On the Lanes with Syl Thiel
April 02, 2011
In the coming months, we'll talk with some of the best-known bowlers at the USBC Open Championships and get their thoughts on their time at the tournament and what it takes to succeed on the championship lanes.
This week, we heard from Sylvester Thiel, one of 13 members of the 100,000-Pin Club, who recently made his 66th Open Championships appearance. His recent march down Center Aisle ties him with Les Berry of Wooster, Ohio, for the active participation lead.
Both gentlemen are chasing late USBC Hall of Famer Joe Norris of San Diego and the late Bill Doehrman of Fort Wayne, Ind., who each bowled in 71 tournaments.
In 66 Open Championships appearances, Thiel has knocked down 108,939 pins for an average of 183.4. He is eighth on the all-time pinfall list, which Norris tops with 123,770.
HOMETOWN: Lake City, Minn.
OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS APPEARANCES: 66
OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS TITLES: 0
BOWLING BALL WEIGHT: 11 lbs.
FAVORITE BRAND OF BOWLING BALLS: plastic
ONE all-time favorite host city: Fort Worth, Texas, or Las Vegas
TWO best Open Championships memories: The 1958 event in Syracuse, which is also where Bert Price and I finished 12th in doubles.
THREE keys to success at the Open Championships: 1. open mind; 2. concentration; 3. don't follow instructions from other bowlers.
FOURgettable Open Championships moment: Last year's Reno scores. They hooked too much!
FIVE bowlers in history on your Open Championships fantasy all-star team: Don Carter, Dick Weber, Eddie Lubanski, Bob Hart, Joe Norris, Johnny Crimmins Sr.
SIX bowling balls currently in your Open Championships arsenal: Only one- Columbia White Dot
SEVEN cities you'd like to see the Open Championships go to/return to: Detroit, Minneapolis, Las Vegas, Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami
EIGHT favorite bowling balls ever: Manhattan Rubber (shot first 300), any Brunswick ball
NINE other current/eligible bowlers you would choose to join you on your ideal pair of companion teams at the Open Championships: Bill Lillard, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Pete Weber
TEN seconds or less, who is your favorite bowler of all-time?: Joe Norris. Without a doubt, one of the nicest people ever.
ELEVEN strikes in a row to start a game at the Open Championships, what's going through your head?: Stay slow and release the ball properly
TWELVE years from now, where do you hope to be in your bowling career?: I'll be 101 and probably using a six pound bowling ball.
This week, we heard from Sylvester Thiel, one of 13 members of the 100,000-Pin Club, who recently made his 66th Open Championships appearance. His recent march down Center Aisle ties him with Les Berry of Wooster, Ohio, for the active participation lead.
Both gentlemen are chasing late USBC Hall of Famer Joe Norris of San Diego and the late Bill Doehrman of Fort Wayne, Ind., who each bowled in 71 tournaments.
In 66 Open Championships appearances, Thiel has knocked down 108,939 pins for an average of 183.4. He is eighth on the all-time pinfall list, which Norris tops with 123,770.
HOMETOWN: Lake City, Minn.
OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS APPEARANCES: 66
OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS TITLES: 0
BOWLING BALL WEIGHT: 11 lbs.
FAVORITE BRAND OF BOWLING BALLS: plastic
ONE all-time favorite host city: Fort Worth, Texas, or Las Vegas
TWO best Open Championships memories: The 1958 event in Syracuse, which is also where Bert Price and I finished 12th in doubles.
THREE keys to success at the Open Championships: 1. open mind; 2. concentration; 3. don't follow instructions from other bowlers.
FOURgettable Open Championships moment: Last year's Reno scores. They hooked too much!
FIVE bowlers in history on your Open Championships fantasy all-star team: Don Carter, Dick Weber, Eddie Lubanski, Bob Hart, Joe Norris, Johnny Crimmins Sr.
SIX bowling balls currently in your Open Championships arsenal: Only one- Columbia White Dot
SEVEN cities you'd like to see the Open Championships go to/return to: Detroit, Minneapolis, Las Vegas, Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami
EIGHT favorite bowling balls ever: Manhattan Rubber (shot first 300), any Brunswick ball
NINE other current/eligible bowlers you would choose to join you on your ideal pair of companion teams at the Open Championships: Bill Lillard, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Pete Weber
TEN seconds or less, who is your favorite bowler of all-time?: Joe Norris. Without a doubt, one of the nicest people ever.
ELEVEN strikes in a row to start a game at the Open Championships, what's going through your head?: Stay slow and release the ball properly
TWELVE years from now, where do you hope to be in your bowling career?: I'll be 101 and probably using a six pound bowling ball.