10-pin bowling rolls along

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This article was published 22/02/2006 (7251 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

JOHN and Bernice Pelletier admit they “do not go out to movies much” and it’s not because they’re reclusive.

It’s because they’re too busy bowling in a 10-pin league.

“We both bowl three times a week at Club Laverendrye. It’s good exercise and we enjoy the company,” said Bernice, 75, a retired RBC employee.

Her husband participated in a major senior 10-pin tournament in Reno, Nev., in ’05 and both of them will be attending the same event this year.

“I’ve also been to other tournaments in other places in Canada and the U.S.,” said John, 84, a retired community planner, adding that he began bowling after he got out of the Canadian Army in 1946.

10-pin bowling was really popular a decade ago when there were some 4,500 registered members in the Winnipeg Ten Pin Bowling Association, according to Ron Molinksi, executive director of the WTPBA , whose organization is down to 2,100 members today.

“Then Empress Lanes closed up about five years ago and that had 40 lanes,” he said.

Although quite a few of the bowlers moved over to different bowling alleys, many others lost interest in the sport after the Empress shut down, said Molinksi.

Then there was a big fire at Chateau Lanes, which has since been rebuilt, a few years ago, he added.

“Some people took up other sports, like curling and darts,” he added, noting that Valley Bowling Lanes in Winkler is now part of the WTPBA.

But 10-pin bowling will always have a following locally.

“We run 12 tournaments a year, all for amateur bowlers,” said Molinski, whose organization joined the Canadian Ten Pin Federation out of Lethbridge, Alta., two years ago after many years of being affiliated with the American Bowling Congress in Greendale, Wis.

The annual WTPBA Tournament for bowlers 18 and over was held at Laverendrye Lanes last month.

“It’s a handicap tournament,” said Molinski, adding that the Manitoba Bowling Association also holds a seniors’ tournament every November.

“There’s also the Manitoba Classic Bowling Association, a small 10-pin group, who run a scratch tournament for high-end bowlers. They run 10 tournaments a year.”

So far this year, there have been 14 perfect games bowled in Winnipeg, as well as six “800 series” for three games, he added.

“That’s really hard to do (an 800 series). This is the most we’ve ever had. So it shows that the calibre of bowling is going up. Bowling balls are getting better and lane conditions in bowling houses are improving too,” said Molinski.

No. 1 bowler

He also points with pride to Mike Schmidt, out of Chateau Lanes, who won the 2005 World Cup of Bowling in amateur singles in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

“Michael came up through the ranks of our junior program and then he moved into the adult program. Ever since then, he’s been our No. 1 bowler in Manitoba and across Canada last year,” said Molinski.

“We have coaching programs for all ages and every bowling house has coaches for junior-age players (five to 21).”