East Coast bowlers reach 50 years at 2015 Open Championships
May 12, 2015
EL PASO, Texas - The mid-1960s was an exciting time in sports.
The Boston Celtics dominated the National Basketball Association, football hall of famer Joe Namath signed with the New York Jets, the Green Bay Packers won the first Super Bowl and boxing champion Cassius Clay officially became Muhammad Ali.
The time frame also marked the debut of Fred Gordon of Cumberland Foreside, Maine, and Charles Tredway Sr. of Chester, New Jersey, at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, and unlike other athletes of the era, the two still are active on the tournament lanes five decades later.
Gordon and Tredway both were at the El Paso Convention Center this week to celebrate 50 years of participation at the USBC Open Championships. After escorted marches down Center Aisle on Monday, each was presented with a plaque, chevron and diamond lapel pin to commemorate the milestone.
Gordon, who made his first Open Championships appearance at the 1965 event in St. Paul, Minnesota, actually was competing in the first team event of his career at the same time Ali was defeating Sonny Liston in a controversial two-minute rematch, just a short drive from Gordon's hometown in Maine.
The 80-year-old Gordon recounted the evening while claiming his own spot in the USBC record books Monday in El Paso.
Since missing the 1967 Open Championships because of work obligations during the time his team was offered a spot to compete, Gordon has been to every event since. He lists his sixth-place all-events finish in 1972 as a top memory, but reaching 50 years of competition means something special, too.
"Both are terrific memories," Gordon said. "But, I don't think I can compare the two. Being here for 50 years is a much different feeling than scoring well. Both are special for different reasons."
Gordon now is the only Maine bowler in 112 years of Open Championships history, and nearly 200 years of Maine's statehood, to reach the 50-year participation mark on the tournament lanes.
Many of those years, he has shared the lanes with his wife, Shirley, who made her 22nd Open Championships appearance. She is one of a small group of women who have bowled in every tournament since 1994, when women first were invited to compete in the storied event.
"It is just a thrill and an honor to be able to do this, and it was especially nice to have my wife (Shirley) and son (Scott) here," said Gordon, who has served the game of bowling in a variety of local, state and national roles. "I've been involved in bowling and competing in this tournament for a long time, but I still was pretty nervous tonight. I definitely didn't bowl that well, probably a little bit because of the nerves, but it was a great experience, overall."
Tredway, who made his tournament debut at the 1966 event in Rochester, New York, wouldn't let 18 inches of snow delay his first trip down Center Aisle, and he hasn't let anything stand in his way since.
The 76-year-old right-hander has logged 50 consecutive tournament appearances and shared the journey with his best friends, his three children and even USBC Hall of Famers Dick Weber and Bill Lillard Sr. His friends and family were by his side at the El Paso Convention Center on Monday evening.
"I never could've expected to make it to 50 tournaments, but it really has been enjoyable," said Tredway, the fourth bowler from New Jersey to eclipse 50 years at the Open Championships. "I actually got pretty nervous today, and I appreciate the recognition. It is a special accomplishment."
Part of the allure of the Open Championships for Tredway and his wife of 25 years, Marge, has been the opportunity to travel to all corners of the United States and experience the great sights and regional cultures the country has to offer, from the bitter cold of Billings, Montana, to the Crazy Horse Memorial in South Dakota to the country roads of Arkansas.
"We've been able to meet people and see things we normally wouldn't, and we've been places we probably wouldn't have planned a vacation to," Marge Tredway said. "This tournament has given us a chance to see a lot of the country and make great memories. And, there's so much camaraderie. They all just really look forward to getting together here every year."
This year on the lanes, Gordon shot 472 in doubles, 444 in team and 440 in singles for a 1,356 all-events total, increasing his career pinfall to 80,667, a 181.6 average. Tredway had 466 in singles, 461 in doubles and 426 in team for 1,353. He has knocked down 81,566 pins in his 50 tournaments for a career average of 181.2.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open/Women's Championships page.
The Boston Celtics dominated the National Basketball Association, football hall of famer Joe Namath signed with the New York Jets, the Green Bay Packers won the first Super Bowl and boxing champion Cassius Clay officially became Muhammad Ali.
The time frame also marked the debut of Fred Gordon of Cumberland Foreside, Maine, and Charles Tredway Sr. of Chester, New Jersey, at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, and unlike other athletes of the era, the two still are active on the tournament lanes five decades later.
Gordon and Tredway both were at the El Paso Convention Center this week to celebrate 50 years of participation at the USBC Open Championships. After escorted marches down Center Aisle on Monday, each was presented with a plaque, chevron and diamond lapel pin to commemorate the milestone.
Gordon, who made his first Open Championships appearance at the 1965 event in St. Paul, Minnesota, actually was competing in the first team event of his career at the same time Ali was defeating Sonny Liston in a controversial two-minute rematch, just a short drive from Gordon's hometown in Maine. The 80-year-old Gordon recounted the evening while claiming his own spot in the USBC record books Monday in El Paso.
Since missing the 1967 Open Championships because of work obligations during the time his team was offered a spot to compete, Gordon has been to every event since. He lists his sixth-place all-events finish in 1972 as a top memory, but reaching 50 years of competition means something special, too.
"Both are terrific memories," Gordon said. "But, I don't think I can compare the two. Being here for 50 years is a much different feeling than scoring well. Both are special for different reasons."
Gordon now is the only Maine bowler in 112 years of Open Championships history, and nearly 200 years of Maine's statehood, to reach the 50-year participation mark on the tournament lanes.
Many of those years, he has shared the lanes with his wife, Shirley, who made her 22nd Open Championships appearance. She is one of a small group of women who have bowled in every tournament since 1994, when women first were invited to compete in the storied event.
"It is just a thrill and an honor to be able to do this, and it was especially nice to have my wife (Shirley) and son (Scott) here," said Gordon, who has served the game of bowling in a variety of local, state and national roles. "I've been involved in bowling and competing in this tournament for a long time, but I still was pretty nervous tonight. I definitely didn't bowl that well, probably a little bit because of the nerves, but it was a great experience, overall."
Tredway, who made his tournament debut at the 1966 event in Rochester, New York, wouldn't let 18 inches of snow delay his first trip down Center Aisle, and he hasn't let anything stand in his way since. The 76-year-old right-hander has logged 50 consecutive tournament appearances and shared the journey with his best friends, his three children and even USBC Hall of Famers Dick Weber and Bill Lillard Sr. His friends and family were by his side at the El Paso Convention Center on Monday evening.
"I never could've expected to make it to 50 tournaments, but it really has been enjoyable," said Tredway, the fourth bowler from New Jersey to eclipse 50 years at the Open Championships. "I actually got pretty nervous today, and I appreciate the recognition. It is a special accomplishment."
Part of the allure of the Open Championships for Tredway and his wife of 25 years, Marge, has been the opportunity to travel to all corners of the United States and experience the great sights and regional cultures the country has to offer, from the bitter cold of Billings, Montana, to the Crazy Horse Memorial in South Dakota to the country roads of Arkansas.
"We've been able to meet people and see things we normally wouldn't, and we've been places we probably wouldn't have planned a vacation to," Marge Tredway said. "This tournament has given us a chance to see a lot of the country and make great memories. And, there's so much camaraderie. They all just really look forward to getting together here every year."
This year on the lanes, Gordon shot 472 in doubles, 444 in team and 440 in singles for a 1,356 all-events total, increasing his career pinfall to 80,667, a 181.6 average. Tredway had 466 in singles, 461 in doubles and 426 in team for 1,353. He has knocked down 81,566 pins in his 50 tournaments for a career average of 181.2.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open/Women's Championships page.