Missouri bowler joins father in 50-Year Club at USBC Open Championships
July 13, 2023
RENO, Nev. – The United States Bowling Congress Open Championships certainly fits as a family tradition for Steve Wiemer of Springfield, Missouri, and he celebrated another milestone moment for his family as he made his 50th consecutive appearance at the tournament.
The 66-year-old joined his father, Roger Wiemer, in the exclusive club with his appearance at the 2023 event, and his brother, Randy Wiemer, is just two visits away after making his 48th consecutive trip to the tournament over the weekend at the National Bowling Stadium.
Steve Wiemer received a plaque, chevron and diamond lapel pin to commemorate his longevity at the event, which started as a teenager at the 1973 event in Syracuse, New York.
Roger Wiemer, who passed away in 2010, had started his journey at the USBC Open Championships at the 1949 event in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and made 51 tournament appearances. He knocked down 87,606 pins for a career average of 195.9.
“Our family has done this together since we were in high school, and that’s pretty special,” Wiemer said. “We’ve been in the bowling business since 1971. It’s our family business, our family recreation, it’s our time together and what we do.”
The Wiemer family has been involved in seven bowling centers over the years and currently own a pair of centers in Springfield – Enterprise Park Lanes and Sunshine Lanes – that host the Greater Ozarks Open each year. The 2023 event, which took place from February until June, marked the 65th edition of the tournament.
Wiemer also has given his time to help the next generation of bowlers through coaching. He coached the collegiate bowling team at Missouri State University for 25 years.
As he stayed busy in the bowling business in Springfield, he also enjoyed every opportunity to travel and compete at the Open Championships.
He's had plenty of memorable moments along the way, from watching Eagle-winning moments to appreciating the history that comes with each appearance at the tournament.
“I was pretty nervous that first year,” Wiemer said. “We had a quality group of bowlers, and I was 15 or 16 years old. I bowled OK, but you get to walk in, and you’re bowling with guys who have titles and are great bowlers, so you have the opportunity to watch and learn.
“I bowled next to Steve Fehr when he won all-events, which was pretty neat to watch. Jeff Mackey bowled with us the year he won the singles event. Our team set the Team All-Events record, but we got beat before the tournament was over.”
Wiemer has put together a solid career on the lanes in his own right, and he’s carried a 192.6 average over 50 tournament appearances and has a career pinfall at the Open Championships of 86,695.
“I look at it in the perspective of everyone who bowls, and I’m pretty happy with that, but then I look at the guys I bowl with, and I think I have to lift it up a little bit,” said Wiemer with a laugh. “I bowled all 48 with my brother, and Greg Shields bowled 40 with me.”
Although he’s humble in looking at his on-lane accomplishments, Wiemer did get some time in the spotlight last year in Las Vegas at the South Point Bowling Plaza.
In his second game of doubles at the 2022 Open Championships, he rolled a 300 game.
“That one was different,” Wiemer said. “I threw the last ball terrible. I was afraid to throw the last ball. It had such a different feeling from the others I’ve had, and anyone who understands the tradition of this tournament understands that. That was a special 300.”
Throughout the years, the tournament also has allowed Wiemer to reconnect with friends while he’s in the host venue, and in most cases, the trip is completely focused on the competition on the lanes.
For his 50th appearance, though, he’s enjoying some of the things the Reno area has to offer.
“In the 50 years, this is the first time we’ve done something other than just bowl and go home,” Wiemer said. “This year, because it’s my 50th, my wife and my brother’s wife are here, and we’re staying up at Lake Tahoe and going to spend a couple days hiking after we get done bowling. It always had strictly been a bowling trip.”
After sets of 594 in doubles, 538 in singles and 534 in team for a 1,666 all-events total this year, Wiemer has no intentions of slowing down at the Open Championships.
His next goal is to reach 100,000 pins at the event, and it could turn into another family milestone to share if the numbers work out.
“If you’ve bowled 50 of these, you understand the tradition of this event, and there’s nothing else like it in sports,” Wiemer said. “I’m happy to be here and am looking forward to bowling quite a few more and want to get to 100,000 pins. It might be eight years from now, and since my brother has bowled a little better than I have, it’s conceivable we could get there the same year. That would be fun. We’ll have to start watching that as we get closer.”
Randy Wiemer had 1,686 at the 2023 Open Championships, bringing his career pinfall to 86,001 for an average of 199.
The 2023 Open Championships kicked off March 4 and will conclude July 24. The 143-day tournament will feature more than 9,700 five-player teams and nearly 50,000 bowlers making their way to compete in The Biggest Little City in the World.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships page.
The 66-year-old joined his father, Roger Wiemer, in the exclusive club with his appearance at the 2023 event, and his brother, Randy Wiemer, is just two visits away after making his 48th consecutive trip to the tournament over the weekend at the National Bowling Stadium.
Steve Wiemer received a plaque, chevron and diamond lapel pin to commemorate his longevity at the event, which started as a teenager at the 1973 event in Syracuse, New York.
Roger Wiemer, who passed away in 2010, had started his journey at the USBC Open Championships at the 1949 event in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and made 51 tournament appearances. He knocked down 87,606 pins for a career average of 195.9.
“Our family has done this together since we were in high school, and that’s pretty special,” Wiemer said. “We’ve been in the bowling business since 1971. It’s our family business, our family recreation, it’s our time together and what we do.”
The Wiemer family has been involved in seven bowling centers over the years and currently own a pair of centers in Springfield – Enterprise Park Lanes and Sunshine Lanes – that host the Greater Ozarks Open each year. The 2023 event, which took place from February until June, marked the 65th edition of the tournament.
Wiemer also has given his time to help the next generation of bowlers through coaching. He coached the collegiate bowling team at Missouri State University for 25 years.
As he stayed busy in the bowling business in Springfield, he also enjoyed every opportunity to travel and compete at the Open Championships.
He's had plenty of memorable moments along the way, from watching Eagle-winning moments to appreciating the history that comes with each appearance at the tournament.
“I was pretty nervous that first year,” Wiemer said. “We had a quality group of bowlers, and I was 15 or 16 years old. I bowled OK, but you get to walk in, and you’re bowling with guys who have titles and are great bowlers, so you have the opportunity to watch and learn.
“I bowled next to Steve Fehr when he won all-events, which was pretty neat to watch. Jeff Mackey bowled with us the year he won the singles event. Our team set the Team All-Events record, but we got beat before the tournament was over.”
Wiemer has put together a solid career on the lanes in his own right, and he’s carried a 192.6 average over 50 tournament appearances and has a career pinfall at the Open Championships of 86,695.
“I look at it in the perspective of everyone who bowls, and I’m pretty happy with that, but then I look at the guys I bowl with, and I think I have to lift it up a little bit,” said Wiemer with a laugh. “I bowled all 48 with my brother, and Greg Shields bowled 40 with me.”
Although he’s humble in looking at his on-lane accomplishments, Wiemer did get some time in the spotlight last year in Las Vegas at the South Point Bowling Plaza.
In his second game of doubles at the 2022 Open Championships, he rolled a 300 game.
“That one was different,” Wiemer said. “I threw the last ball terrible. I was afraid to throw the last ball. It had such a different feeling from the others I’ve had, and anyone who understands the tradition of this tournament understands that. That was a special 300.”
Throughout the years, the tournament also has allowed Wiemer to reconnect with friends while he’s in the host venue, and in most cases, the trip is completely focused on the competition on the lanes.
For his 50th appearance, though, he’s enjoying some of the things the Reno area has to offer.
“In the 50 years, this is the first time we’ve done something other than just bowl and go home,” Wiemer said. “This year, because it’s my 50th, my wife and my brother’s wife are here, and we’re staying up at Lake Tahoe and going to spend a couple days hiking after we get done bowling. It always had strictly been a bowling trip.”
After sets of 594 in doubles, 538 in singles and 534 in team for a 1,666 all-events total this year, Wiemer has no intentions of slowing down at the Open Championships.
His next goal is to reach 100,000 pins at the event, and it could turn into another family milestone to share if the numbers work out.
“If you’ve bowled 50 of these, you understand the tradition of this event, and there’s nothing else like it in sports,” Wiemer said. “I’m happy to be here and am looking forward to bowling quite a few more and want to get to 100,000 pins. It might be eight years from now, and since my brother has bowled a little better than I have, it’s conceivable we could get there the same year. That would be fun. We’ll have to start watching that as we get closer.”
Randy Wiemer had 1,686 at the 2023 Open Championships, bringing his career pinfall to 86,001 for an average of 199.
The 2023 Open Championships kicked off March 4 and will conclude July 24. The 143-day tournament will feature more than 9,700 five-player teams and nearly 50,000 bowlers making their way to compete in The Biggest Little City in the World.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships page.