Hutchinson joins 60-Year Club at USBC Open Championships
May 25, 2024
LAS VEGAS – Wayne Hutchinson of Franklin Park, Illinois, added another milestone to his collection at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships on Friday with his 60th tournament appearance.
The 85-year-old right-hander became the 36th bowler in the tournament’s 120-year history to reach the participation milestone, and he’s the fourth and final competitor to achieve the feat at the 2024 event in Las Vegas.
He joined Dale Diamond of Chatham, Illinois; John Kerpan of Waukegan, Illinois; and Robert Brissette of Petersburg, Michigan, in the 60-Year Club this year at the South Point Bowling Plaza.
Hutchinson made his ceremonial march to the lanes alongside his daughters, Vanessa and Paula, and had three grandchildren (Morgan, Taylor and Augustus) and his son-in-law (Jerral) cheering from the stands as he received a plaque, chevron and engraved money clip to recognize his longevity.
He started his journey at the tournament during the 1959 event in St. Louis, just bowling in doubles and singles. Hutchinson followed the next year in Toledo, Ohio, with his first all-events score of 1,800 or higher (1,805).
At the 1971 event in Detroit, Hutchinson and his Hilton Shirts teammates etched their names in the tournament’s record book by winning the Team All-Events title.
Hutchinson posted an all-events tally of 1,823 as the team captured the victory with a 9,157 total. The group also placed third in Regular Team in 1971, posting a 3,163 score.
“When we got the Eagle in 1971, I was able to get my first house,” Hutchinson said. “We won enough money to be able to put a down payment on a house. Everybody cashed in everything. We won Team All-Events and finished third in team. Bowling wise, those were my favorite times.”
He has finished with an all-events score of 1,800 or higher in 10 of his appearances, with his top overall score taking place during his 46th visit to the event during the 2009 USBC Open Championships in Las Vegas. Hutchinson finished that trip with a nine-game total of 1,868.
His favorite memory from the tournament over the years occurred during his 50th appearance in 2013 at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nevada.
Although the bowling didn’t go as well as he would have hoped that trip, he had a great time out on the town with his wife, Sandra.
“My favorite was my 50th, because my wife was able to come with me,” Hutchinson said. “I didn’t bowl very well, but the fun part started when I went to gamble at the craps table. I started with $100 and was making small bets, and this guy just started throwing number after number, and I turned that $100 into $1,500.
“We went to dinner afterward, and then to the piano bar. There were two stools in front, and three entertainers came in and started playing to just her and I. I couldn’t think of any more songs to request after a while! The waitress ended up coming over to let us know that another couple wanted to buy us a drink – I didn’t know who they were – and then the waitress came back again to let us know another couple wanted to also buy us a drink. When I walked down the aisle at the Bowling Stadium for my presentation, I was on the big TV screen, and all these people buying us drinks were bowlers. My wife had a great time, and that’s why it was the most enjoyable.”
Hutchinson’s next goal at the Open Championships is to reach 100,000 pins, and after adding 1,428 pins to his career total at the 2024 event, he’s now sitting at 97,950 for a lifetime average of 186.5 at the tournament.
“I think I can reach 100,000 pins in two more years,” Hutchinson said. “As long as I’m alive and still around, it’ll be fun. I feel like I can still do it, but I can’t shoot like I used to shoot. If I could just get enough stamina to throw the ball harder, I’d be fine since I still have the hand-eye coordination, but I just need speed.”
The sport of bowling and tournament have been good to Hutchinson throughout his career, and he has enjoyed the people he has met and the experiences he has been able to share on his way to 60 years at the Open Championships.
“It feels pretty good, because milestones are better than tombstones,” Hutchinson said. “This has been very enjoyable, and the USBC has been very good to me. Like I said when I made my speech, the best people I’ve ever met in my life have been through bowling.”
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 85-year-old right-hander became the 36th bowler in the tournament’s 120-year history to reach the participation milestone, and he’s the fourth and final competitor to achieve the feat at the 2024 event in Las Vegas.
He joined Dale Diamond of Chatham, Illinois; John Kerpan of Waukegan, Illinois; and Robert Brissette of Petersburg, Michigan, in the 60-Year Club this year at the South Point Bowling Plaza.
Hutchinson made his ceremonial march to the lanes alongside his daughters, Vanessa and Paula, and had three grandchildren (Morgan, Taylor and Augustus) and his son-in-law (Jerral) cheering from the stands as he received a plaque, chevron and engraved money clip to recognize his longevity.
He started his journey at the tournament during the 1959 event in St. Louis, just bowling in doubles and singles. Hutchinson followed the next year in Toledo, Ohio, with his first all-events score of 1,800 or higher (1,805).
At the 1971 event in Detroit, Hutchinson and his Hilton Shirts teammates etched their names in the tournament’s record book by winning the Team All-Events title.
Hutchinson posted an all-events tally of 1,823 as the team captured the victory with a 9,157 total. The group also placed third in Regular Team in 1971, posting a 3,163 score.
“When we got the Eagle in 1971, I was able to get my first house,” Hutchinson said. “We won enough money to be able to put a down payment on a house. Everybody cashed in everything. We won Team All-Events and finished third in team. Bowling wise, those were my favorite times.”
He has finished with an all-events score of 1,800 or higher in 10 of his appearances, with his top overall score taking place during his 46th visit to the event during the 2009 USBC Open Championships in Las Vegas. Hutchinson finished that trip with a nine-game total of 1,868.
His favorite memory from the tournament over the years occurred during his 50th appearance in 2013 at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nevada.
Although the bowling didn’t go as well as he would have hoped that trip, he had a great time out on the town with his wife, Sandra.
“My favorite was my 50th, because my wife was able to come with me,” Hutchinson said. “I didn’t bowl very well, but the fun part started when I went to gamble at the craps table. I started with $100 and was making small bets, and this guy just started throwing number after number, and I turned that $100 into $1,500.
“We went to dinner afterward, and then to the piano bar. There were two stools in front, and three entertainers came in and started playing to just her and I. I couldn’t think of any more songs to request after a while! The waitress ended up coming over to let us know that another couple wanted to buy us a drink – I didn’t know who they were – and then the waitress came back again to let us know another couple wanted to also buy us a drink. When I walked down the aisle at the Bowling Stadium for my presentation, I was on the big TV screen, and all these people buying us drinks were bowlers. My wife had a great time, and that’s why it was the most enjoyable.”
Hutchinson’s next goal at the Open Championships is to reach 100,000 pins, and after adding 1,428 pins to his career total at the 2024 event, he’s now sitting at 97,950 for a lifetime average of 186.5 at the tournament.
“I think I can reach 100,000 pins in two more years,” Hutchinson said. “As long as I’m alive and still around, it’ll be fun. I feel like I can still do it, but I can’t shoot like I used to shoot. If I could just get enough stamina to throw the ball harder, I’d be fine since I still have the hand-eye coordination, but I just need speed.”
The sport of bowling and tournament have been good to Hutchinson throughout his career, and he has enjoyed the people he has met and the experiences he has been able to share on his way to 60 years at the Open Championships.
“It feels pretty good, because milestones are better than tombstones,” Hutchinson said. “This has been very enjoyable, and the USBC has been very good to me. Like I said when I made my speech, the best people I’ve ever met in my life have been through bowling.”
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.