Wisconsin bowler hits 50-year mark at 2019 USBC Open Championships
April 30, 2019
By Matt Cannizzaro and Daniel Farish
USBC Communications
LAS VEGAS - It was 1965 in St. Paul, Minnesota, when Jack Giesfeldt of West Milwaukee, Wisconsin, first bowled in the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships.
After a five-year layoff, he returned to the championship lanes for the 1971 event in Detroit, and he hasn't missed a tournament since. This year's visit marked his 50th USBC Open Championships appearance, and he attributes his longevity in the sport to health and commitment.
Giesfeldt, a 74-year-old right-hander, made his milestone march to the lanes at the South Point Bowling Plaza on Sunday, and he received a chevron, plaque and diamond lapel pin to commemorate the achievement.
"You don't make it this far without a certain level of commitment to the sport," said Giesfeldt, whose dedication is just as strong off the lanes, where he is a former president and current board member of the Milwaukee Area USBC Bowling Association. "I've been involved in bowling since I was 13. My best friend's dad was a really good bowler. I joined a junior league with my buddy and bowled those until I was 18, and I've been in men's leagues ever since."
Giesfeldt's re-emergence at the Open Championships in 1971 was the first year of a 25-tournament run with the same group. All 10 guys showing that commitment, not only to the sport and the tournament, but to each other, was very motivating.
While the members of the original group eventually went their separate way due to family, jobs and other commitments, Giesfeldt found other teams equally dedicated to the event. Eventually, he put together his own group, a mixture of friends and family from Wisconsin.
"I've bowled with my son, Perry, for 17 years now," Giesfeldt said. "We bowl team together, and I'm bowling doubles this year with my daughter, Teri."
His son, Perry, entered the USBC history books Dec. 23, 2006, when he became the 11th bowler in history to roll a USBC-certified 900 series. It was the 12th perfect series in USBC-certified competition overall.
The senior Giesfeldt has thrown two USBC-certified 300 games of his own, and his best performance at the Open Championships came in Billings, Montana, in 2002, when he posted a 1,844 total for his nine games.
Family always has been a big part of the Open Championships for the Giesfeldts, and they have turned each trip into a vacation. Some of his favorite memories aren't from the lanes, but from the adventures away from them.
"We really enjoyed Corpus Christi (Texas), Tampa (Florida) and Long Beach (California) - places where there were a lot of things to do," Giesfeldt said. "The weather was generally always great, and we'd sneak in some golf here or there. The wife and kids would always come along. It really made it special."
As he looks back at the last five decades and everything it has taken to get to this point, Giesfeldt has one piece of advice for any bowler, young or old, who wants to join the 50-Year Club.
"Stay healthy, stay committed and hope you make it every year," Giesfeldt said.
On the lanes this year, he rolled sets of 519 in singles, 477 in team and 432 in doubles for a 1,428 all-events total. In 50 Open Championships appearances, he has toppled 77,532 pins for a career average of 175.8.
Giesfeldt is one of 23 bowlers scheduled to reach 50 years of participation during the 2019 tournament at South Point.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships Facebook page.
USBC Communications
LAS VEGAS - It was 1965 in St. Paul, Minnesota, when Jack Giesfeldt of West Milwaukee, Wisconsin, first bowled in the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships.
After a five-year layoff, he returned to the championship lanes for the 1971 event in Detroit, and he hasn't missed a tournament since. This year's visit marked his 50th USBC Open Championships appearance, and he attributes his longevity in the sport to health and commitment.
Giesfeldt, a 74-year-old right-hander, made his milestone march to the lanes at the South Point Bowling Plaza on Sunday, and he received a chevron, plaque and diamond lapel pin to commemorate the achievement.
"You don't make it this far without a certain level of commitment to the sport," said Giesfeldt, whose dedication is just as strong off the lanes, where he is a former president and current board member of the Milwaukee Area USBC Bowling Association. "I've been involved in bowling since I was 13. My best friend's dad was a really good bowler. I joined a junior league with my buddy and bowled those until I was 18, and I've been in men's leagues ever since."
Giesfeldt's re-emergence at the Open Championships in 1971 was the first year of a 25-tournament run with the same group. All 10 guys showing that commitment, not only to the sport and the tournament, but to each other, was very motivating.
While the members of the original group eventually went their separate way due to family, jobs and other commitments, Giesfeldt found other teams equally dedicated to the event. Eventually, he put together his own group, a mixture of friends and family from Wisconsin.
"I've bowled with my son, Perry, for 17 years now," Giesfeldt said. "We bowl team together, and I'm bowling doubles this year with my daughter, Teri."
His son, Perry, entered the USBC history books Dec. 23, 2006, when he became the 11th bowler in history to roll a USBC-certified 900 series. It was the 12th perfect series in USBC-certified competition overall.
The senior Giesfeldt has thrown two USBC-certified 300 games of his own, and his best performance at the Open Championships came in Billings, Montana, in 2002, when he posted a 1,844 total for his nine games.
Family always has been a big part of the Open Championships for the Giesfeldts, and they have turned each trip into a vacation. Some of his favorite memories aren't from the lanes, but from the adventures away from them.
"We really enjoyed Corpus Christi (Texas), Tampa (Florida) and Long Beach (California) - places where there were a lot of things to do," Giesfeldt said. "The weather was generally always great, and we'd sneak in some golf here or there. The wife and kids would always come along. It really made it special."
As he looks back at the last five decades and everything it has taken to get to this point, Giesfeldt has one piece of advice for any bowler, young or old, who wants to join the 50-Year Club.
"Stay healthy, stay committed and hope you make it every year," Giesfeldt said.
On the lanes this year, he rolled sets of 519 in singles, 477 in team and 432 in doubles for a 1,428 all-events total. In 50 Open Championships appearances, he has toppled 77,532 pins for a career average of 175.8.
Giesfeldt is one of 23 bowlers scheduled to reach 50 years of participation during the 2019 tournament at South Point.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships Facebook page.