Wisconsin bowlers win four-team battle for lead at USBC Open Championships
March 21, 2010
RENO, Nev. - There have been a lot of memorable moments at the National Bowling Stadium since it opened its doors in 1995, and those in attendance Saturday night were treated to an exciting show as four teams battled for the lead at the 2010 USBC Open Championships.
In the end, it was Rob Bailey's Pro Shop 1 of Sun Prairie, Wis., pulling into the top spot with games of 1,122, 974 and 1,106 for a 3,202 total. The closest challenger was Rob Bailey's Pro Shop 2, which posted games of 1,087, 1,038 and 977 on the same pair of lanes and moved into third place in Regular team with 3,102.
A few lanes away, Capri Lanes of Dayton, Ohio, had games of 939, 1,131 and 1,003 and settled into seventh place with 3,073, while on the other side of the Stadium, Strive To Be Average of Colorado Springs, Colo., got into the mix with 1,057 and 1,040, but finished with 969 and moved into a tie for eighth place with 3,066. Bluebird Lanes of Orland Park, Ill., previously held the lead with 3,122.
"We have led at the tournament a few times at various points throughout the years, but tonight was still pretty exciting," said Rob Bailey, a 57-year-old right-hander who made his 30th consecutive Open Championships appearance. "But even though we've come close a few times, we are still looking to get that title."
Bailey and his teammates led the team event until the final days of the 1991 tournament in Toledo, Ohio, but eventually finished second. The group also finished third at the 1988 event in Jacksonville, Fla.
The battle for the lead Saturday wasn't decided until the final frame when Bailey's team was able to make its spares and mix in a couple of doubles to ensure their spot atop the leaderboard. Although the pressure might have made other teams nervous, Rob Bailey's Pro Shop 1, expected to be near the top.
Joel Carlson led the way for Rob Bailey's Pro Shop 1 with a 709 series and was followed by Terry Norton (659), Scott Lindsey (646), Bailey (597) and Bruce Herreman (591).
The group's outstanding performance can be attributed to 144 years of combined experience on the tournament lanes. Herreman, who rolled a 299 game at last year's event in Las Vegas, made his 33rd trip to the Open Championships, Norton reached 30 years, Lindsey bowled for the 26th consecutive time and Carlson competed in his 25th consecutive Open Championships.
Bailey, Norton and Herreman all bowled together at South Dakota State University, where Herreman went on to coach. It was during his coaching tenure that he coached his future teammates, Lindsey and Carlson.
"Scott and Joel are the younger members of our group, but we have known them for a long time," said Bailey, who bowled a 300 game in singles at the 1997 tournament in Huntsville, Ala. "We have had a couple guys carry professional memberships over the years, which has forced us to do some shuffling every now and then, but for the majority of the time, we have been together."
Rob Bailey's Pro Shop 2 was led by Keith Ubert, who shot 300 in team last year (697), Dallas Herreman, who shot 300 in doubles at the 2008 event in Albuquerque, N.M., (655), Edward Reiss (652), Tyler Herreman (562) and Chad Goodwin (536). It was a total group effort, aided by hours of practice at Rob Bailey's Pro Shop and Lanes.
"I have the oil pattern, the same kind of oil and the same type of lane surface at my pro shop," said Bailey, who owns Rob Bailey's Pro Shop and Lanes. "I was able to give the guys a lot of information on how to play it, and even though the transition kind of got us during the second game, it really did turn out to be correct information. It is important for the companion team to understand how to play the lanes correctly, and they did a great job."
Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado and Silver Legacy Hotel/Casinos in Reno, Nev. 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.
In the end, it was Rob Bailey's Pro Shop 1 of Sun Prairie, Wis., pulling into the top spot with games of 1,122, 974 and 1,106 for a 3,202 total. The closest challenger was Rob Bailey's Pro Shop 2, which posted games of 1,087, 1,038 and 977 on the same pair of lanes and moved into third place in Regular team with 3,102.
A few lanes away, Capri Lanes of Dayton, Ohio, had games of 939, 1,131 and 1,003 and settled into seventh place with 3,073, while on the other side of the Stadium, Strive To Be Average of Colorado Springs, Colo., got into the mix with 1,057 and 1,040, but finished with 969 and moved into a tie for eighth place with 3,066. Bluebird Lanes of Orland Park, Ill., previously held the lead with 3,122.
"We have led at the tournament a few times at various points throughout the years, but tonight was still pretty exciting," said Rob Bailey, a 57-year-old right-hander who made his 30th consecutive Open Championships appearance. "But even though we've come close a few times, we are still looking to get that title."
Bailey and his teammates led the team event until the final days of the 1991 tournament in Toledo, Ohio, but eventually finished second. The group also finished third at the 1988 event in Jacksonville, Fla.
The battle for the lead Saturday wasn't decided until the final frame when Bailey's team was able to make its spares and mix in a couple of doubles to ensure their spot atop the leaderboard. Although the pressure might have made other teams nervous, Rob Bailey's Pro Shop 1, expected to be near the top.
Joel Carlson led the way for Rob Bailey's Pro Shop 1 with a 709 series and was followed by Terry Norton (659), Scott Lindsey (646), Bailey (597) and Bruce Herreman (591).
The group's outstanding performance can be attributed to 144 years of combined experience on the tournament lanes. Herreman, who rolled a 299 game at last year's event in Las Vegas, made his 33rd trip to the Open Championships, Norton reached 30 years, Lindsey bowled for the 26th consecutive time and Carlson competed in his 25th consecutive Open Championships.
Bailey, Norton and Herreman all bowled together at South Dakota State University, where Herreman went on to coach. It was during his coaching tenure that he coached his future teammates, Lindsey and Carlson.
"Scott and Joel are the younger members of our group, but we have known them for a long time," said Bailey, who bowled a 300 game in singles at the 1997 tournament in Huntsville, Ala. "We have had a couple guys carry professional memberships over the years, which has forced us to do some shuffling every now and then, but for the majority of the time, we have been together."
Rob Bailey's Pro Shop 2 was led by Keith Ubert, who shot 300 in team last year (697), Dallas Herreman, who shot 300 in doubles at the 2008 event in Albuquerque, N.M., (655), Edward Reiss (652), Tyler Herreman (562) and Chad Goodwin (536). It was a total group effort, aided by hours of practice at Rob Bailey's Pro Shop and Lanes.
"I have the oil pattern, the same kind of oil and the same type of lane surface at my pro shop," said Bailey, who owns Rob Bailey's Pro Shop and Lanes. "I was able to give the guys a lot of information on how to play it, and even though the transition kind of got us during the second game, it really did turn out to be correct information. It is important for the companion team to understand how to play the lanes correctly, and they did a great job."
Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado and Silver Legacy Hotel/Casinos in Reno, Nev. 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.