Once In A Lifetime Strike

Once In A Lifetime Strike

At the 2011 USBC Team USA Trials in Henderson, Nev., Josh Scanlan entered the tournament looking to earn his way onto Team USA. He left as an Internet-video hero.

The Team USA Trials test a bowler’s ability – you need the versatility to play the twig, loft the gutter cap and everywhere in between. When Josh stepped up in the 10th frame, he was starting his approach in front of the ball return and lofting his ball over the left gutter.

After striking on his first two deliveries, the all-important fill ball was all that remained. The fill ball is an opportunity to try something different, to see if another ball or playing a different part of the lane might be better as the day moves along.

In Josh’s case, he ended up playing a different part of the lane, because … well, his ball ended up on a completely different lane! See for yourself! 

(check out the shot at 0:50) 

Josh’s final shot stuck in his hand, causing the ball to fly much higher than expected. The ball fell directly into the left gutter on the right lane, bounced over the divider into the left lane, went into THAT lane’s left gutter, bounced out and FINALLY proceeded to produce a powerful strike, albeit on the wrong lane. 

Although Josh fell short of making Team USA, finishing 49th, his legend quickly grew after the shot made its way to YouTube. Better known on Google as “Josh Scanlan Accidentally Bowls The Greatest Strike Ever,” the video quickly made its rounds across cyberspace, launching Josh into the hall of fame of striking on the wrong lane.