Kerpan celebrates two milestones at 2024 USBC Open Championships
May 09, 2024
LAS VEGAS – John Kerpan of Waukegan, Illinois, had quite the weekend in Las Vegas during his trip to the 2024 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, joining a pair of elite clubs in his appearance.
The 81-year-old right-hander started his visit to the South Point Bowling Plaza on Saturday by being welcomed for his 60th year of participation at the tournament, receiving a plaque, chevron and engraved money clip. With his appearance, he became the 34th bowler in tournament history to reach the participation milestone.
On Sunday, he accomplished the second goal of his appearance – joining the 100,000-Pin Club at the USBC Open Championships. Kerpan is the 31st bowler to achieve the feat, and he received a crystal pin to commemorate his well-earned spot among some of the greats to grace the championship lanes.
Kerpan officially secured his pinfall milestone in the second frame of his second game of singles by knocking down eight pins on his first delivery. He took care of the spare with no issue before an on-lane presentation took place at the Bowling Plaza to recognize the achievement.
He entered the 2024 event needing 1,090 pins to earn his crystal pin, and after posting steady sets of 468 in team, 456 in doubles and 450 in singles for an all-events total of 1,374, Kerpan now has a career pinfall of 100,284 for a lifetime average at the Open Championships of 186.7.
“I was very excited coming to this tournament knowing that I was probably going to reach 100,000 pins and certainly had the 60th anniversary of attending the USBCs,” said Kerpan, a member of the Greater Lake County USBC Hall of Fame.
He started his journey at the tournament during the 1961 event in Detroit, where he served as his team’s sixth member and only bowled doubles and singles.
The following year in Des Moines, Iowa, Kerpan nearly recorded his first 1,800 all-events total (1,786). He posted his first event north of 1,800 during the 1968 event in Cincinnati (1,882), and his top overall performance came during his trip to Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1993 (1,891).
As much as the trips each year were about competing on the biggest stage, the travel and chance to make memories with those around him also played a big part in the experience for Kerpan.
One of his favorite trips was to Mobile, Alabama, for the 1994 event.
“My favorite moment was in Mobile, Alabama, where they had the second-best Mardi Gras in the world,” Kerpan said. “I arranged for our team to bowl in early February. We certainly had a great time in Mobile, Alabama.”
He has no plans of slowing down at the tournament, either.
“I’m going to go as long as I can,” Kerpan said. “I’m starting to experience some health problems, and I hope we can get over that and keep on trucking at the USBCs. My fellow teammates are in agreement that we should stay together and bowl as often as we can.”
Kerpan became the second bowler to reach 100,000 pins at the 2024 Open Championships, and he’s one of four competitors scheduled to reach 60 years in 2024.
Frankie May Jr. of Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania, joined the 100,000-Pin Club during his doubles set April 2, and Dale Diamond of Chatham, Illinois, was the first to reach 60 years during his trip to the South Point Bowling Plaza on April 13.
Robert Brissette of Petersburg, Michigan, made his 60th tournament appearance May 6, and Wayne Hutchinson of Franklin Park, Illinois, is scheduled to make his milestone appearance May 24.
The 2024 Open Championships got underway Feb. 23 and will run through July 29 at the South Point Bowling Plaza. The tournament is scheduled to feature more than 11,000 teams and 55,000 bowlers making their way to compete in Las Vegas.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships page.
The 81-year-old right-hander started his visit to the South Point Bowling Plaza on Saturday by being welcomed for his 60th year of participation at the tournament, receiving a plaque, chevron and engraved money clip. With his appearance, he became the 34th bowler in tournament history to reach the participation milestone.
On Sunday, he accomplished the second goal of his appearance – joining the 100,000-Pin Club at the USBC Open Championships. Kerpan is the 31st bowler to achieve the feat, and he received a crystal pin to commemorate his well-earned spot among some of the greats to grace the championship lanes.
Kerpan officially secured his pinfall milestone in the second frame of his second game of singles by knocking down eight pins on his first delivery. He took care of the spare with no issue before an on-lane presentation took place at the Bowling Plaza to recognize the achievement.
He entered the 2024 event needing 1,090 pins to earn his crystal pin, and after posting steady sets of 468 in team, 456 in doubles and 450 in singles for an all-events total of 1,374, Kerpan now has a career pinfall of 100,284 for a lifetime average at the Open Championships of 186.7.
“I was very excited coming to this tournament knowing that I was probably going to reach 100,000 pins and certainly had the 60th anniversary of attending the USBCs,” said Kerpan, a member of the Greater Lake County USBC Hall of Fame.
He started his journey at the tournament during the 1961 event in Detroit, where he served as his team’s sixth member and only bowled doubles and singles.
The following year in Des Moines, Iowa, Kerpan nearly recorded his first 1,800 all-events total (1,786). He posted his first event north of 1,800 during the 1968 event in Cincinnati (1,882), and his top overall performance came during his trip to Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1993 (1,891).
As much as the trips each year were about competing on the biggest stage, the travel and chance to make memories with those around him also played a big part in the experience for Kerpan.
One of his favorite trips was to Mobile, Alabama, for the 1994 event.
“My favorite moment was in Mobile, Alabama, where they had the second-best Mardi Gras in the world,” Kerpan said. “I arranged for our team to bowl in early February. We certainly had a great time in Mobile, Alabama.”
He has no plans of slowing down at the tournament, either.
“I’m going to go as long as I can,” Kerpan said. “I’m starting to experience some health problems, and I hope we can get over that and keep on trucking at the USBCs. My fellow teammates are in agreement that we should stay together and bowl as often as we can.”
Kerpan became the second bowler to reach 100,000 pins at the 2024 Open Championships, and he’s one of four competitors scheduled to reach 60 years in 2024.
Frankie May Jr. of Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania, joined the 100,000-Pin Club during his doubles set April 2, and Dale Diamond of Chatham, Illinois, was the first to reach 60 years during his trip to the South Point Bowling Plaza on April 13.
Robert Brissette of Petersburg, Michigan, made his 60th tournament appearance May 6, and Wayne Hutchinson of Franklin Park, Illinois, is scheduled to make his milestone appearance May 24.
The 2024 Open Championships got underway Feb. 23 and will run through July 29 at the South Point Bowling Plaza. The tournament is scheduled to feature more than 11,000 teams and 55,000 bowlers making their way to compete in Las Vegas.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships page.