Two bowlers reach 50 years at 2015 USBC Open Championships
May 04, 2015
EL PASO, Texas - Fifty trips down Center Aisle at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships only adds up to a little more than half a mile of walking, but the journey lasts a lifetime and includes countless and priceless memories.
For many competitors, the USBC Open Championships is a family tradition and something they can do together, regardless of age or skill level, but reaching such a coveted milestone takes dedication, perseverance, stamina, passion and even a little bit of luck.
In 112 years of USBC Open Championships history, more than 640,000 five-player teams have competed on the tournament lanes, but only 179 bowlers have reached the 50-year plateau.
That club now includes Fran Eighme of Waterloo, Iowa, and Terry Brenneman of Dover, Pennsylvania, who made their milestone marches down Center Aisle at the El Paso Convention Center on Sunday. They each received a plaque, chevron and diamond lapel pin to commemorate the accomplishment.
Family and camaraderie have been a big part of Eighme's career at the Open Championships, which started alongside his brother, Richard, at the 1965 event in St. Paul, Minnesota. The two competed together regularly until 2000, joined along the way by Fran's son, Rich, in 1985, and Richard's son, Ryan, in 1994.
Rich also reached a milestone Sunday in El Paso as he celebrated 30 tournament appearances.
"It's an experience," Eighme said. "I didn't think it would ever bother me, but when you actually come down Center Aisle, it's a great thrill. There's no doubt about that. It's been fun, and bowling has been good to me over the years. I started out as a kid in the bowling alley, and now I own a pro shop and bowling center."
Fran Eighme, a 70-year-old right-hander, has enjoyed success on the tournament lanes, including a third-place effort in Regular Singles in 1978, an eighth-place Regular Team finish in 1972 and a career average of more than 193.
But, even with five decades at the Open Championships now in the books, he still has one more bowling goal to achieve.
"Our teams have given it a run," Eighme said. "I've never been fortunate enough to actually get to that top spot, but they're still young. Maybe I can't do it, but maybe one of these teams will."
Fran's Pro Shop-Maple Lanes, featuring Rich, nearly made its way to the top of the leaderboard for Fran's 50th appearance, but eventually settled into fourth place in Regular Team with a 3,236 total. Team NABR of West Henrietta, New York, leads with 3,368.
Brenneman made his Open Championships debut two years before Eighme, traveling east to Buffalo, New York, for the 1963 tournament.
That year stands out for the 68-year-old because it also gave him a chance to watch some of his bowling idols compete at the USBC Masters. While Brenneman bowled in his team event on the low side of the venue, the sport's best players were battling it out at the Masters on the high end.
Over the course of his tournament career, Brenneman has shared the championship lanes with the same group of teammates for more than 30 years, and his son, Andrew, recently reached his 20th year of participation. Getting to share the moment with them is what made each trip down Center Aisle special.
"It was pretty exciting," Brenneman said. "It was nice to come out and see all of the people looking and smiling, and everyone truly seemed happy for me. A few of my friends have been bowling with me for 35-40 years at this, and we've been friends even longer. That's the part of coming to the USBC that makes it really special. I'm past the stage of where bowling is the important factor. It's the camaraderie. My son and I get to bowl together, and that's what it's all about for me."
Now, Brenneman has earned his own spot among the elite at the Open Championships and is excited to continue his journey next year at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nevada.
Along with the chance to watch great bowling and compete on bowling's biggest stage with his friends, Brenneman has enjoyed the chance to travel the country and see so many places he wouldn't otherwise have visited.
"There have been so many cities we bowled in that I would have never gotten to see," Brenneman said. "I've always been a person who enjoyed sight-seeing, and the highlights of my trips have been discovering different places."
On the lanes this year, Brenneman shot 582 in doubles, 487 in singles and 480 in team for a 1,549 all-events total. In 50 tournament appearances, he has knocked down 80,584 pins for a career average of 181.
Eighme finished with 522 in singles, 521 in doubles and 517 in team for a 1,560 all-events total and increased his career pinfall to 86,935.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open/Women's Championships page.
For many competitors, the USBC Open Championships is a family tradition and something they can do together, regardless of age or skill level, but reaching such a coveted milestone takes dedication, perseverance, stamina, passion and even a little bit of luck.
In 112 years of USBC Open Championships history, more than 640,000 five-player teams have competed on the tournament lanes, but only 179 bowlers have reached the 50-year plateau.
That club now includes Fran Eighme of Waterloo, Iowa, and Terry Brenneman of Dover, Pennsylvania, who made their milestone marches down Center Aisle at the El Paso Convention Center on Sunday. They each received a plaque, chevron and diamond lapel pin to commemorate the accomplishment.
Family and camaraderie have been a big part of Eighme's career at the Open Championships, which started alongside his brother, Richard, at the 1965 event in St. Paul, Minnesota. The two competed together regularly until 2000, joined along the way by Fran's son, Rich, in 1985, and Richard's son, Ryan, in 1994. Rich also reached a milestone Sunday in El Paso as he celebrated 30 tournament appearances.
"It's an experience," Eighme said. "I didn't think it would ever bother me, but when you actually come down Center Aisle, it's a great thrill. There's no doubt about that. It's been fun, and bowling has been good to me over the years. I started out as a kid in the bowling alley, and now I own a pro shop and bowling center."
Fran Eighme, a 70-year-old right-hander, has enjoyed success on the tournament lanes, including a third-place effort in Regular Singles in 1978, an eighth-place Regular Team finish in 1972 and a career average of more than 193.
But, even with five decades at the Open Championships now in the books, he still has one more bowling goal to achieve.
"Our teams have given it a run," Eighme said. "I've never been fortunate enough to actually get to that top spot, but they're still young. Maybe I can't do it, but maybe one of these teams will."
Fran's Pro Shop-Maple Lanes, featuring Rich, nearly made its way to the top of the leaderboard for Fran's 50th appearance, but eventually settled into fourth place in Regular Team with a 3,236 total. Team NABR of West Henrietta, New York, leads with 3,368.
Brenneman made his Open Championships debut two years before Eighme, traveling east to Buffalo, New York, for the 1963 tournament. That year stands out for the 68-year-old because it also gave him a chance to watch some of his bowling idols compete at the USBC Masters. While Brenneman bowled in his team event on the low side of the venue, the sport's best players were battling it out at the Masters on the high end.
Over the course of his tournament career, Brenneman has shared the championship lanes with the same group of teammates for more than 30 years, and his son, Andrew, recently reached his 20th year of participation. Getting to share the moment with them is what made each trip down Center Aisle special.
"It was pretty exciting," Brenneman said. "It was nice to come out and see all of the people looking and smiling, and everyone truly seemed happy for me. A few of my friends have been bowling with me for 35-40 years at this, and we've been friends even longer. That's the part of coming to the USBC that makes it really special. I'm past the stage of where bowling is the important factor. It's the camaraderie. My son and I get to bowl together, and that's what it's all about for me."
Now, Brenneman has earned his own spot among the elite at the Open Championships and is excited to continue his journey next year at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nevada.
Along with the chance to watch great bowling and compete on bowling's biggest stage with his friends, Brenneman has enjoyed the chance to travel the country and see so many places he wouldn't otherwise have visited.
"There have been so many cities we bowled in that I would have never gotten to see," Brenneman said. "I've always been a person who enjoyed sight-seeing, and the highlights of my trips have been discovering different places."
On the lanes this year, Brenneman shot 582 in doubles, 487 in singles and 480 in team for a 1,549 all-events total. In 50 tournament appearances, he has knocked down 80,584 pins for a career average of 181.
Eighme finished with 522 in singles, 521 in doubles and 517 in team for a 1,560 all-events total and increased his career pinfall to 86,935.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open/Women's Championships page.