Pennsylvania bowler celebrates 50 years at USBC Open Championships
May 24, 2024
LAS VEGAS – Dean Robinson of Loysville, Pennsylvania, made his 50th consecutive appearance at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships during his trip to the 2024 event Wednesday at the South Point Bowling Plaza.
The 79-year-old was escorted to the lanes in Las Vegas by the tournament staff, and he was presented with a plaque, chevron and diamond lapel pin to help commemorate his entry to the 50-Year Club at the event.
The feeling of excitement leading up to his 50th year left Robinson with a sense of achievement and euphoria.
“Walking out there with the spotlight on you, you sort of feel this temporary high with all of the emotions and reflections going on,” Robinson said. “This is a milestone I have been striving to achieve since I got to my 25th year, and to finally get there is something I hope all bowlers who come to this tournament get to experience one day.”
Robinson started his career at the tournament in 1974 at the event held in Indianapolis.
“I started traveling to this tournament with my wife and father-in-law as a way to go on a mini vacation and sightsee,” Robinson said. “Once my father-in-law passed away, my wife lost the interest to bowl, so it has just been me chugging along here year after year with the group I can get to come bowl.”
A few of Robinson’s favorite tournament memories over the course of his 50 years may seem simple to most, but for someone from a small town, it was a new opportunity to experience the United States.
“The first year we bowled in Indianapolis stuck out to me as it was the first time I had ever bowled in a setting bigger than a 10-lane bowling center,” Robinson said. “Another moment I enjoyed was visiting and bowling in Niagara Falls in 1987. It was a beautiful place and not too far from home in comparison to some of the other locations we bowled, so that was enjoyable.”
Robinson has had the drive to continue bowling the tournament after reaching his 25th year of participation at the 1998 USBC Open Championships in Reno, Nevada, and he made his main goal of reaching 50 years through several trials and tribulations in his life.
After a near-death experience in 2015, Robinson’s outlook on life slightly changed.
“I had a lower vertebra collapse on me in 2015, and I actually died on my way to the hospital,” Robinson said. “The doctors and staff were able to bring me back to life that night, and I don’t remember a thing about that day other than asking my wife to take me to the hospital.
“Once a thing like that happens to you, you start to stress less about the little things in life as well as learn to enjoy the things you do love more, whether that’s family or a game like bowling.”
Now that Robinson has reached 50 years at the tournament, he plans to continue to bowl as long as he can remain healthy.
“The short-term goal is to bowl in Baton Rouge next year and then see where we end up after that,” Robinson said. “As I get older, it is getting hard and harder to get a group to come out to bowl, but I will keep coming as long as I have a few friends that want to come with.”
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 79-year-old was escorted to the lanes in Las Vegas by the tournament staff, and he was presented with a plaque, chevron and diamond lapel pin to help commemorate his entry to the 50-Year Club at the event.
The feeling of excitement leading up to his 50th year left Robinson with a sense of achievement and euphoria.
“Walking out there with the spotlight on you, you sort of feel this temporary high with all of the emotions and reflections going on,” Robinson said. “This is a milestone I have been striving to achieve since I got to my 25th year, and to finally get there is something I hope all bowlers who come to this tournament get to experience one day.”
Robinson started his career at the tournament in 1974 at the event held in Indianapolis.
“I started traveling to this tournament with my wife and father-in-law as a way to go on a mini vacation and sightsee,” Robinson said. “Once my father-in-law passed away, my wife lost the interest to bowl, so it has just been me chugging along here year after year with the group I can get to come bowl.”
A few of Robinson’s favorite tournament memories over the course of his 50 years may seem simple to most, but for someone from a small town, it was a new opportunity to experience the United States.
“The first year we bowled in Indianapolis stuck out to me as it was the first time I had ever bowled in a setting bigger than a 10-lane bowling center,” Robinson said. “Another moment I enjoyed was visiting and bowling in Niagara Falls in 1987. It was a beautiful place and not too far from home in comparison to some of the other locations we bowled, so that was enjoyable.”
Robinson has had the drive to continue bowling the tournament after reaching his 25th year of participation at the 1998 USBC Open Championships in Reno, Nevada, and he made his main goal of reaching 50 years through several trials and tribulations in his life.
After a near-death experience in 2015, Robinson’s outlook on life slightly changed.
“I had a lower vertebra collapse on me in 2015, and I actually died on my way to the hospital,” Robinson said. “The doctors and staff were able to bring me back to life that night, and I don’t remember a thing about that day other than asking my wife to take me to the hospital.
“Once a thing like that happens to you, you start to stress less about the little things in life as well as learn to enjoy the things you do love more, whether that’s family or a game like bowling.”
Now that Robinson has reached 50 years at the tournament, he plans to continue to bowl as long as he can remain healthy.
“The short-term goal is to bowl in Baton Rouge next year and then see where we end up after that,” Robinson said. “As I get older, it is getting hard and harder to get a group to come out to bowl, but I will keep coming as long as I have a few friends that want to come with.”
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.