JOHN BASSETTI \ Bowling GM switch initiated Shell league

The UAW-Gary's Shell Tuesday Morning Men's Trio League owes its existence to George Feschenko and Mike Dworak.
Now in its eighth year, the Shell league was brought into existence when the GM Lordstown plant changed its production schedule from four 10-hour days to five 8-hour days.
Before the switchover, Feschenko was bowling at Boardman Lanes on his night off -- Monday.
After the change, Feschenko, a chassis department worker, scoured various alleys to find another league at a time suitable to other workers on Feschenko's work schedule.
The employee/bowler found Wedgewood Lanes general manager Mike Dworak responsive to his dilemma. While Feschenko organized the bowlers, Dworak found a sponsor, Gary's Shell in Cornersburg.
"I went to different lanes to find a league on Sunday night or during the day. That's when Dworak talked me into starting a new league. He found Gary [Bueno] who bowled with him."
Thus, the new league was formed with eight teams.
League executive
Feschenko, 53, of Austintown is the league secretary-treasurer, Lenny Schober Jr. is president, Carl Krawiec is vice-president and Cliff Duke Sr. is sergeant-at-arms.
Gary's Shell has 10 mostly three-man teams and 36 members total. Several years ago, the league reached 14 teams.
About 80 percent of the bowlers work at GM's assembly or stamping plant, but a U.S. Post Office team joined this year.
Feschenko, a 35-year auto worker, is a member of the Lucky Strikes team with Jim Strock, Ray Bisciglia and Schober.
Feschenko began bowling at age 9 at Wedgewood when it was built in the early 1960s. At times, he'd peddle his bicycle about two miles to Wedgewood while holding his bowling bag from the handlebars.
Gary's Shell Tuesday Morning Men's isn't a smashmouth 300-game league, but one of its members, John Larson, has had four Gary's Shell 300 games against the Lucky Strikes.
"I guess he likes us," Feschenko quipped.
More perfection
Larson has had six perfect games since he's been a Shell bowler.
The high game so far for 2005-06 is Bill Burns' 299.
Current top averages are John Nolen Jr.'s 215 and Doug Hall's 212.
Hall's Dream Team won a few Shell championships and the 4-Wheelers were champs for 2004-05. Members were Bill Johnson, Mike Theis, George Hennings and Krawiec. Lucky Strikes were runner-up.
It's interesting to note that Feschenko changed from bowling right-handed about 20 years ago.
"After I broke my right hand, I started lefty. I found I was pretty good, so I kept it up," said Feschenko, who averaged 202 for 2004-05.
This season, however, he had persistent pain in his left shoulder over a two-week period.
"I didn't want to aggravate it, so I asked for approval from league members and they voted to allow me to switch."
"I haven't bowled right-handed in 20 years," said Feschenko, who averaged 160 since the switch.
"I had a 234 in practice," he said of reverting to his original dominant hand.
Burns belongs to the Rather Be Golfing team, which expresses the sentiments of Gary's Shell bowlers, who don't have to endure the torture of a 32-week season.
Shell's season is 24 weeks, from late September to late March.
"It doesn't interfere with golf," said Feschenko, whose league has bowlers who also enjoy fishing and hunting and the outdoors in general.
"We even have one guy who is a beekeeper."
Back-to-back 300s
Dan Francosky had 300-300-226 -- 826 in Wednesday Men at McKinley Lanes on Dec. 7. He missed the house record by 20 points. In the same league, Brian Neal also rolled 300.
Also at McKinley, house proprietor Marty Letscher had 803 in Sunday Mixed.
Shane A. Miller bowled 809 in Eight-Ball Men at Holiday on Nov. 21 while Bill Tiberio had 259-279-267 -- 805 in Kernan Insurance Classic at West Side on Dec. 5. Depizzo Sausage No. 2 won Kernan's second quarter with an 18-3 record.
Seventy-six-year-old Russ Anania had 278-277-195 -- 750 in Outdoorsmen at Camelot on Nov. 30.
Julie Tufaro's 737 led Hively's Ladies and Pat Rohrbaugh's 709 was tops among women in Ron Haus Mix Matchers at Amron.
Michaelene Omero topped Wedgewood Ladies Trio on Dec. 6 with high game (277) and high three-game set (703).
In a narrow Mahoning Valley High School Bowling Conference boys match on Dec. 14, Fitch nipped Boardman by five points, 2583-2578. Also, Lakeview's Jesse Mangell rolled 298 in the Bulldogs' loss to Canfield. On the girls side, Struthers beat Niles by 11 pins, 2026-2015.
Parker benefit
NILES -- A benefit for 39-year-old heart surgery patient Shawn Parker of Youngstown is today at McKinley Lanes from 2 to 5 p.m.
Cost is $10 per person for three games. Bowler sponsors also are sought for $2 a game or five-cents a pin as well as monetary donations.