Florida bowler returns to USBC Open Championships for 50th appearance
May 17, 2025
BATON ROUGE, La. – Joe Minarik of Seminole, Florida, had all eyes on him Wednesday at the Raising Cane’s River Center, as he made his 50th appearance at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships.
The 79-year-old was escorted by his grandson, Alex, to the fight song for the Chicago Bears to receive his chevron, plaque and diamond lapel pin for his milestone achievement.
Minarik began his journey at the Open Championships during the 1971 event in Detroit, and he has enjoyed every year he has bowled the event.
“I really have loved every year I’ve been at this event, with all of them being my favorite year,” said Minarik, a member of the Gulf Coast USBC Hall of Fame. “These last few years of getting to bowl with my grandson, Alex, has given me a new drive to continue, and hopefully, I can continue to compete even after 50 years if I can remain healthy.”
Minarik has struggled with some health issues over the past few years, including a minor stroke, but that has not discouraged him from hitting the tournament lanes each year.
“I have been a little sick these past few years, and it hasn’t made it easy on my bowling game,” Minarik said. “But, I still love the sport and tournament and want to continue to bowl as long as my body allows me to. When I had my stroke, it also triggered leukemia in my body, and I go to get that treated regularly each week.”
His teammates all donned custom shirts with his doubles and singles photo from the 1985 event on the back to show additional support for his 50th tournament appearance.
“I’m not even sure where they pulled that photo from, but it’s funny and it makes me feel good to know I have such good friends to be able to share this moment with me,” Minarik said. “The trips we have all been on together were incredible, and when my wife would come on the trip with me, my expenses seemed to almost triple! I just wish my wife, Pat, could have been here to share this day with me. She would have loved it.”
While Minarik jokes that he knows he’s probably not going to win, he wants to continue to bowl the tournament after his 50th year.
“We all know we are not going to win the tournament, but we are friends and love to have a good time, especially in Las Vegas,” Minarik said. “I always say even if you bowl bad, you just have to remember it’s just a game. Living by that motto when you bowl makes life that much simpler and keeps it in perspective.”
In his 50th appearance, Minarik finished with an all-events score of 1,151 to bring his pinfall total at the tournament to 77,848 for a lifetime average of 174.1.
The Open Championships is celebrating its third trip to Baton Rouge in 2025 and scheduled to feature more than 58,000 bowlers and 11,600 five-player teams competing across 150 consecutive days at the River Center.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships page.
The 79-year-old was escorted by his grandson, Alex, to the fight song for the Chicago Bears to receive his chevron, plaque and diamond lapel pin for his milestone achievement.
Minarik began his journey at the Open Championships during the 1971 event in Detroit, and he has enjoyed every year he has bowled the event.
“I really have loved every year I’ve been at this event, with all of them being my favorite year,” said Minarik, a member of the Gulf Coast USBC Hall of Fame. “These last few years of getting to bowl with my grandson, Alex, has given me a new drive to continue, and hopefully, I can continue to compete even after 50 years if I can remain healthy.”
Minarik has struggled with some health issues over the past few years, including a minor stroke, but that has not discouraged him from hitting the tournament lanes each year.
“I have been a little sick these past few years, and it hasn’t made it easy on my bowling game,” Minarik said. “But, I still love the sport and tournament and want to continue to bowl as long as my body allows me to. When I had my stroke, it also triggered leukemia in my body, and I go to get that treated regularly each week.”
His teammates all donned custom shirts with his doubles and singles photo from the 1985 event on the back to show additional support for his 50th tournament appearance.
“I’m not even sure where they pulled that photo from, but it’s funny and it makes me feel good to know I have such good friends to be able to share this moment with me,” Minarik said. “The trips we have all been on together were incredible, and when my wife would come on the trip with me, my expenses seemed to almost triple! I just wish my wife, Pat, could have been here to share this day with me. She would have loved it.”
While Minarik jokes that he knows he’s probably not going to win, he wants to continue to bowl the tournament after his 50th year.
“We all know we are not going to win the tournament, but we are friends and love to have a good time, especially in Las Vegas,” Minarik said. “I always say even if you bowl bad, you just have to remember it’s just a game. Living by that motto when you bowl makes life that much simpler and keeps it in perspective.”
In his 50th appearance, Minarik finished with an all-events score of 1,151 to bring his pinfall total at the tournament to 77,848 for a lifetime average of 174.1.
The Open Championships is celebrating its third trip to Baton Rouge in 2025 and scheduled to feature more than 58,000 bowlers and 11,600 five-player teams competing across 150 consecutive days at the River Center.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships page.