RENO, Nev. - Jim Grzesiak of Saginaw, Michigan, spent his career working for the U.S. Postal Service, but he got a special delivery of his own this week while collecting his luggage at the Reno-Tahoe International Airport.

Grzesiak and his wife, Judy, were surprised by Jim's stepson John Rheinhardt and his wife Dee, who made the trip to The Biggest Little City in the World to help Grzesiak celebrate his 50th appearance at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships.

Also making a surprise appearance in Reno was Grzesiak's brother Ron and his wife, Denise, who joined their brother Bill, whose visit was expected.

The annual trip to the tournament already is a family affair, as Grzesiak's team includes his brother Tom, sons Mark and Adam and nephew Brian. Together, they now have combined for 139 appearances on the championship lanes.

Even the team's name, Tony's Bar, is family-oriented and honors Grzesiak's uncle, a staple in the Saginaw bowling community, who died in 1998.

"This is something we really looked forward to, and then it was like 'wow,' I made it," said Grzesiak, who received a plaque, chevron and special lapel pin to commemorate the milestone. "This is a really special accomplishment and something I never could've expected when I started bowling in this tournament."

Although Judy Grzesiak only has competed in the Open Championships one time (2011), she has been along for much of the journey and still got to experience the exciting march down Center Aisle at the National Bowling Stadium as her husband's escort Tuesday.

"I'm very proud of him and all he's accomplished, and it meant a lot to be able to walk with him today," Judy Grzesiak said. "I almost can compare it to walking down the aisle when we got married. It was very special and nice to be able to have family with us, too."

Judy also celebrated a birthday Tuesday, something she's been able to do all over the United States because of the Open Championships. The two have been married for 40 years, and she has been to all but one tournament in that time, according to Grzesiak.

Often, the annual event gave the Grzesiaks a chance to travel and have some alone time without their children, but family-friendly locations also gave them an opportunity for great family vacations.

Grzesiak made his Open Championships debut at the 1965 event in St. Paul, Minnesota, missed two tournaments while serving in the U.S. Navy and now has been to every tournament since 1968.

He has had the pleasure of bowling alongside 1942 Regular All-Events champion Stan Moskal and longtime participant Charles Tafoya, who competed in the Open Championships 54 times from 1949 until 2004. More than three decades of competition with Tafoya is part of what motivated Grzesiak to continue.

"We've had a chance to travel and experience this as a family, which both have been great reasons to keep going," Grzesiak said. "But bowling with Charles really motivated me, too. When I saw him get to 50 is when I decided I wanted to try to get there, too."

With five decades now in the books, the 73-year-old Grzesiak is thinking well beyond tournament No. 51. His focus is on making it to 63, so he can be there to help his brother celebrate 50 years of participation, too.

"I'd love to last that long," said Grzesiak, a Saginaw USBC Hall of Famer and the tournament manager for the Postal Federal Employees National Bowling Tournament, which will be held for the 79th year in 2016. "This is something I didn't think was possible, and for that to happen, would be incredible. You have to keep having goals and try to do things for as long, and as well, as you can. So, that's my next goal."

This year on the tournament lanes, Grzesiak rolled sets of 497 in team, 497 in singles and 473 in doubles for a 1,467 all-events total. He also was able to bowl doubles with his surprise guest, Rheinhardt.

In 50 appearances, Grzesiak has knocked down 77,781 pins for a career average of 175.

Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open/Women's Championships page.