The 2018 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships has been filled with memorable performances and special milestones, and Joseph Pursel Jr. of Hellertown, Pennsylvania, experienced both June 24 at the Oncenter Convention Center in Syracuse, New York.

The 82-year-old right-hander (featured photo) was recognized and celebrated on the tournament lanes as he joined two of bowling’s most elite clubs – the 60-Year Club and 100,000-Pin Club – at the USBC Open Championships.

Pursel, who started his tournament career at the 1959 event in St. Louis and has competed every year since, was presented with a plaque, chevron and engraved money clip for becoming the 24th bowler in history to compete in the tournament 60 times.

He and his father, Joseph Pursel Sr. (55 years) are one of three father-son duos in the 50-Year club, joining Frank “Chick” Carr (62) and Thomas Carr (57) and Earl Ebers Jr. (58) and Earl Ebers Sr. (50).

Two games into Pursel’s milestone appearance this week, he again had the spotlight to himself as he added his name to the short list of bowlers who have toppled 100,000 pins at the Open Championships. He entered the 2018 event needing just 294 pins to reach the plateau, and he got there with a ringing 10 pin to start the final frame of his second game.

He finished the special day with games of 129, 179 and 129 for a 437 series.

“This is the culmination of my career,” said Pursel, who immediately was presented with the crystal bowling pin, given to each member of the 100,000-Pin Club. “I was kind of anxious and kind of nervous. This was the first time I had my wife, two sons, granddaughter and daughter-in-law all here. That means a lot.”

Pursel is the 22nd bowler in history, and second this year, to eclipse the 100,000-pin mark. USBC Hall of Famer Gordy Baer of Tinley Park, Illinois, added his name to the list in April.

Pursel also is the second bowler in 2018 to make his 60th march to the lanes. Donald Granberry Jr. of St. Louis achieved the feat earlier this month, while Paul Gustke of Sarasota, Florida, is scheduled to join the club June 26 at 7 p.m. Eastern.

The participation record of 71 years on the championship lanes is shared by USBC Hall of Famers Bill Doehrman and Joe Norris, along with Sylvester Thiel, while USBC Hall of Famer Bill Lillard Sr. tops the all-time pinfall list with 124,087.

Pursel added sets of 448 in doubles and 409 in singles June 25 for a 1,294 all-events total. He left the 2018 tournament with a career pinfall of 101,000.

Lifelong friends find success at Oncenter Convention Center

Lifelong friends Chad Green and Chad Queen (l-r) of Athens, Tennessee, moved into a tie for the top spot in Standard Doubles this week at the USBC Open Championships.

The two attacked the lanes from opposite sides and posted games of 412, 438 and 353 to match twin brothers Michael and Jeffrey Krywcum of Buffalo, New York, who set the bar nearly a month earlier.

Green a 30-year-old left-hander, led the way June 23 in his fifth tournament appearance, rolling games of 222, 214 and 180 for a 616 series, while Queen, a 32-year-old right-hander also visiting the Open Championships for the fifth time, added games of 190, 224 and 173 for a 587 set.

Green, a driver for Valley Recycling, added a 573 series in singles and 539 in team for a 1,728 all-events total, and Queen had 543 in singles and 530 in team for a 1,660 total. Both were career-best all-events efforts.

Standard Doubles includes teams with combined entering averages of 361-418.

Missouri group has successful showing at USBC Open Championships

Former Junior Team USA member Kyle Sherman of O’Fallon, Missouri, and his One & Done teammates provided some excitement at the USBC Open Championships on June 25.

Sherman (749) and Ronnie Fujita of El Sobrante, California (694), settled into fifth place in Regular Doubles with a 1,443 total, pushed down a spot minutes after cracking the top five, when their teammates Ryan Stubblefield of St. Charles, Missouri (758), and Bryan Hahlen of Greenwood, South Carolina (696), moved into third place with 1,454.

Former Team USA member AJ Chapman of St. Paul, Minnesota, and Richard Eighme of Waterloo, Iowa, lead Regular Doubles with 1,457.

Sherman, who recorded 90 clean frames this week at the Oncenter Convention Center, added sets of 743 in singles and 632 in team to land in 10th place in Regular All-Events with a career-best 2,124 total. Kurt Pilon of Warren, Michigan, leads Regular All-Events with 2,186.

Sherman’s performance helped One & Done into fifth place in Team All-Events with a 9,932 total. He was followed by Fujita (2,041), Greg Young (1,981), Hahlen (1,896) and Kamron Doyle (1,890). Red Carpet Lanes of Greenfield, Wisconsin, leads with 10,252.

A look ahead

Three bowlers will visit Syracuse this week to celebrate participation milestones, while a handful of 2017 champions are scheduled to return to the lanes at the USBC Open Championships.

Paul Gustke of Sarasota, Florida (June 26 at 7 p.m. Eastern) will make his 60th appearance at the event, while Patrick Holseth of Las Vegas (June 27 at 7 p.m. Eastern) and George Rowan of Columbus, Ohio (July 2 at 11 a.m. Eastern), each compete for the 50th time.

Reigning Classified All-Events champion Dwayne Brossett of Natchitoches, Louisiana, will be back on the lanes June 30 and July 1, reigning Classified Singles winner Wiley Collins of Winter Springs, Florida, will compete July 1-2 and defending Regular Doubles champions Zachary Hattori of Henderson, Nevada, and Michael Coffey of Melbourne, Florida, will bowl July 2-3.

For more information on the Open Championships, click here.

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2018 USBC Open Championships – Regular Division

Top 10 division leaders with hometown and pinfall

Team
(Combined averages of 1,046 and above)
1, S & B Pro Shop 1 (Bill Orlikowski, Andrew Burke, Marcus McClain, Ryan Mouw, Kurt Pilon), Warren, Mich., 3,322. 2, Higgy’s Aquarium, Westerville, Ohio, 3,300. 3, The Locker Guy 1, Owatonna, Minn., 3,279. 4, Red Carpet Lanes, Greenfield, Wis., 3,277. 5, Lodge Lanes Too, Orlando, Fla., 3,248. 6, Team NABR, Fairport, N.Y., 3,217. 7, Shox City, Lawrence, Kan., 3,216. 8, 4 Revs & 1 Cripple, Ontario, Canada, 3,213. 9, The Shim Reapers, Franklin, Wis., 3,206. 10, #TeamWhenYo, Rochester, N.Y., 3,190.

Doubles
(Combined averages of 419 and above)
1, Richard Eighme, Waterloo, Iowa/AJ Chapman, St. Paul, Minn., 1,457. 2, Alex Ouellette, Linwood, Mich./Justin Neiman, Macomb, Mich., 1,456. 3, Ryan Stubblefield, St. Charles, Mo./Bryan Hahlen, Greenwood, S.C., 1,454. 4, Steve Kloempken, Pleasant View, Utah/David Haynes, Las Vegas, 1,453. 5, Kyle Sherman, O’Fallon, Mo./Ronnie Fujita, El Sobrante, Calif., 1,443. 6, Francois Louw, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa/Michael Mak, Hong Kong, 1,437. 7, Matt Tomsu/Jay Watts, Omaha, Neb., 1,421. 8, Mitchell Katic, Kissimmee, Fla./Tyler James, Deltona, Fla., 1,416. 9, Dan Chambers/Steven Nava, Hopkins, Minn., 1,412. 10, Chad Svendsen, Monroe, Wis./Jonathan Schalow, Evansville, Wis., 1,403.

Singles
(Averages of 210 and above)
1, Cotie Holbek, Burlington, Wis., 802. 2, Chris Hill, Franklin, Wis., 795. 3, Brenden Sramek, Bellevue, Neb., 790. 4, Rick Justice, Lawton, Okla., 786. 5, Michael Fitzgerald, Phoenix, 785. 6, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 784. 7, Doug Kent, Newark, N.Y., 781. 8, Rameses Chambers, Kansas City, Mo., 771. 9, Chad Oachs, Mankato, Minn., 770. 10. Vernon Peterson, Winter Haven, Fla., 769.

All-Events
(Averages of 210 and above)
1, Kurt Pilon, Warren, Mich., 2,186. 2, Josh Johnson, Callahan, Fla., 2,181. 3, Tom Hess, Urbandale, Iowa, 2,164. 4, AJ Chapman, St. Paul, Minn., 2,147. 5(tie), Jonathan Schalow, Evansville, Wis., and Doug Kent, Newark, N.Y., 2,146. 7, Francois Louw, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa, 2,131. 8, Russ Wilson, Lawrence, Kan., 2,130. 9, David Labinski, South Milwaukee, Wis., 2,129. 10, Kyle Sherman, O’Fallon, Mo., 2,124.

Team All-Events
(Combined all-events totals of all five team members)
1, Red Carpet Lanes (Christopher Pierson, David Labinski, Ken Duffield, Chad Maas, David Beres), Greenfield, Wis., 10,252. 2, Higgy’s Aquarium, Westerville, Ohio, 10,011. 3, Lawn Lanes 8, Burbank, Ill., 10,006. 4, Brian Brazeau Pro Shop, Ocala, Fla., 9,959. 5, One & Done, O’Fallon, Mo., 9,932. 6, Maxxx Revs Pro Shop 1, Peoria, Ill., 9,882. 7, Shox City, Lawrence, Kan., 9,805. 8, StormEBI, Cincinnati, 9,772. 9, #TeamWhenYo, Rochester, N.Y., 10,741. 10, Team NABR, Fairport, N.Y., 9,735.

2018 USBC Open Championships – Standard Division

Top 10 division leaders with hometown and pinfall

Team
(Combined averages of 901-1,045)
1, The Bowlers ER Tres (Tracy Anderson, Jason, Intravaia, Jannard Remo, Bill Shaw, Daniel Luncsford), Park Ridge, Ill., 2,843. 2, AJ’s Boys & Grandkids, Sparta, Mich., 2,735. 3, Mel’s Diner, Calmar, Iowa, 2,720. 4, Pla-Mor Lanes 5, Coldwater, Ohio, 2,719. 5, Manassas VA Team 3, Manassas, Va., 2,718. 6, Eastman, Jonesborough, Tenn., 2,717. 7, R&G Ag. 2, Grand Forks, N.D., 2,708. 8, Let’s Roll, Simpsonville, S.C., 2,704. 9, Pollard’s Bowl 5/Volidco, Versailles, Ind., 2,703. 10, J&B Mechanical 2, Schaumburg, Ill., 2,700.

Doubles
(Combined averages of 361-418)
1(tie), Jeffrey Krywcum/Michael Krywcum, Buffalo, N.Y., and Chad Green/Chad Queen, Athens, Tenn., 1,203. 3, Thomas Dutkiewicz/Stacey Browe, Kentwood, Mich., 1,200. 4(tie), David Stettnichs, Madison, S.D./Aaron Stettnichs, Rock Rapids, Iowa, and Francis Van Kuren/James Johnson, Waynesville, Mo., 1,192. 6, Geoffrey Raasch/Darrell Raasch, Houston, 1,189. 7, Brian Hall, Blaine, Minn./Robert Pfeifer, Coon Rapids, Minn., 1,188. 8, Jack LittleRaven, Clinton, Okla./Stephen Kelley, Moore, Okla., 1,186. 9, Joseph Ortega/Richard Ciessau, Chicago, 1,174. 10, Ed Sauer/Thomas Shea, Billings, Mont., 1,172.

Singles
(Averages of 181-209)
1, Ted Rybialek, South Elgin, Ill., 707. 2, Rob Pierson, Miles City, Mont., 706. 3, Neil Vitale, Benton Harbor, Mich., 694. 4, Alex Houston, Rochester, Minn., 686. 5, Lauren Pixley, Modesto, Calif., 678. 6, Robert Tuchek, Alliance, Neb., 667. 7, Kevin Cotterman, Sidney, Ohio., 666. 8(tie), Wendy Inscho, Roseville, Mich., and Sheldon Fettig, Killdeer, N.D., 657. 10, William LaRock, Lansing, N.Y., 655.

All-Events
(Averages of 181-209)
1, Alex Houston, Rochester, Minn., 1,855. 2, Jesse Gibson, Vincennes, Ind., 1,822. 3, Tyrone Brewington, Goldsboro, N.C., 1,811. 4, Steve Kuykendall, Oakland, Calif., 1,800. 5, Mike Menge, Cleveland, 1,798. 6, Jorge Acurero, Taylorsville, Utah, 1,797. 7, Jon Lee, Alexandria, Minn., 1,795. 8, John Albrecht, Oak Creek, Wis., 1,794. 9, Michael Krywcum, Buffalo, N.Y., 1,788. 10, Lauren Pixley, Modesto, Calif., 1,786.

2018 USBC Open Championships – Classified Division

Top 10 division leaders with hometown and pinfall

Team
(Combined averages of 900 and below)
1, Team “Beav” (Bermadel Hagen, Victoria Beaver, Leonard Beaver, Vanessa Beaver, Maurice Anderson), Oceanside, Calif., 2,449. 2, Really???, Katy, Texas, 2,414. 3, Fiesta Bowl 2, Hanover Park, Ill., 2,409. 4, NYC Rollers in Motion, Bronx, N.Y., 2,399. 5, 2 Legit 2 Split, Mount Ayr, Iowa, 2,386. 6, Silver Bullets, Palm Coast, Fla., 2,381. 7, Bowling World 7, Owens Cross Roads, Ala., 2,340. 8, Knights and More, Aiken, S.C., 2,338. 9, Sarge’s Pin Killers 9, Las Cruces, N.M., 2,336. 10, OSNM1, South Holland, Ill., 2,334.

Doubles
(Combined averages of 360 and below)
1, Jessica Archer, Portland, Maine/Edward Cotter, Levant, Maine, 1,116. 2, Adam Valentinas, Palos Park, Ill./Daniel Hartmont, Orland Park, Ill., 1,097. 3, Robert Johnson, Stansbury Park, Utah/Kenneth Poulsen, West Valley City, Utah, 1,082. 4, Jennifer Geimer, Miami Shores, Fla./Doug Romanik, Miami, 1,077. 5, Larry Pizzini, Boerne, Texas/Woodrow Gearhart, San Antonio, 1,073. 6, Norman Bentley/Richard Stone, Hoosick Falls, N.Y., 1,072. 7, LaVerne Ashley, Yonkers, N.Y./Dwayne Redman, Bronx, N.Y., 1,064. 8, James Pfeiffer, Camanche, Iowa/Randall Prokopec, Wauconda, Ill., 1,063. 9, Jennifer Pitti, Lakeland, Calif./Mike Lee, Los Angeles, 1,059. 10, Sandy Gray, Lake View, N.Y./Donald Dorsheimer, Fredonia, N.Y., 1,057.

Singles
(Averages of 180 and below)
1, Jochen Rehbein, Lindenfels, Germany, 622. 2, Juan Cavazos, Clinton, Iowa, 617. 3, Miriam Beckles, Ajax, Ontario, Canada, 611. 4, Larry Roundtree, Lakeland, Fla., 608. 5, Jeannie Hockenberry, Natrona Heights, Pa., 604. 6(tie), Isaac Wake, Versailles, Ind., and Darren Robitaille, Grove, Okla., 602. 8, Rocky Martin, Enosburg Falls, Vt., 597. 9, Joe Rybialek, South Elgin, Ill., 594. 10 (tie), Meggan McCarthy, Waukegan, Ill., and Terry Smith, Chicago, 591.

All-Events
(Averages of 180 and below)
1, Isaac Wake, Versailles, Ind., 1,754. 2, Jochen Rehbein, Lindenfels, Germany, 1,718. 3, William Michalski, Syracuse, N.Y., 1,693. 4(tie), Joe Rybialek, South Elgin, Ill., and Pat Anderson, Cut Bank, Mont., 1,656. 6, Billy Nagengast, Westpoint, Neb., 1,641. 7, Francisco Pina, Bakersfield, Calif., 1,628. 8, Bryon Monnier, Brandt, S.D., 1,627. 9(tie), Esau Hernandez, Kissimmee, Fla., Jeannette Anderson, Burns, Wyo., and Juanita Holt, Bronx, N.Y., 1,614.