Florida bowler rolls perfect game at 2016 BJ in Reno
June 07, 2016
By Matt Cannizzaro and Christian Seaborn
USBC Communications
RENO, Nev. - Matt Gilman of Pembroke Pines, Florida, has struck his way into the spotlight before, and he was able to do it on a national stage Monday as he rolled the second perfect game of the 2016 Bowlers Journal Championships presented by the United States Bowling Congress.
The 34-year-old right-hander and his teammates were using the event as a warm-up for their time at the 2016 USBC Open Championships this week.
The two events are being held side by side at the National Bowling Stadium, with the Bowlers Journal Championships featuring the 39-foot oil pattern being used for doubles and singles at the Open Championships.
Gilman opened his set at the Bowlers Journal with a 166 game before connecting on 12 consecutive shots to join fellow Floridian Sean Riccardi of St. Petersburg as the only two bowlers to shoot 300 on the Showcase Lanes this year. Gilman finished with 185 for a 651 series. Riccardi leads Open Singles at the BJ this year with 767.
"Tonight's 300 was special because it came in a national venue," said Gilman, who will be making his 10th Open Championships appearance Tuesday at the NBS. "We use the Bowlers Journal as a practice session, but this is a nice bonus. Later, we'll have a little powwow to discuss how everything went."
The former Junior Team USA member (2002) is part of the four-team Lodge Lanes group, captained by USBC Hall of Famer John Gaines.
Gaines and the Lodge Lanes name have enjoyed decades of success and recognition at the Open Championships, including the 2013 Regular Team title, and the group was expanded from two teams to four in 2015, with the hope that the addition of the talented young players will ensure the continuation of the Lodge Lanes legacy.
"The gentlemen I bowl with do such a great job in having everybody on the same page, especially Jeffrey Ussery and John Gaines," Gilman said. "When John called me five years ago asking me if I wanted to join their team, I couldn't say yes fast enough."
The group that claimed the team title in 2013 includes Gaines, a four-time titlist, 1987 Team All-Events champion Mitch Jabczenski, 2004 Regular Singles and Regular All-Events winner John Janawicz, PBA champion Scott Newell and former Team USA member Vernon Peterson.
Gilman's teammates Shawn Lee and Jon Trzcinski also are familiar with success on the biggest stage in bowling.
Lee made headlines with a perfect game at the 2008 Open Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and a 300 at the Bowlers Journal Championships at the NBS in 2013, while Trzcinski, a past collegiate national champion, rolled an 802 singles series at the NBS in 2014.
The breakout performance of Gilman's bowling career came in 1993 when he rolled his first 300 game at 11 years and 2 months old. At the time, he was the youngest bowler in history to achieve the feat, an honor that now belongs to Hannah Diem of Seminole, Florida, who rolled a perfect game in 2013 at the age of 9 years, 6 months and 19 days.
Now, Gilman and his teammates will use what they learned at the Bowlers Journal, add a team practice session on the Showcase Lanes to get a look at the 38-foot team oil pattern and finalize their stragetgy for the main event at the National Bowling Stadium.
The group will hit the lanes at the Open Championships for its team event Tuesday at 8 p.m. Eastern and return to the NBS for doubles and singles Wednesday at 4 p.m. EDT.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open/Women's Championships page.
USBC Communications
RENO, Nev. - Matt Gilman of Pembroke Pines, Florida, has struck his way into the spotlight before, and he was able to do it on a national stage Monday as he rolled the second perfect game of the 2016 Bowlers Journal Championships presented by the United States Bowling Congress.
The 34-year-old right-hander and his teammates were using the event as a warm-up for their time at the 2016 USBC Open Championships this week.
The two events are being held side by side at the National Bowling Stadium, with the Bowlers Journal Championships featuring the 39-foot oil pattern being used for doubles and singles at the Open Championships.
Gilman opened his set at the Bowlers Journal with a 166 game before connecting on 12 consecutive shots to join fellow Floridian Sean Riccardi of St. Petersburg as the only two bowlers to shoot 300 on the Showcase Lanes this year. Gilman finished with 185 for a 651 series. Riccardi leads Open Singles at the BJ this year with 767.
"Tonight's 300 was special because it came in a national venue," said Gilman, who will be making his 10th Open Championships appearance Tuesday at the NBS. "We use the Bowlers Journal as a practice session, but this is a nice bonus. Later, we'll have a little powwow to discuss how everything went."
The former Junior Team USA member (2002) is part of the four-team Lodge Lanes group, captained by USBC Hall of Famer John Gaines.
Gaines and the Lodge Lanes name have enjoyed decades of success and recognition at the Open Championships, including the 2013 Regular Team title, and the group was expanded from two teams to four in 2015, with the hope that the addition of the talented young players will ensure the continuation of the Lodge Lanes legacy.
"The gentlemen I bowl with do such a great job in having everybody on the same page, especially Jeffrey Ussery and John Gaines," Gilman said. "When John called me five years ago asking me if I wanted to join their team, I couldn't say yes fast enough."
The group that claimed the team title in 2013 includes Gaines, a four-time titlist, 1987 Team All-Events champion Mitch Jabczenski, 2004 Regular Singles and Regular All-Events winner John Janawicz, PBA champion Scott Newell and former Team USA member Vernon Peterson.
Gilman's teammates Shawn Lee and Jon Trzcinski also are familiar with success on the biggest stage in bowling.
Lee made headlines with a perfect game at the 2008 Open Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and a 300 at the Bowlers Journal Championships at the NBS in 2013, while Trzcinski, a past collegiate national champion, rolled an 802 singles series at the NBS in 2014.
The breakout performance of Gilman's bowling career came in 1993 when he rolled his first 300 game at 11 years and 2 months old. At the time, he was the youngest bowler in history to achieve the feat, an honor that now belongs to Hannah Diem of Seminole, Florida, who rolled a perfect game in 2013 at the age of 9 years, 6 months and 19 days.
Now, Gilman and his teammates will use what they learned at the Bowlers Journal, add a team practice session on the Showcase Lanes to get a look at the 38-foot team oil pattern and finalize their stragetgy for the main event at the National Bowling Stadium.
The group will hit the lanes at the Open Championships for its team event Tuesday at 8 p.m. Eastern and return to the NBS for doubles and singles Wednesday at 4 p.m. EDT.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open/Women's Championships page.