Two bowlers toss perfect games at 2010 OC
May 14, 2010
RENO, Nev. - Once again, it has been feast or famine on the honor score front at the USBC Open Championships, and after nearly two weeks without a 300 game, there were three in less than 24 hours.
Michael Klimpel of Rosemount, Minn., tossed the 15th perfect game of this year's event Thursday night, and Clifford Gilliard of Las Vegas followed suit early Friday morning. Keith Meagor of Butte, Mont., broke the drought Thursday afternoon, while Chris Werner of Rochester, N.Y., just missed, shooting 297.
Klimpel actually walked by the media relations office earlier in the day Thursday and jokingly announced that he'd be back that night for his interview. A few hours later, he delivered 12 consecutive strikes and earned his spot in the record books.
"Sometimes, I say things in jest, and I can't believe this really happened," said Klimpel, a 37-year-old right-hander who bowls regularly at Farmington Lanes and made his fifth USBC Open Championships appearance. "I'm excited right now, and it's hard to put it into words. I was shaking like a leaf on the 12th shot. I've had 300s before, but I don't think I've ever been that nervous."
Klimpel's run at perfection couldn't have been possible without his Farmington Lanes B teammates, and their keys to success were teamwork, strategy and execution. Despite an 892 opening game, the bowlers stuck to their game plan, which was play the lanes together with the hope of creating more area to work with later in the team event.
"The guys I bowl with are great bowlers, and because of that, they are going to stick with the plan and grind it out," said Klimpel, who shot 171, 300 and 198 for a team-high 669 series. "You have to stay with the game plan so you can open up the lanes and possibly have a big game later in the series. You just can't panic and move too soon because then there won't be anything left for the end."
The team's strategy was simple and proved to be effective as it added games of 1,106 and 1,006 for a 3,004 total at the National Bowling Stadium. Bowlers Edge Pro Shop of Neenah, Wis., leads Regular Team with 3,408.
"The goal is to stay ahead of the moves, and if you can do that, you'll do well out here," Klimpel said. "I got a little bit lucky tonight. I didn't throw the ball anywhere good enough to score the way I did, but we got to 3,000, and it's always nice to finish plus. Along with stringing strikes, you also have to get some breaks to put up big numbers here."
Gilliard attributes his success to his versatility, which helped him bounce back from a disappointing start on the championship lanes this year.
"My bowling instructor taught me to do a lot of things, and if you can't bowl the way you're most comfortable, you have to try something else," said Gilliard, a warehouse manager for Davis Bowling Supply. "I decided I was going to have to move left, break my wrist and play a little straighter, and it worked. I started getting a look, and when the strikes were adding up, I started getting excited. It was fun."
The 70-year-old left-hander's 300 came in his second game of singles early Friday morning, and his wife, Charlotte, who has never seen him roll a perfect game, was back at the hotel sleeping.
"I've shot 300 before, so I didn't get nervous, but it feels great to shoot one here," Gilliard said. "I was in the dumps about bowling badly in team, and if I was going to wake up at 5:30 to bowl some more, I really wanted to shoot something good."
Gilliard took advantage of the tournament's new policy allowing bowlers to enjoy beverages while competing and used an energy drink to help him get going.
He finished singles with games of 186, 300 and 236 for a 722 series, the first 700 of his nine-year Open Championships career. He added 557 in doubles and 516 in team for a 1,795 all-events total.
Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado Hotel Casino and Silver Legacy Resort Casino in Reno, Nevada. Other sponsors include Sands Regency Casino Hotel, official brackets sponsor, Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, US Steltronic, official scoring system, and supporting sponsors Storm Bowling Products, UPS, Nationwide Insurance, Atlantis Casino Resort and Spa, Harrah's Reno Casino and Hotel and Peppermill Hotel Casino.
Michael Klimpel of Rosemount, Minn., tossed the 15th perfect game of this year's event Thursday night, and Clifford Gilliard of Las Vegas followed suit early Friday morning. Keith Meagor of Butte, Mont., broke the drought Thursday afternoon, while Chris Werner of Rochester, N.Y., just missed, shooting 297.
Klimpel actually walked by the media relations office earlier in the day Thursday and jokingly announced that he'd be back that night for his interview. A few hours later, he delivered 12 consecutive strikes and earned his spot in the record books.
"Sometimes, I say things in jest, and I can't believe this really happened," said Klimpel, a 37-year-old right-hander who bowls regularly at Farmington Lanes and made his fifth USBC Open Championships appearance. "I'm excited right now, and it's hard to put it into words. I was shaking like a leaf on the 12th shot. I've had 300s before, but I don't think I've ever been that nervous."
Klimpel's run at perfection couldn't have been possible without his Farmington Lanes B teammates, and their keys to success were teamwork, strategy and execution. Despite an 892 opening game, the bowlers stuck to their game plan, which was play the lanes together with the hope of creating more area to work with later in the team event.
"The guys I bowl with are great bowlers, and because of that, they are going to stick with the plan and grind it out," said Klimpel, who shot 171, 300 and 198 for a team-high 669 series. "You have to stay with the game plan so you can open up the lanes and possibly have a big game later in the series. You just can't panic and move too soon because then there won't be anything left for the end."
The team's strategy was simple and proved to be effective as it added games of 1,106 and 1,006 for a 3,004 total at the National Bowling Stadium. Bowlers Edge Pro Shop of Neenah, Wis., leads Regular Team with 3,408.
"The goal is to stay ahead of the moves, and if you can do that, you'll do well out here," Klimpel said. "I got a little bit lucky tonight. I didn't throw the ball anywhere good enough to score the way I did, but we got to 3,000, and it's always nice to finish plus. Along with stringing strikes, you also have to get some breaks to put up big numbers here."
Gilliard attributes his success to his versatility, which helped him bounce back from a disappointing start on the championship lanes this year.
"My bowling instructor taught me to do a lot of things, and if you can't bowl the way you're most comfortable, you have to try something else," said Gilliard, a warehouse manager for Davis Bowling Supply. "I decided I was going to have to move left, break my wrist and play a little straighter, and it worked. I started getting a look, and when the strikes were adding up, I started getting excited. It was fun."
The 70-year-old left-hander's 300 came in his second game of singles early Friday morning, and his wife, Charlotte, who has never seen him roll a perfect game, was back at the hotel sleeping.
"I've shot 300 before, so I didn't get nervous, but it feels great to shoot one here," Gilliard said. "I was in the dumps about bowling badly in team, and if I was going to wake up at 5:30 to bowl some more, I really wanted to shoot something good."
Gilliard took advantage of the tournament's new policy allowing bowlers to enjoy beverages while competing and used an energy drink to help him get going.
He finished singles with games of 186, 300 and 236 for a 722 series, the first 700 of his nine-year Open Championships career. He added 557 in doubles and 516 in team for a 1,795 all-events total.
Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado Hotel Casino and Silver Legacy Resort Casino in Reno, Nevada. Other sponsors include Sands Regency Casino Hotel, official brackets sponsor, Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, US Steltronic, official scoring system, and supporting sponsors Storm Bowling Products, UPS, Nationwide Insurance, Atlantis Casino Resort and Spa, Harrah's Reno Casino and Hotel and Peppermill Hotel Casino.