Florida bowler marks 60th consecutive USBC Tournament
05/02/06
When Mini Tvaska rolled her first ball during the April 30 team competition of the United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships presented by the Eldorado, Silver Legacy and Circus Circus, she was making history.
Tvaska, 88, bowled her 60th consecutive tournament, an annual event she's participated in since 1947 at the first Women's Championships at Fanatorium Recreation in Grand Rapids, Mich. The 2006 USBC Women's Championships means that Tvaska is just one step away from tying the all-time record set by Chicago's Mary Covello, bowling in more consecutive nationals than any other bowler active today.
Arriving with niece Nancy Nelson at Reno's National Bowling Stadium via a stretch white limousine from the Eldorado Hotel Casino, Tvaska was welcomed by a jury of her peers - women bowlers from all over the United States and Canada, plus television camera crews.
"This is something most of us will never see again," stated USBC tournament manager David Biber. "You're looking at living history. Mini's assured me she will tie that record in Charlotte, N.C., next year, and is already planning her trip to Detroit in 2008, where she will break the record at age 90. It's only fitting that Mini should set the new record in Michigan, which is where she began it 62 years ago."
As she accepted her USBC commemorative plaque from Biber, the St. Petersburg, Fla., grand lady of the lanes admitted she was a jangle of nerves. "I'd just like to keep my cool," Tvaska said. "I hope to see you in North Carolina and Detroit. Thank you very much for the wonderful honor."
As she held back tears, Nelson smiled proudly and spoke of the significance of Tvaska's accomplishment.
"It's so wonderful that she has this moment in the sun," Nelson noted. "She's a very special lady and has been so reserved about it, never blowing her own horn. For everybody to recognize her, it's so wonderful. She really deserves it. The family always knew she's special - now everyone knows."
Before she bowled a 358 series in team competition, with games of 103, 136 and 119, Biber called attention to Tvaska's influence as a role model.
"Perhaps even more important than a consecutive tournament record is your love for the game, and the inspiration you provide for bowlers everywhere," he told Tvaska, who got plenty of hugs from her fellow bowlers.
Kegel is the official lane maintenance supplier of USBC.
Top five division leaders with hometowns and pinfall:
Team (946 average and over)
1, Strike 3, Sun City, Ariz., 3,021. 2, C&S Bowling Supply I, Plainfield, Ill., 2,946. 3, Miche's Mob, Irvine, Calif., 2,877. 4, Lucky Ducks #5, Mohnton, Pa., 2,869. 5, All Star Lanes, Silverdale, Wash., 2,865.
Doubles (379 average and over)
1, Carrie Meares, Seneca, S.C./Lisa Wagner, Duluth, Ga., 1,331. 2, Dianna Innerst, San Jose, Calif./Cathy Johnston, Folsom, Calif., 1,274. 3, Bonnie Vaughan, Englewood, Ohio/Rae Parks, Vandalia, Ohio, 1,234. 4, Nicole Van Deventer/Laurie Clark, Sioux Falls, S.D., 1,231. 5, Teresa Adkins, Xenia, Ohio/Debbie Benchic, Dayton, Ohio 1,223.
Singles (190 average and over)
1, Shannon Duplantis, New Orleans, 707. 2, Valerie Carrillo, Montebello, Calif., 691. 3, Lisa Wagner, Duluth, Ga., 683. 4, Alisha Caballero, Riverside, Calif., 678. 5, Jamie Koster, Grants Pass, Ore., 674.
All Events (190 average and over)
1, Lisa Wagner, Duluth, Ga., 2,097. 2, Lisa Stevens, St. Charles, Ill., 1,991. 3, Shannon Duplantis, New Orleans, 1,896. 4, (tie) Rachel Einstoss, Chula Vista, Calif., and Jami May-Bruce, 1,890.
Team (846-945 average)
1, Village Bar II, Omaha, Neb., 2,842. 2, BeauBien Street Saloon, Troy, Mich., 2,781. 3, Cruizin', White City, Ore., 2,759. 4, N-10-City, Sun Valley, Nev., 2,743. 5, Sassy Ladies, Apopka, Fla., 2,691.
Doubles (339-378 average)
1, Pam Schulz, Longview, Wash./Valery Hubbard, Kelso, Wash., 1,264. 2, Janet McLeod, Redding, Calif./Susan Fuller, Cottonwood, Calif., 1,196. 3, Darci Roberts, Canby, Ore./Sandra Currie, Dundee, Ore., 1,181. 4, Terri Stynes, Sunnyvale, Calif./Jackie Wyckoff, Cupertino, Calif., 1,178. 5, Robin Lemmon, Livonia, Mich./Kathy MacDonald, Commerce Township, Mich., 1,177.
Singles (170-189 average)
1, Kristine Kiesling, Las Vegas, Nev., 686. 2, Wynn Brandon, Reno, Nev., 676. 3, Paula Hallead, East Wenatchee, Wash., 674. 4, Marlene Crosier, Mitchell, Neb., 650. 5, Tracey Hoffman, Twin Falls, Idaho, 633.
All Events (170-189 average)
1, Kristine Kiesling, Las Vegas, Nev., 1,804. 2, Wynn Brandon, Reno, Nev., 1,802. 3, Jackie Brantley, Littleton, Colo., 1,800. 4, Gerry Little Jr., Jacksonville, Fla., 1,777. 5, Jane Carpenter, Durham, N.C., 1,759.
Team (746-845 average)
1, Centennial Lanes 2, Hays, Kan., 2,658. 2, Team 20022, White Bear Lake, Minn., 2,640. 3, Family and Friends #1, Rohnert Park, Calif., 2,633. 4, Jaycees 1, Ellenwood, Ga., 2,613. 5, Storage World I, New Port Richey, Fla., 2,600.
Doubles (299-338 average)
1, Sharon Cassidy, San Mateo, Calif./Elaine Van Otten, Pacifica, Calif., 1,171. 2, Jeanna Brown, Bloomington, Ill./Joan Kaufman, Heyworth, Ill., 1,154. 3, Deborah Nowak-Frick, Walkerton, Ind./Pat Dukarm, South Bend, Ind., 1,141. 4, Edie Anderson, Hesperia, Mich./Dee Rynberg, Fremont, Mich., 1,129. 5, Stacey Fenton, Manor, Texas/Diane Beger, Round Rock, Texas, 1,119.
Singles (150-169 average)
1, Judith Kaufman, Winslow, Ill., 620. 2, Linda Urbanek, Poway, Calif., 616. 3, Bonnie Magnussen, Wyoming, Ill., 615. 4 (tie), Theresa Alwood, Belleville, Ill. and Sarah Logsdon, Richmond, Mo., 611.
All Events (150-169 average)
1, Terri Stynes, Sunnyvale, Calif., 1,682. 2, Morgan Robinson, New Haven, Conn., 1,681. 3, Juli Wall, Petaluma, Calif., 1,680. 4, Connie Haycock, Boise, Idaho, 1,679. 5, Joanne Miller, Coquitlam, British Columbia, 1,670.
Team (651-745 average)
1, Just Marked, Oakland, Calif., 2,458. 2, Cutting Edge, Glencoe, Minn., 2,417. 3, Left Overs, Ponca City, Okla., 2,401. 4, Coldwell Banker, Eureka, Calif., 2,397. 5, Desert Divas IV, Pahrump, Nev., 2,354.
Doubles (261-298 average)
1, Jamie Huyser, Kearney, Neb./Connie Huyser, Johnson Lake, Neb., 1,062. 2, Sharon Schutts, South St. Paul, Minn./Barb Strus, McGregor, Minn., 1,053. 3, Joyce Bland, Tampa, Fla./Ruth Burns, Carlinville, Ill., 1,045. 4, Janie Bauer/Sandy Wilson, Elko, Nev., 1,033. 5, Janine Poisson/Marg Cumming, Chatham, Ontario, 1,030.
Singles (131-149 average)
1, Nancy Galinat, Harrold, S.D., 638. 2, Robin McGinnis, Petrolia, Pa., 598. 3, Tisha Martin, Seattle, 586. 4, Donna LaJeunesse, Xenia, Ohio, 575. 5, Pat Ballantyne, The Villages, Fla., 564.
All Events (131-149 average)
1, Nancy Galinat, Harrold, S.D., 1,592. 2, Robin McGinnis, Petrolia, Pa., 1,588. 3, Shirley Baker, Orangevale, Calif., 1,574. 4, Sheila Jeffers, Sandy, Utah, 1,543. 5, Susan Wright, Hudson, Mich., 1,538.
Team (650 average and under)
1, Bear Nasty, Monticello, Minn., 2,187. 2, North Idaho Crushing II, St. Maries, Idaho, 2,111. 3, Tumbleweed Lanes, Ness City, Kan., 2,096. 4, Lundeen Ford, Annandale, Minn., 2,091. 5, Shelton-Christmas Town, Shelton, Wash., 2,079.
Doubles (260 average and under)
1, Kathy Belmer, Manteca, Calif./Regina Antunes, Stockton, Calif., 973. 2, Sharon Carroll/Dee Carroll, Newport, Wash., 945. 3, Ann Harvey, Pleasanton, Texas/Meaghan Bedwell, Jourdanton, Texas, 926. 4, Susan Carlson, Milaca, Minn./Karon Bensen, Saint Louis Park, Minn., 920. 5, Donna Hill/Rene Lozoya, Battle Mountain, Nev., 911.
Singles (130 average and under)
1, Rose Postle, Rice Lake, Wis., 554. 2, Connie Monk, Yelm, Wash., 549. 3, Shelly Bloch, Ramsey, Minn., 538. 4, Ashley Rivera, Kingsville, Texas, 536. 5, Claudia Garrison, Penn Valley, Calif., 525.
All Events (130 average and under)
1, Connie Monk, Yelm, Wash., 1,481. 2, Karen Clements, Blair, Neb., 1,443. 3, Ashley Rivera, Kingsville, Texas, 1,433. 4, Heather Payne, Gering, Neb., 1,425. 5, Mage Merritt, New Haven, Conn., 1,414.
United States
National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev. (March 16 - July 2, 2006)
When Mini Tvaska rolled her first ball during the April 30 team competition of the United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships presented by the Eldorado, Silver Legacy and Circus Circus, she was making history. Tvaska, 88, bowled her 60th consecutive tournament, an annual event she's participated in since 1947 at the first Women's Championships at Fanatorium Recreation in Grand Rapids, Mich. The 2006 USBC Women's Championships means that Tvaska is just one step away from tying the all-time record set by Chicago's Mary Covello, bowling in more consecutive nationals than any other bowler active today.
Arriving with niece Nancy Nelson at Reno's National Bowling Stadium via a stretch white limousine from the Eldorado Hotel Casino, Tvaska was welcomed by a jury of her peers - women bowlers from all over the United States and Canada, plus television camera crews.
"This is something most of us will never see again," stated USBC tournament manager David Biber. "You're looking at living history. Mini's assured me she will tie that record in Charlotte, N.C., next year, and is already planning her trip to Detroit in 2008, where she will break the record at age 90. It's only fitting that Mini should set the new record in Michigan, which is where she began it 62 years ago."
As she accepted her USBC commemorative plaque from Biber, the St. Petersburg, Fla., grand lady of the lanes admitted she was a jangle of nerves. "I'd just like to keep my cool," Tvaska said. "I hope to see you in North Carolina and Detroit. Thank you very much for the wonderful honor."
As she held back tears, Nelson smiled proudly and spoke of the significance of Tvaska's accomplishment.
"It's so wonderful that she has this moment in the sun," Nelson noted. "She's a very special lady and has been so reserved about it, never blowing her own horn. For everybody to recognize her, it's so wonderful. She really deserves it. The family always knew she's special - now everyone knows."
Before she bowled a 358 series in team competition, with games of 103, 136 and 119, Biber called attention to Tvaska's influence as a role model.
"Perhaps even more important than a consecutive tournament record is your love for the game, and the inspiration you provide for bowlers everywhere," he told Tvaska, who got plenty of hugs from her fellow bowlers.
Kegel is the official lane maintenance supplier of USBC.
Top five division leaders with hometowns and pinfall:
CLASSIC DIVISION
Team (946 average and over)
1, Strike 3, Sun City, Ariz., 3,021. 2, C&S Bowling Supply I, Plainfield, Ill., 2,946. 3, Miche's Mob, Irvine, Calif., 2,877. 4, Lucky Ducks #5, Mohnton, Pa., 2,869. 5, All Star Lanes, Silverdale, Wash., 2,865.
Doubles (379 average and over)
1, Carrie Meares, Seneca, S.C./Lisa Wagner, Duluth, Ga., 1,331. 2, Dianna Innerst, San Jose, Calif./Cathy Johnston, Folsom, Calif., 1,274. 3, Bonnie Vaughan, Englewood, Ohio/Rae Parks, Vandalia, Ohio, 1,234. 4, Nicole Van Deventer/Laurie Clark, Sioux Falls, S.D., 1,231. 5, Teresa Adkins, Xenia, Ohio/Debbie Benchic, Dayton, Ohio 1,223.
Singles (190 average and over)
1, Shannon Duplantis, New Orleans, 707. 2, Valerie Carrillo, Montebello, Calif., 691. 3, Lisa Wagner, Duluth, Ga., 683. 4, Alisha Caballero, Riverside, Calif., 678. 5, Jamie Koster, Grants Pass, Ore., 674.
All Events (190 average and over)
1, Lisa Wagner, Duluth, Ga., 2,097. 2, Lisa Stevens, St. Charles, Ill., 1,991. 3, Shannon Duplantis, New Orleans, 1,896. 4, (tie) Rachel Einstoss, Chula Vista, Calif., and Jami May-Bruce, 1,890.
DIVISION 1
Team (846-945 average)
1, Village Bar II, Omaha, Neb., 2,842. 2, BeauBien Street Saloon, Troy, Mich., 2,781. 3, Cruizin', White City, Ore., 2,759. 4, N-10-City, Sun Valley, Nev., 2,743. 5, Sassy Ladies, Apopka, Fla., 2,691.
Doubles (339-378 average)
1, Pam Schulz, Longview, Wash./Valery Hubbard, Kelso, Wash., 1,264. 2, Janet McLeod, Redding, Calif./Susan Fuller, Cottonwood, Calif., 1,196. 3, Darci Roberts, Canby, Ore./Sandra Currie, Dundee, Ore., 1,181. 4, Terri Stynes, Sunnyvale, Calif./Jackie Wyckoff, Cupertino, Calif., 1,178. 5, Robin Lemmon, Livonia, Mich./Kathy MacDonald, Commerce Township, Mich., 1,177.
Singles (170-189 average)
1, Kristine Kiesling, Las Vegas, Nev., 686. 2, Wynn Brandon, Reno, Nev., 676. 3, Paula Hallead, East Wenatchee, Wash., 674. 4, Marlene Crosier, Mitchell, Neb., 650. 5, Tracey Hoffman, Twin Falls, Idaho, 633.
All Events (170-189 average)
1, Kristine Kiesling, Las Vegas, Nev., 1,804. 2, Wynn Brandon, Reno, Nev., 1,802. 3, Jackie Brantley, Littleton, Colo., 1,800. 4, Gerry Little Jr., Jacksonville, Fla., 1,777. 5, Jane Carpenter, Durham, N.C., 1,759.
DIVISION 2
Team (746-845 average)
1, Centennial Lanes 2, Hays, Kan., 2,658. 2, Team 20022, White Bear Lake, Minn., 2,640. 3, Family and Friends #1, Rohnert Park, Calif., 2,633. 4, Jaycees 1, Ellenwood, Ga., 2,613. 5, Storage World I, New Port Richey, Fla., 2,600.
Doubles (299-338 average)
1, Sharon Cassidy, San Mateo, Calif./Elaine Van Otten, Pacifica, Calif., 1,171. 2, Jeanna Brown, Bloomington, Ill./Joan Kaufman, Heyworth, Ill., 1,154. 3, Deborah Nowak-Frick, Walkerton, Ind./Pat Dukarm, South Bend, Ind., 1,141. 4, Edie Anderson, Hesperia, Mich./Dee Rynberg, Fremont, Mich., 1,129. 5, Stacey Fenton, Manor, Texas/Diane Beger, Round Rock, Texas, 1,119.
Singles (150-169 average)
1, Judith Kaufman, Winslow, Ill., 620. 2, Linda Urbanek, Poway, Calif., 616. 3, Bonnie Magnussen, Wyoming, Ill., 615. 4 (tie), Theresa Alwood, Belleville, Ill. and Sarah Logsdon, Richmond, Mo., 611.
All Events (150-169 average)
1, Terri Stynes, Sunnyvale, Calif., 1,682. 2, Morgan Robinson, New Haven, Conn., 1,681. 3, Juli Wall, Petaluma, Calif., 1,680. 4, Connie Haycock, Boise, Idaho, 1,679. 5, Joanne Miller, Coquitlam, British Columbia, 1,670.
DIVISION 3
Team (651-745 average)
1, Just Marked, Oakland, Calif., 2,458. 2, Cutting Edge, Glencoe, Minn., 2,417. 3, Left Overs, Ponca City, Okla., 2,401. 4, Coldwell Banker, Eureka, Calif., 2,397. 5, Desert Divas IV, Pahrump, Nev., 2,354.
Doubles (261-298 average)
1, Jamie Huyser, Kearney, Neb./Connie Huyser, Johnson Lake, Neb., 1,062. 2, Sharon Schutts, South St. Paul, Minn./Barb Strus, McGregor, Minn., 1,053. 3, Joyce Bland, Tampa, Fla./Ruth Burns, Carlinville, Ill., 1,045. 4, Janie Bauer/Sandy Wilson, Elko, Nev., 1,033. 5, Janine Poisson/Marg Cumming, Chatham, Ontario, 1,030.
Singles (131-149 average)
1, Nancy Galinat, Harrold, S.D., 638. 2, Robin McGinnis, Petrolia, Pa., 598. 3, Tisha Martin, Seattle, 586. 4, Donna LaJeunesse, Xenia, Ohio, 575. 5, Pat Ballantyne, The Villages, Fla., 564.
All Events (131-149 average)
1, Nancy Galinat, Harrold, S.D., 1,592. 2, Robin McGinnis, Petrolia, Pa., 1,588. 3, Shirley Baker, Orangevale, Calif., 1,574. 4, Sheila Jeffers, Sandy, Utah, 1,543. 5, Susan Wright, Hudson, Mich., 1,538.
DIVISION 4
Team (650 average and under)
1, Bear Nasty, Monticello, Minn., 2,187. 2, North Idaho Crushing II, St. Maries, Idaho, 2,111. 3, Tumbleweed Lanes, Ness City, Kan., 2,096. 4, Lundeen Ford, Annandale, Minn., 2,091. 5, Shelton-Christmas Town, Shelton, Wash., 2,079.
Doubles (260 average and under)
1, Kathy Belmer, Manteca, Calif./Regina Antunes, Stockton, Calif., 973. 2, Sharon Carroll/Dee Carroll, Newport, Wash., 945. 3, Ann Harvey, Pleasanton, Texas/Meaghan Bedwell, Jourdanton, Texas, 926. 4, Susan Carlson, Milaca, Minn./Karon Bensen, Saint Louis Park, Minn., 920. 5, Donna Hill/Rene Lozoya, Battle Mountain, Nev., 911.
Singles (130 average and under)
1, Rose Postle, Rice Lake, Wis., 554. 2, Connie Monk, Yelm, Wash., 549. 3, Shelly Bloch, Ramsey, Minn., 538. 4, Ashley Rivera, Kingsville, Texas, 536. 5, Claudia Garrison, Penn Valley, Calif., 525.
All Events (130 average and under)
1, Connie Monk, Yelm, Wash., 1,481. 2, Karen Clements, Blair, Neb., 1,443. 3, Ashley Rivera, Kingsville, Texas, 1,433. 4, Heather Payne, Gering, Neb., 1,425. 5, Mage Merritt, New Haven, Conn., 1,414.