Bowling lane conditions.
Mank said he will be looking for a PBA Experience USBC Sport league this summer in the hopes of being the first. "I love challenges," Mank said.
USBC Approved 900 Series
"In the ninth frame of the third game I rang a 10 pin," Mank said. "Then a messenger came and took it out. Thank God."
Mank, 22, rolled 36 consecutive strikes March 18 in the Thursday Men's Handicap League at Bel-Air Bowl in Belleville. Everyone in the bowling center gathered behind lanes one and two to watch his final frames.
"The whole place went wild like a Cardinals baseball game," Bel-Air Bowl staff member Paulette McCullough said. "We were all so happy for him."
Mank, who started bowling at age 3, had several certified 300 games and 800 series to his credit heading into this season. Mank aspires to bowl professionally some day and said he is thrilled his league voted to be a USBC certified league allowing the accomplishment to go in the record books.
"I am glad it was certified," Mank said. "If it wasn't, who knows if it could ever happen for me again."
The first USBC approved 900 occurred Feb. 2, 1997 when Jeremy Sonnenfeld rolled three consecutive perfect games in Lincoln, Neb. There has never been a 900 on Sport Bowling lane conditions.
Mank said he will be looking for a PBA Experience USBC Sport league this summer in the hopes of being the first. "I love challenges," Mank said.
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USBC Approved 900 Series
- Jeremy Sonnenfeld, Lincoln, Neb., Feb. 2, 1997
- Tony Roventini, Milwaukee, Nov. 9, 1998
- Vince Wood, Moreno Valley, Calif., Sept. 29, 1999
- Robby Portalatin, Jackson, Mich., Dec. 28, 2000
- James Hylton, Salem, Ore., May 2, 2001
- Jeff Campbell II, New Castle, Pa., June 12, 2004
- Darin Pomije, New Prague, Minn., Dec. 9, 2004
- Robert Mushtare, Fort Drum, N.Y., Dec. 5, 2005 and Feb. 19, 2006
- Lonnie Billiter Jr., Fairfield, Ohio, Feb. 13, 2006
- Mark Wukoman, Greenfield, Wis., April 22, 2006
- P.J. Giesfeldt, Milwaukee, Dec. 23, 2007
- Rich Jerome Jr., Baltimore, Dec. 22, 2008
- Chris Aker, Winnemucca, Nev., Oct. 30, 2009
- Andrew Teall, Medford, N.J., Nov. 2, 2009
- Andrew Mank, Belleville, Ill. March 18, 2010