900 series (bowling)

Last updated

A 900 series refers to three consecutive perfect games bowled by an individual bowler. A 300 is a perfect score in one game, thus a player's maximum possible score would be 900 in a series of three consecutive games (the typical number of games in a single league session). To achieve the feat, a bowler would have to bowl 36 consecutive strikes.

Contents

Sanctioning

To date in the United States, 39 individuals have bowled a total of 40 certified (or "sanctioned") 900 series – that is, 900s that have been officially recognized by the United States Bowling Congress (USBC), the sport's national governing body in the US.

On 1 July 1982, Glenn Allison bowled the first 900 series to be recorded in sanctioned league play. He achieved this feat using a plastic bowling ball with a conventional drilled grip, on wood lanes, and an oil pattern that would be sanctioned today as sport compliant. This accomplishment was not officially certified by the then-American Bowling Congress (ABC), which cited non-compliant lane conditions. [1] To this day, there is a cult following supporting Glenn Allison and urging the USBC to officially recognize him as the first bowler to achieve a perfect series, especially because it was accomplished before the era of reactive bowling balls, and other scores in the bowling center that night were not unusually high. [2] However, the USBC still refuses to sanction Allison's 900 series after concluding a re-evaluation in 2014, stating among other things that it would call into question all other rejected honor score applications from that era. [3]

In fact, the first six 900 series reported in ABC league play were all rejected for certification. The first perfect series to be officially sanctioned by the ABC/USBC was shot by collegiate bowler Jeremy Sonnenfeld in 1997 at Sun Valley Lanes bowling alley in Lincoln, Nebraska.

The first 900 in the history of the Professional Bowlers Association was bowled by Joe Scarborough on 22 April 2013 in a PBA50 Tour (formerly PBA Senior Tour) event. The PBA had seen three consecutive 300 games on one other occasion, by Norm Duke in 1996, but this was not considered to be an official 900 series because the games were not part of a contiguous set. The first two of Duke's 300 games were at the end of one round of play, and the third was at the beginning of the next round. [4]

Robert Mushtare is the youngest bowler to have rolled a USBC-certified 900 series, doing so on 5 December 2005 at age 17 and is also currently the only bowler to have rolled a second certified 900, a feat achieved on 19 February 2006. [5] On 11 January 2017, John Buchanan III became the oldest bowler (71) in USBC history to roll a sanctioned 900 series. [6]

On 12 August 2023, Massachusetts-based amateur bowler Dennis Bissonnette rolled three consecutive sanctioned 300 games, not part of a contiguous set. He accomplished the feat across two separate competitions, located at separate bowling centers; one in Wilmington, Delaware, the other in the neighboring town of New Castle. The feat was not recognizable by the USBC, but serves as only the second known example of this unique occurrence. [7]

The 900 Club

NameAgeHandLocationDate
Jeremy Sonnenfeld [8] 20(R) Lincoln, Nebraska 2 February 1997
Tony Roventini [9] 28(L) Greenfield, Wisconsin 9 November 1998
Vince Wood [10] 20(R) Moreno Valley, California 29 September 1999
Robby Portalatin [11] 28(L) Jackson, Michigan 28 December 2000
James Hollywood “Bill Miller” Hylton [12] 28(R) Salem, Oregon 2 May 2001
Jeff Campbell II [13] 22(R) New Castle, Pennsylvania 12 June 2004
Darin Pomije [14] 30(R) New Prague, Minnesota 9 December 2004
Robert Mushtare [15] 17(R) Fort Drum, New York 5 December 2005
Lonnie Billiter Jr. [16] 24(R) Fairfield, Ohio 13 February 2006
Robert Mushtare (2) [17] 18(R)Fort Drum, New York19 February 2006
Mark Wukoman [18] 50(R) Greenfield, Wisconsin 22 April 2006
P. J. Giesfeldt [19] 24(R) Milwaukee, Wisconsin 23 December 2006
Rich Jerome Jr. [20] 29(R) Baltimore, Maryland 22 December 2008
Chris Aker [21] 47(L) Winnemucca, Nevada 30 October 2009
Andrew Teall [21] 24(R) Medford, New Jersey 2 November 2009
Andrew Mank [22] 22(R) Belleville, Illinois 18 March 2010
William Howell III [23] 22(L) Newburgh, New York 21 October 2010
Matt Latarski [24] 23(R) Oakwood, Ohio 28 November 2010
Bob Kammer Jr [25] 41(R) Crown Point, Indiana 9 January 2012
John Martorella Sr. [26] 28(R) Greece, New York 12 April 2012
Jimmy Schmitzer [27] 18(R) Norco, California 20 April 2012
James Williams [28] 47(R) Wakefield, Rhode Island 16 April 2013
Joe Scarborough [29] 50(R) Lady Lake, Florida 21 April 2013
Todd James [30] 31(R) Laurel, Delaware 18 March 2014
Amos Gordon [31] 29(R) Fort Carson, Colorado 11 April 2014
Earon Vollmar [32] 26(R) Toledo, Ohio 19 January 2015
Hakim Emmanuel [33] 38(R) Brockton, Massachusetts 19 February 2015
David Sewesky [34] 27(L) Plymouth, Michigan 10 January 2016
Dale Gerhard [35] 59(R) Linden, Pennsylvania 12 January 2016
Sean Osbourne [36] 24(R) Cypress, Texas 22 November 2016
John Buchanan III [37] 71(R) Evansville, Indiana 11 January 2017
Sam Esposito [38] 26(R) Lockport, Illinois 3 February 2017
Joe Novara [39] 26(R) East Islip, New York 16 October 2017
Jonathan Wilbur [40] 36(R) North Clarendon, Vermont 14 January 2019
Jeremy Milito [41] 26(L) Farmingdale, New York 25 April 2019
Wesley Low Jr. [42] 23(L) Glendale, Arizona 19 July 2020
Cody Schmitt [43] 26(R) Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin 17 November 2021
Stephen Kosela [44] 42(R) Aliquippa, Pennsylvania 13 March 2022
Bryan Deck [45] 44(R) New Castle, Indiana 20 June 2022

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ten-pin bowling</span> Type of bowling

Ten-pin bowling is a type of bowling in which a bowler rolls a bowling ball down a wood or synthetic lane toward ten pins positioned evenly in four rows in an equilateral triangle. The objective is to knock down all ten pins on the first roll of the ball, or failing that, on the second roll.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norm Duke</span> American professional bowler

Norm Duke is an American professional bowler who previously competed on the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour and now competes on the PBA50 Tour. He has won 40 titles on the PBA Tour, including seven major championships, and another six titles on the PBA50 Tour. A member of both the PBA and USBC Halls of Fame, Duke is one of only three players in history to reach 40 career PBA Tour titles. He has bowled 73 perfect 300 games in PBA competition, including the 16th televised 300 game in PBA Tour history on January 5, 2003. Duke is a member of the Storm pro staff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perfect game (bowling)</span> Highest score possible in a bowling game

A perfect game is the highest score possible in a game of bowling, achieved by scoring a strike with every throw. In bowling games that use 10 pins, such as ten-pin bowling, candlepin bowling, and duckpin bowling, the highest possible score is 300, achieved by bowling 12 strikes in a row in a traditional single game: one strike in each of the first nine frames, and three more in the tenth frame.

The USBC Masters is a championship ten-pin bowling event conducted by the United States Bowling Congress. The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) began recognizing it as a title event in 1998, and it was designated one of the four majors in 2000. A PBA rule change in 2008 retroactively awarded a PBA title to any Masters winners prior to 1998 who were PBA members at the time of the victory.

Kelly Kulick is an American professional bowler, bowling coach and sportscaster. She has won ten professional women's bowling titles, one PBA Tour title and a professional mixed doubles title. Kulick is the first woman ever to win a regular Professional Bowlers Association tour title and the only woman to win a major PBA Tour tournament. She is a 16-time member of Team USA. Kulick is currently a pro staff member for Storm Bowling, Vise grips and High 5 gear. In 2019, Kulick was inducted into the USBC Hall of Fame, Superior Performance category.

The PBA Tour is the major professional tour for ten-pin bowling, operated by the Professional Bowlers Association. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, over 3,000 members worldwide make up the PBA. While most of the PBA members are Regional professionals, a small percentage of the bowling membership competes at the national and international level, forming the PBA Tour. Founded in 1958, the PBA Tour has been in continuous operation since the inaugural 1959 season.

Glenn Richard Allison is a retired American professional ten-pin bowler who was a founding member of the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA). He was born in Whittier, California, to Leo Allison, a car salesman, and Stella Bradford. He won five PBA Tour titles and one Senior PBA title, and was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1984. He is also a member of the USBC Hall of Fame, having won four titles in the ABC Tournament's Classic Division: he won in doubles in 1962, his "Eagles" team won in 1964 and 1966, and he claimed a singles title in 1970.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liz Johnson (bowler)</span> American ten-pin bowler

Elizabeth Ann Johnson is an American professional bowler. She first became known as an 11-time winner on the Professional Women's Bowling Association (PWBA) Tour, which included the first of her six U.S. Women's Open titles in 1996, before that organization suspended operations in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sean Rash</span> American ten-pin bowler (born 1982)

Sean Rash is an American ten-pin bowler who is considered one of the top players on the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour. He currently owns 17 PBA Tour titles, including two major championships, and was the 2011–12 PBA Player of the Year. Rash has rolled two of his 30 career PBA perfect 300 games on television, making him the first player in history with multiple perfect games in the TV finals of a PBA Tour event. Canadian François Lavoie and American Chris Via, and Australian Jason Belmonte have since joined Rash in this exclusive club. Sean also owns ten PBA Regional Tour titles.

Michelle Feldman is an American right-handed female professional ten-pin bowler and former member of the Professional Women's Bowling Association (PWBA). A native of Skaneateles, New York, she resides in nearby Auburn, New York.

Robert Mushtare is an American ten-pin bowler from Carthage, New York who is recognized by the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) for having bowled two perfect 900 series, one on December 3, 2005 and the other on February 19, 2006, both at Pine Plains Bowling Center in Fort Drum, New York. He is also said to have rolled another in league play prior to the aforementioned two; that previous 900 series was not officially recognized by USBC because the league in which he was bowling was not properly certified by USBC on the date his 900 series was rolled. Due to the order of USBC certification procedures, it will never be known if it would have been approved even if his league had been certified at the time. The two 900's for which Mushtare was officially recognized came under great scrutiny because they were pre-bowled, meaning he bowled days before his regular league competition, and was sometimes bowling alone. ESPN's Jeremy Schaap did an investigative report on the controversy which was broadcast on the ESPN program Outside the Lines. Glenn Allison, who bowled an uncertified 900 series in 1982, is skeptical of Robert's achievements, as is pro bowler and Team USA coach Tim Mack.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bowling</span> Class of sports in which a player rolls a ball towards a target

Bowling is a target sport and recreational activity in which a player rolls a ball toward pins or another target. The term bowling usually refers to pin bowling, though in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth countries, bowling could also refer to target bowling, such as lawn bowls.

Shannon O'Keefe is an American professional bowler and bowling coach now living in Jacksonville, Alabama, and is currently the head coach at Jacksonville State University,who has competed in the United States and internationally. She is an 18-time member of Team USA (2005–2022) and an eight-time World Champion. She also won the 54th QubicaAMF World Cup in 2018 in Las Vegas. Shannon also won the 2019 Doubles gold medal at the Pan American Games in Peru.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Fagan</span> American professional bowler

Michael Todd Fagan is an American former professional bowler on the PBA Tour. He has also participated in World Bowling Tour (WBT) and European Bowling Tour (EBT) events, and as a member of Team USA in international competitions. Known for his high backswing, he was given the nickname "King of Swing". He has a high RPM rate, but also has a smooth release, so his style can be classified as either a cranker or a power stroker.

The 56th season of the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour was played in 2015. There were 27 singles title events, three doubles title events, and two team events on the 2015 schedule.

2016 is the 57th season of the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour. There were 26 singles title events, two doubles title events, and two team events on the 2016 schedule.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">François Lavoie</span> Canadian ten-pin bowler

François Lavoie is a right-handed Canadian ten-pin bowler from Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, now making his home in Wichita, Kansas. He is a member of the Professional Bowlers Association, and has been a member of Team Canada. Lavoie has won five PBA Tour titles, including three major championships. He is one of only three players in history to roll a perfect 300 game in two televised PBA Tour title events, and the only player to bowl a 300 game in a U.S. Open telecast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jakob Butturff</span> American ten-pin bowler

Jakob Butturff is a left-handed American ten-pin bowler from Chandler, Arizona and a member of the Professional Bowlers Association. He competes in events on the PBA Tour and in global events as a member of Team USA. He has won eight national PBA Tour titles and 27 PBA Regional Tour titles. Jakob also rolled the 28th of the PBA Tour's 35 televised 300 games.

Wesley Low is an American bowler from Palmdale, California. He uses the two-handed shovel-style delivery with a dominant left hand. He is the 36th bowler in tournament history to record a 900 series or three consecutive perfect games. Low is the youngest bowler to win a Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Regional Tour event, which he did at the age of 15 as a non-member. He is a member of PBA since 2019.

Harry Monroe Smith, nicknamed "Tiger", was a right-handed American ten-pin bowler and charter member of the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA). Smith won 12 PBA Tour titles, including two major championships. He is a member of the PBA and USBC Halls of Fame.

References

  1. Amdur, Neil (1 July 2007). "Why a 900 Series Just Isn't What It Used to Be". The New York Times.
  2. 1982 Sports Illustrated article on Glenn Allison's 900 series
  3. USBC concludes re-evaluation of Glenn Allison 900 series Bigham, Terry 22 November 2014. Retrieved 27 November 2014
  4. "PBA Senior rookie Joe Scarborough rolls first 900 series in PBA history | bowlingdigital.com". www.bowlingdigital.com. 22 April 2013.
  5. "2011 Masters: Mushtare stays positive amid the talk". syracuse.com. 6 February 2011. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  6. Smith, Aaron (13 January 2017). "Indiana Bowler Becomes Oldest to Roll 900 Series". Bowl.com. USBC. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
  7. "Bissonnette Goes 900 Across 2 Different Centers at Battle Bowl". bowlage.com. 12 August 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  8. James Brooke (9 February 1997). "900 Reasons for Making The Bowlers' Record Book". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  9. Vincent Malozzi (27 December 1998). "1998 IN REVIEW; Champions All, and All in Anonymity". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  10. Leonard A. Ruble Jr. (5 December 1999). "900 Agai" . Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  11. "Bowler rolls perfect 900 series". 30 December 2000. Archived from the original on 1 April 2012. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  12. "Oregon man bowls perfect series". USA Today. 25 July 2002. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  13. "Collegiate Bowler Makes History, Finds Controversy in the Process". October 2004. Archived from the original on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  14. "Minnesota bowler seventh to roll sanctioned 900 series". 16 December 2004. Archived from the original on 16 December 2012. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  15. "Youngest 900 shooter ready to tackle Junior Gold Championships". 5 July 2006. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  16. Josh Pichler (14 February 2006). "Ohio Bowler Rolls Perfect 900 Series". USA Today. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  17. "USBC approves New York youth bowler's two 900-series | bowlingdigital.com". www.bowlingdigital.com.
  18. Herbert Bickel (28 April 2006). "USBC Approves Wukoman's 900" . Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  19. Gary D’Amato (23 December 2006). "Perfect gift: Bowler rolls 36 strikes for 900 series" . Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  20. Larry Harris, ed. (13 January 2009). "Front Row: Rich Jerome: Mr. Perfection on the Lanes" . Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  21. 1 2 Herbert Bickel (18 November 2009). "Nevada, New Jersey bowlers roll 900 series three days apart" . Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  22. USBC Communications (26 March 2010). "Illinois Bowler Rolls 900" . Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  23. Matt Cannizzaro (8 November 2010). "New Yorker rolls USBC-approved 900 series" . Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  24. USBC News (21 November 2010). "Ohio's Matt Latarski becomes 17th bowler to roll a USBC-approved 900 series" . Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  25. Jason Overstreet (9 January 2012). "Indiana bowler Rolls 900 Series" . Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  26. Jay Notareschi (3 May 2012). "Greece resident John Martorella Sr. rolls 900 series" . Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  27. Bowling Digital (24 April 2012). "California teen becomes 20th bowler to roll 900 series" . Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  28. Bowl.com (17 April 2013). "Connecticut bowler shoots 900 series" . Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  29. Bowling Digital (22 April 2013). "PBA Senior rookie Joe Scarborough rolls first 900 series in PBA history" . Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  30. Bowl.com (19 March 2013). "900 series rolled in Delaware" . Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  31. Bowling Digital (15 April 2013). "Colorado bowler Amos Gordon brings the number of 900 series to 25" . Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  32. 11thframe.com (20 January 2015). "The 11th Frame: Earon Vollmar fires 900 series in Toledo, Ohio" . Retrieved 23 January 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  33. "Massachusetts bowler rolls 900 series".
  34. "News".
  35. "News".
  36. "News".
  37. "News".
  38. "News".
  39. "Joe Novara records first 900 series of the 2017-2018 season". 21 October 2017.
  40. Matt Cannizzaro (16 January 2019). "Jon Wilbur Speaks with USBC Following His 900 Series". BowlersJournal.com.
  41. Gregg Sarra (27 April 2019). "Perfection! LI bowler Jeremy Milito rolls a 900 series". Newsday.
  42. Matt Cannizzaro (27 April 2019). "Former Team USA Member Wesley Low JR. Rolls 900 Series". bowl.com.
  43. Halstrom, Brian (17 November 2021). "Breaking! Perfect 900 Series Bowled by Cody Schmitt". BowlersMart.com. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  44. Smith, Aaron (16 March 2022). "Pennsylvania Bowler Rolls 900 Series in Local Association Tournament". bowl.com. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  45. Kanak, Gene (25 June 2022). "Indiana's Bryan Deck Connects For 900 Series". bowl.com. Retrieved 26 June 2022.